News & Information... | Fairfield Allotments

Allotment Shopping Bag and Surplus Sale

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:02:53 +0100

By all accounts the surplus sale was a really profitable & enjoyable day making almost £500 for the allotments.

If you missed out on buying one of our 'limited edition' Fairtrade Fairfield Allotment cotton shopping bags on the day then don't worry you can still buy them for only £3 a piece. How about giving some for Christmas...put a present inside...tie it up with garden twine...sustainable, resuable wrapping!

Click here, or on the image title to the left, to send us your details and how many you want. Alternatively they'll be an opportunity to buy some when you place your seed scheme order this year...coming up soon.

Surplus Sale!!! & Newsletter

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:07:48 +0100

The very belated (sorry John's fault!) Summer Newsletter 2010 can be downloaded by clicking here...

& don't forget the surplus sale this Saturday.

August Surplus Sale

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:36:54 +0100

A date for your diary!

On Saturday 28 August 2010, the Fairfield Allotments are having a sale of surplus garden produce. The sale would be between 11am and 2pm and, like last year, would take place just inside the allotment gates near the white farmhouse.

Nearer the time, there will be posters advertising the event but, in the meantime, please put the date in your diary.

To make the sale a success, donations of the following items would be particularly welcome:

· Fruit and vegetables

· Cut flowers

· Herbs and other potted plants

· Jams and chutneys (get making!)

· Home-made cakes (to be sold whole, or in slices with cups of tea or coffee)

· Home-made biscuits

· A giant vegetable (for example, a marrow, pumpkin or cabbage) for a “Guess the Weight” competition

· Folding tables

· Gazebos

· And, of course, your time. We will need volunteers to pick, price and sell on the day.

Last year’s sale raised about £350, and we are hoping to do even better this year. The proceeds will build on the success of the Fairfield Allotments’ stall at the Fun Day on 3 July which raised a very useful £355 for allotment funds.

Contact details are on the notice board at the allotments or email John.

Funday 2010

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:26:40 +0100

Fairfield Fun Day -

Produce & Volunteers Needed!!

“Fairfield Fun Day” is on the 3rd of July.

This is a great opportunity to help the allotment association raise funds. Last year we made a profit of around £300! This year we are aiming to do even better.

There are all sorts of ways you can help:

Pot on spare seedlings or split bigger plants. Herbs sell very well but also flower cuttings, tomatoes, peppers etc. These can be given on the day or leave them in advance by the greenhouse of allotment 12b.

Donate some spare produce from your allotment‐ rhubarb, new potatoes, soft fruit, sweet peas, cabbages, courgettes all sell well. If you aren't around on the morning of July 3rd, let me know your allotment number and we'll collect. If you are, please leave produce at one of the gates.

On the day itself we need help in the morning to collect produce and carry it over to the marquee We also need helpers to sell the produce‐ it can be a bit hectic, but is great fun. If you can spare an hour, let me know and I'll put you on the rota.

If you want to know more or want to help, please contact me on 12B

Jean Laurie

Warning | Contaminated Manure

Mon, 24 May 2010 20:11:44 +0100

If you've been looking at the website you'll know we've posted a couple of things about problems with weedkiller/ herbicide contaminated manure on allotments across the country.

Unfortunately it seems that the problem has arrived at Fairfield.

At least one manure delivery seems to be contaminated. We are in the process of contacting the supplier to make sure they stop offering manure to allotments and veg growers. (At the moment we do not think the free bagged stuff is the problem.)

The best advice we can find is available through the following links. If you believe either your manure is contaminated after testing, or your crops are showing symptoms, please let us know & take some photos please. (There is a simple way to test your manure outlined below). We won't be able to do any more than the websites we've mentioned say to do, but we will alert the NSALG, chemical company and government about how we've been affected.

Here are a few links about the problem:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=477

http://glallotments.co.uk/default.aspx

http://www.growyourown.info/page164.html

http://www.manurematters.co.uk/gardening.htm

It is essential that you test any standing manure you have on your plot before using it. Here is the recommended method:

Testing manure:

Thoroughly mix 1 part manure with 1 part multi-purpose compost in a clean bucket. Prepare enough to fill four 5-inch pots.

Fill another four clean pots solely with multi-purpose compost. These will be the untreated comparisons.

Place each of the pots in a separate saucer to prevent water from one pot reaching another.

Water the pots and leave to stand for 24 hours.

Plant each pot with four broad bean seeds

Observe subsequent growth for four-week period and note any ill effects in the pots containing the manure mix, such as cupped leaves and fernlike growth on new shoots.

(We will test some of the free manure, but please do it yourself as it can only help us be more confident about it.)

Let's hope it's just an isolated incident and with care we can avoid further issues.

RHS IPhone App

Sun, 23 May 2010 23:17:19 +0100

How many times have you been at the allotment and thought...

"if only there were a really informative app for my iPhone which would tell me all the basics I need to know about growing veg and fruit"

...well now there is!

Follow this link:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/iphone

Please don't annoy the neighbours!

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:27:31 +0000

It seems spring is officially here and everyone is creeping out of hibernation to clear their plots for the season ahead.

For some this means bonfires.

If you are going to have a bonfire can you please be respectful of our neighbours and make sure the wind is blowing away from the houses.

I've already received one complaint from a normally very tolerant neighbour and would not want this to escalate.

· Keep fires small if possible and do not leave to burn unattended.

· Make sure the wind in blowing away from houses.

· Try not to light fires when people are likely to have washing out, or windows open.

· If other people have fires lit, don't join in!

Here's a link to where we stand legally on bonfires. There's also advice on how to get rid of waste rather than burn it.

Good Allotment Guides

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:31:43 +0000

Have a look at these links on the left to thebookpeople.co.uk

If you're looking for a good quality, informative allotment guide...these are well worth having in your shed!

...& a bargain as well.

Lost - - - - - -

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:38:27 +0000

Hi Everyone,

One of our members has lost a 1/2 inch chisel between the gate at the white cottage on Sunnyside and plot 27b last Saturday 20th Feb.

If anyone has seen it/ found it/ picked it up please let me know and I'll get it back to it's owner.

Many Thanks

John

URGENT AGM POSTPONED

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:05:48 +0000

URGENT!!!

Fairfield Allotment Holders’ Association

Our venue for the AGM 2010 has just been unfortunately (and accidentally) double booked!!

As they have 100 paying customers, we lost out.

At such short notice we have no choice but reschedule.

NEW AGM DATE

THURSDAY 11th FEBRUARY 7.30

The Borough, Upstairs, Dalton Square.

Hope to see you there. John & your committee.

PS: If you have got this through your letter box it means we don’t have your email recorded. It may mean we are slightly fitter for delivering it - but if you use email - please, please, please let us have it. It really helps out with newsletters and very occasional notices like this.

We’re very sorry for such late notice but the Borough have only just let us know. However, they let us meet at the venue free for all our committee meetings so we have to be flexible.

National Vegetable Society

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:49:01 +0000

An ex member of the association has sent in this invitation. The link to the National Veg Society is quite useful, with links and a month by month guide...

The Westmorland and North Lancashire District Association of the National Vegetable Society meet once a month between October and April. On Tuesday 9th of February, 7.30pm at the Club Inn, Endmoor, Near Kendal, Jack Gott of JRG Dahlias will be giving a talk on Dahlias. Jack is one of the UK's most prominent Dahlia Growers

All are very welcome. For further information please contact Mark English at mark.english7@btinternet.com or Maureen Robinson on 015395 61053 for further information. For more information on the National Vegetable Society please see http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/index.php

Potato Day

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:20:22 +0000

AGM 2010

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:14:44 +0000

70^th

Annual General Meeting

The Fairfield Allotment Holders’ Association

will be held at The Borough, Dalton Square

On Thursday 04^th February 2010

At 7.30 pm

All are welcome

Agenda & Papers will be available from the secretary in advance by request or at the meeting.

Further details will be published with the rent request.

If you haven’t received your rent request by the end of January please contact John on 01524 849371

Council Budget Allocation

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:42:24 +0000

The council are asking for consultation on their next budget follow the link to get your chance to have your say. The document specifically mentions allotments...please support this by returning the form in favour of allotments!!

Click here for the budget consultation document

There will also be public consultation meetings taking place.

5 January 2010
Carnforth Railway Station
6.30pm to 8.30pm

6 January 2010
Lancaster Town Hall
6.30pm to 8.30pm

7 January 2010
Morecambe Football Club
2.30pm to 4.30pm

Residents must register to attend these and can do this by emailing consultation@lancaster.gov.uk <mailto:consultation@lancaster.gov.uk> or telephone 01524 582268.

Residents can also complete a questionnaire by picking up a copy from Lancaster or Morecambe town halls, council housing officers on Cable Street, librarbies or complete online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/consultation <http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/consultation> . Completed questionnaire must be received by 8 January 2010. If you would like to complete this on behalf of your organisation please state this in the 'name' box at the end of the questionnaire. Please note, stakeholders are not eligible for the prize draw, although anyone wishing to complete the survey as an individual would be eligible.

Please note: the hard copies will not be available from above until later this week.

Residents can also come along to one of the town centre exhibitions that will be taking place at Carnforth Rialway Station on January 5 between 4pm and 6pm, Market Square on January 6 between 11am and 3pm, and the Arndale Centre in Morecambe on January 7 between 10.30am and 1.30pm.

Contaminated Manure

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:57:36 +0000

A while ago we posted a notice about a petition to Number 10 about contaminated manure...

If you signed up you will have received the following a while back.

For those that didn't, but are still interested, here is a link to what happened.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page21280

Hmmmm......

STOP PRESS | New Leases

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:15:45 +0100

Some of you may have read about the council's decision to change allotment leases in the Lancaster Guardian, but the following email from the chair of ALMA (The Association of Lancaster & Morecambe Allotments) reports some significant changes in our relationship with the council in the future...and for once we think this is good news!

"Dear All

Lancaster City Council’s Cabinet met at Lancaster Town Hall on Tuesday 6^th October 2009, Item 6 on the agenda was the future arrangements for all Lancaster City Council allotment sites.

Councillor Emily Heath put forward the proposal of the Allotment Task Group that sites should pay a peppercorn rent and retain the difference in rent for running costs/maintenance and improvements to the allotment sites. Also that a sum of £20,000 per annum, over 5 years, be spent on bringing allotment infrastructure up to a better standard.

I am very pleased to tell you that this proposal was passed unanimously by the Cabinet and various members praised the past work of Allotment Committees and plotholders.

Further to this, it was agreed that, in addition a new lease, each site would be asked to enter into a Service Level Agreement with Lancaster City Council. Details will be provided later.

Although the Cabinet’s decision has to be ratified by the full Council at their next meeting (March 2010 budget meeting), I am assured that this will happen and I was informed that the new leases have already been drawn up.

This means that we have obtained all that we asked for.

May I take this opportunity to thank the Allotment Task Group for all their efforts over the past 5 years. Special thanks to Emily Heath, Richard Tulej, Jill Wesolowski and John Lambert.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Tom Jones

Chair

ALMA"

'Surplus Sale' & Opening

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:32:58 +0100

A big thank you to all who organised, volunteered, donated and bought stuff at our first surplus sale. It raised a massive £360! Which when added to the profit from the stall at Funday means we have raised just over £600 pounds from those 2 events alone.

A photo of the opening got into the Lancaster Guardian with a small article which helped to provide some publicity for organisations that gave us the funds to complete the extension. However, somehow from my notes to the press release to the final article two of our funders got left out...both the Galbraith Trust and The Lancaster City Council Allotment fund also contributed significantly as well as those mentioned in the article.

The surplus sale was so successful we think it may become an annual event, we'd welcome suggestions for improvements and additions.

More images in the photos section.

Invitation to the opening...

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:47:46 +0100

As you all know we're holding a fundraising day on Saturday 29 August 2009, we hope you'll all join in with this by donating and turning up on the day.

The day is also going to be the official press opening of the new allotment extension and we would like to invite as many of you as can to come and join in the photo shoot. This will generate some press coverage for the generosity of our funders.

All members and families are welcome.

We're planning to 'cut the ribbon' or 'dig the first sod' at around 11.30 so please get there for that time. Down at the Sunnyside gate end.

Contaminated Manure Petition

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:37:58 +0100

One of our members has passed the following on to me. The links take you to an article about the problem and to the Downing Street petition that you may be interested in adding your names to.

Dear Fellow Allotment Holders

You are probably aware of the withdrawal of the herbicide aminopyralid in July last year after a national outcry about the damage caused by manure contaminated with it.

Dow Agrochemicals have quietly applied for it to be reinstated and this seems likely to be granted by Govt unless protests from influential groups and individuals can prevent it. I have put a petition on the No 10 website http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/aminopyralidban/
and ask as many as possible of your members and their contacts to sign it. For those who are unfamiliar with the problem, full details of the story which started in early 2008 can be found at http://glallotments.co.uk/default.aspx

Thank you in advance

John Shobbrook

Chair, Black Horse Allotments Association, Wednesbury,

New Allotment Forum

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:43:22 +0100

How can I use green manures?

Is this a virus?

Where do I get free........?

I need a shed!

Where can I find seed for lemon flavoured carrots?

All these questions and more could be asked and sometimes answered, if we had a Fairfield Allotment Forum...

So...

Since the launch, and re-launch, of the allotment website we have been asked on a number of occasions if it would be possible to have a section where members can ask questions, have discussions, share materials / equipment / seeds, ask for help, recommend varieties / suppliers / books / websites etc.

A (private) forum has been added to the website for members, the waiting list and guests. Although the forum has been set up as private anyone that joins should still be conscious of their own & others web privacy when choosing user names and posting comments.

To join - go to the forum page ( http://www.fairfield-allotments.co.uk/forum.html ) and register. You’ll need an email address (which remains invisible to other users) and to choose a user name which others will see. Most users of discussion forums use a ‘nickname’ rather than real names, but that’s up to you. As this is a private forum your ‘application’ to join will need to be approved, so the email you want to use must be the one we already have. If we don’t recognise your email address then we can't approve your application. If we don't have your email address then get in touch using the contact sections of this website.

You should be able when you have registered to add new posts of your own, respond to other’s posts as part of an open discussion or send responses directly to individuals messages.

Over two thirds of the association receive the newsletter by email so that means we have around 70 members who may join the discussion group; far more than you bump into on an average day at the allotment!

Don’t worry if you’re not used to this sort of discussion forum, it’s probably new to most of us. Add new topics, reply to topics, ask questions...we’ll see what works, and what doesn’t and change what we can can to suit demand.

For those that are used to using this kind of forum, your help would be great in getting it started. Add and respond to topics, offer suggestions to get us novices contributing.

We look forward to receiving your registration requests and please, please, please... if it’s not working...or you want something changing...or you have suggestions...they are always welcome...