Insects and lies

There is evidence that neonicotinoids marketed by the likes of Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto (of genetic modification fame) are killing bees...Yes, of course its not ALL farmers who use this kind of stuff, but many do - and so do many ordinary gardeners.  We've reached a point where its seen as 'normal' to use poisons in farming and gardening.  Look at the common use of slug pellets ...and when did you last see a thrush ?  I find it laughable (and of course very sad) that humans see themselves as so separate from nature that they think its fine to soak the planet in poisons - whilst assuming it won't affect them!

New Allotment

 Allotment

 

out of the blue came the letter from the Town Council - 'you have an allotment - plot 48b - you can start right away'.

- suddenly we are people who can grow stuff...well, serious stuff! - so Luke dug and we planted some chitting spuds from under the sink

we broke off the old raspberry canes and stuck them in the ground.

we dug some more and planted onions and garlic (released from a pot in the kitchen).   Chris pulled up the long tough grass growing round the strawberry plants and gave us baby brassicas and a chestnut tree in  a pot 

we filled carrier bags with dandelion clocks and seed heads - '1 year's seeding 7 years weeding!' said Steve

Sue gave us a key to her new shed and showed us her sherry, glasses, kettle, and the red and green grass cutter her dad had given her (no petrol, no electricity)

Steve said - 'Oh you're growing brassicas...you'll have to cover them or birds 'll have 'em - you can borrow my cages'

'Don't you need them? ' 'No - I've got club root - can't grow brassicas - you can't get rid of it'

we cut Steve's grass path with Sue's mower 

Margaret had some palettes and Bill built a compost stable - also using the bricks at the back of the plot.

 

Now our allotted plot looks quite 'meant' ...... allotment

 

The blackbirds approve of the digging as it unearths worms - but I'd like to do some permaculture...so we're going to start a small tree nursery with the tiny oak trees  dug out of the grass at the playground near Thirsk, Chris's chestnut and some birches rescued by Luke.

 

 

 

Candidate for the Greens for Yorkshire and the Humber in 2014
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