New year, new path, new bed

It was forecast rain today, but I woke up to bright sunshine, so I quickly packed some lunch, got the dog on a lead and went up to the allotment. I brought some cardboard, shredded paper and coffee grounds with me, armed with a lighter and some candle leftovers (best fire starters ever).

I started off with a fire to burn lots of wood that is half rotten, broken fence panels and lots and lots of weeds that have dried for a couple of weeks. Now smelling like a barbeque, I carried on pulling up the carpet in the new bed that is along the grow tunnel. Three layers... and lots of bindweed roots in between and underneath.

It wasn't too difficult actually, compared to previous areas and the carpet came up fairly easily. The roots not so much and needed to be dug out.

Now that the bed is finished, I need to go fetch more horse manure, coffee grounds, cardboard, anythign to cover the surface with. Tomorrow is for horse manure :)

I turned my attention to the path that will go from the very start of the allotment, straight through the allotment, past the seating area up to the shed. Several barrow loads of half rotted wood chippings laid out. Looking good! And the dog likes it too :)

We had some lunch, then did a few more barrow loads, and then went home, happily knowing a good day's work has been done :)

New year not so bleak!

Happy new year!

I would've wanted to have been more at the allotment over Christmas than I have been, but I went on holiday instead. It's a hard life!

I went up there briefly last weekend, but didn't take any pictures, and to be honest, I didn't get much done either.

I had plans today to get another large bed set up, outside and alongside the grow tunnel. That will leave a wide enough path straight through the plot. I'm imagining that all our beans and peas will go in this bed in the spring! This is it halfway through the day. Look at all them bindweed roots in the barrow!
   
I wasted no time pulling up carpets, and more carpets, and some more carpets, oh and some weed fabric too. One piece of carpet was so big I couldn't pull it off the plot in one piece. It's still there, waiting for me to get help with it. I might tie it to the van and pull it that way lol

Under the carpets were hundreds and hundreds of bindweed roots, the big white fleshy roots that wind their way along any obstacle, and criss cross their way under carpets. I pulled out a whole bin bag full of the stuff, that I've taken home and put in the domestic bin. I can't stand the stuff and daren't compost them.

I spread cardboard on the ground and then the last of the leaves and most of the remaining horse manure. Not bad eh?

   

You can see the carpet in the distance. I cleared a little bit more before I left it for the day, in the rain. The benefit of rain is that you get rainbows!

I had to start the day with clearing the right-hand side of the chicken shed, as I needed somewhere to store all the wood that is littering the site. That turned out a lot better than it was too.

Things are waking up, for sure. The rhubarb and garlic is growing, and I'm not sure what these seedlings are in this tub. Weeds probably!

I have piled up the weeds, blackberry cuttings and bits of wood that I have no use and hoping to have a bonfire next weekend. 

Now I'm enjoying a well-earned rest, taking it easy with my aching fingers after the lovliest shower ever!

Next weekend I am going to have that fire, and clear the rest of that bed, go fetch more horse manure, see if I can clear a space for a greenhouse. I have a broken fork that needs fixing before then - I have had a look and I think I can remove the broken off wood inside the fork and just replace the handle. It won't matter if the handle is a little shorter - I'm not very tall afterall! :D