Sunday 23 November 2008

Honkjazz - The Allotment Part 17

I felt compelled today to provide an update on the allotmenting side of the honkjazz. However, the update is really based around what hasn't been done but also what will be done in the next week (honest!) and what has happened over the past year...

The plan today was to get my sidelight fixed on the car and then get up to the plot to weed the japanese onion sets and finally put the Broad beans (Aquadulce Claudia) & Cabbages (Wheelers Imperial). This plan failed at the first hurdle when it became apparent that the sidelight problem on the car was not going to be a quick fix and the heavens have decided to open with a mixture of freezing cold rain / hale and a lovely diagonal wind that seems to just blow directly in your face.

So, i'm back at home eating some tomato (hoping to grow some of these next year) soup and listening to the footie on the wireless (radio not WI-FI internet enabled radio). But, I feel this has definitely provided a time to reflect on what has come to pass over this past year (yes i know it's a bit early for a lets look back over the past year but hey thats life).
The year started without a plot which made growing anything extremely difficult. Luckily Brazil used his negotiating (application) skills to obtain a plot and before you could say shiver me timbers the honkjazz allotment was brought into being.

This was then closely followed by a mad session of rubbish clearing and general disbelief and the sheer scale of what had been taken on. This was exasperated but herbert being unable to add anything but supportive words over the phone.

At this point i feel compelled to say that Brazil's single minded determination took a small piece of wasteland and dragged it kicking and screaming into a workable piece of land capable of bearing vegetables of the tasty variety. Without this effort there would simply have been nowt, nada, nothing, null, rien.

From there plots took shape. ground was turned and belfast sinks were lifted into position. (Please do look over the previous 16 posts if you would like pictorial support.)

By now the summer was opon us and the evenings were long.

We had put potatoes, white onions, spring onions, carrots and runner beans into the ground and there was progress a plenty.

BBQ's were enjoyed and many a cool can of lager was consumed as nature took it's course and slowly the seeds turned into vegetables.

It is important to note that the honkjazz way of doing things involves 10% science and 90% blind faith but it is also very important to remember that the 90% is still faith even if it is blind.

To say that it was all plain sailing would be a mistake. There were times when despair was at the fore and you couldn't see the plot for the weeds. Somehow this just spurred on further heroic efforts to keep on pushing forward and believe me did it bear fruit!! (Veg)

The spuds were reet tasty, the onions were sharp and the carrots full of flavor. This for me is the real success story of the past year that within a matter of months there was fresh produce on our plates and a feeling of satisfaction in our souls. I really can't overstate just how much the plot has a positive effect on both of us.

Now we are well into winter and progress has somewhat slowed (Herbert take note) but i'm still over the moon with what has come about this year and once the broad bean and cabbage seeds do go in the ground we will be ensuring a positive start to 2009 where i'm sure the honkjazz allotment will go from strength to strength. The key is that we have fun and if possible eat some tasty veg to boot.

Oh and i nearly forgot with christmas fast approaching here is a picture of santa swimming in an aquarium in Tokyo.......



H.



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