Indian Summer

Enjoying the Indian Summer.  It was absolutely roasting down at the site today.

The tomatoes and cucumbers are really benefitting in the polytunnel, although the runner beans are finding it rather too hot!

Plenty of work to be done on site including sorting out the compost area, clearing the pond  and keeping the grass under control.

Tomorrow we should be able to get some winter veg in and dig over some of the beds.

Southway Housing are sending volunteers down on Thursday 20 September to do some community work. Hoping this will give us a real boost and get the site back under control again.  Anyone who can come down and help will be most welcome.

Pre Bank Holiday Push

The mix of sun, rain, rain, sun, rain has give the grass and weeds just the kind of micro climate they love, result, one even more over-grown looking Lost Plot.

The upside is that the produce is flourishing and we're all taking home tasty treats.  There's nothing like home-grown veg to kick-start a healthy eating phase.

Thanks to the sterling efforts of new volunteer James and Sarah F, the willow arch has been trimmed and plaited

Finally the chillies seem to be sorting themselves out and the beans in the poly tunnel are taking over. I think it'll only be the dwarf varieties next year or the  tomatoes will be fighting for light.

The clay-oven pizza session was great.  More sessions to come over the next few weeks.

New volunteers are always welcome, so get in touch if you'd like to come along. No experience necessary, just come down and say hello.

Here Comes Summer

Had a great day down the allotment last Sunday, August 5 2012, with Laura, Sarah and Clare.

 Just about getting to grips with the grass that keeps taking over and clearing some more beds for winter veg.
 Looks like most of our seeds have been washed away since there's no sign of germination - a little cheating with seedlings from Chorlton Nursery might be in order, or else I won't be having sprouts for my Xmas dinner!
 Polytunnel is looking good with rocket and parsley continuing to deliver. Courgettes and beans coming on nicely too.
 Plenty of jobs to do and produce to be picked, so looking forward to seeing people down on site again this Sunday.
 Will be planning a BBQ/clay oven pizza day soon. Any dates??

All hands on deck

It's that time of year, when the grass is growing like crazy, there are too many weeds to hoe and we still haven't caught up with our planting. Fortunately, the bad weather has actually helped! With a little effort and an 'all hands on deck' approach we should be able to get things under control and get back on track.

This Sunday, there's a play on down at the allotment site - starting at 2pm followed by a BBQ - so if everyone could come down a bit earlier, say from 12 noon, that would be really good.

Any newcomers will be really welcome, fingers crossed for the weather and we should all have a great day.

Laura's planting plan is in the Black book and the allotment guide is really useful, don't forget to check both.

See you Sunday!

LOST PLOT AGM

Many thanks to those who turned up for the AGM on Tuesday. It feels good to have the whole year spread out in front of us and there's still some funds in the bank account.

We're hoping to work with Cracking Good Food on some of their summer initiatives, and we'll have an RHS inspired Learning Session sometime later in the summer.

If you'd like to grow your own food, are thinking of taking on an allotment or just waiting for your name to reach the top of the allotment list, then why not join us?

We meet every Sunday from 1pm, so come along and say hello.

Lost Plot AGM

Lost Plot AGM

Tuesday 6 March at Buckthorn House, Nell Lane, Chorlton 6.30 - 7.30pm

All welcome to come along and help us plan for the coming year.

Refreshments, including home-made cakes provided!


Don't forget we meet every Sunday from 1pm, so if you'd like to try your hand at growing your own fruit and veg, but don't think you're quite ready for your own allotment, then come and join us!

For more info contact Sarah on 07930898935 or Clare on 07595873221.

We've got a pond, a poly tunnel, a firepit and social area and our very own clay oven.

More Cracking Good Food Sessions at the Lost Plot

Thanks to generous funding from Southway Housing, we're running three more cooking sessions - two down at The Lost Plot on Saturdays 16 July and 13 August and one at Buckthorn House on 30 July. Times are 4.00 - 6.30pm.

The lovely Sarah will be chef at the two sessions down at the allotment and the other chef will be announced shortly.

These sessions are FREE for residents of the Hough End and Arrowfield Estates, so if you're interested, get your name down early by sending Sarah a text on 07930 898935.

Don't forget, we're meeting every Sunday from 1pm onwards and sometimes weekday evenings too, so if you're interested in joining Chorlton's original community allotment contact Clare (07595 873221) Rachel 07739 409449) or Josh (07789 9122055).

Lost Plot Allotment - Pizza paradise

That's two weeks on the trot now we've managed to fire up the clay oven and have had tasty snacks to tempt us while the pizza queens get cooking.
Site is looking really good as everything bursts into life.
Particularly pleased with how well the salads are doing the polytunnel. We just need a few more tomatoes to germinate and we're laughing.
Two newbies down this weekend, so if anyone else would like to join us please do.
We meet every Sunday from 1pm down at Southern Allotments. Can't promise pizza every week, but you never know...
More information on The Lost Plot, Chorlton's original community allotment from clare.walker@afsl.org.uk or phone 08595 873221.

BIG GREEN FESTIVAL

Looking forward to finding new members to share our lovely allotment at the Big Green Festival in Chorlton this Saturday, April 16th.

The Lost Plot have a stall, so don't be shy, come along and say hello. If you've been thinking about having an allotment but don't know where to start or worry it'll be too much to take on, then becoming a member of the Lost Plot could be just the solution you're looking for.

We meet every Sunday at 1pm, we all pitch in together and all the produce we grow is shared.

We've got a pond, some lovely reclaimed sheds, a polytunnel and a great communal area. Our unique selling point might just be our clay oven, built on site with our own hands (and feet, for those of you who remember treading the clay and hay!!) and which will be put to good use baking pizzas at one of our summer events.

Phone Clare 07595 873221 or Rachel 07739409449 or email clare.walker@afsl.org.uk for more info. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Allotmentalists call time - but only for the CIF Fund

Well it's the end of the line for our Carbon Innovation Fund grant, courtesy of Manchester City Council. It's enabled us to do loads of things over the past year; we've had over 500 people down at the Lost Plot or at our Cooking Sessions with Cracking Good Food; we had three major events on site; we ran 28 workshops and had 38 work sessions (we would've had 39 but snow scuppered one!); we worked with over 24 third sector organisations ranging from Offshoots and Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Kitchen Garden to Women Refugees and Asylum Seekers to Action For Sustainable Living and the Kindling Trust.
We're still hoping to be able to run events and sessions down on site and next Saturday we'll have a presence at Chorlton's Big Green Festival, so come along and say hello. Don't forget, we're always looking for new volunteers. We all work together on the allotment, it's great fun and all the produce is shared. We meet every Sunday from 1pm so if you're interested get in touch clare.walker@afsl.org.uk or 07595 873221.

Cracking Good Food Sessions with The Lost Plot

First of three sessions started on Tuesday 22 Feb and we had a full house. Our chef Sarah introduced us to the delights of Jamaican Patties and after much chopping, stirring and making of pastry, we all got to taste some delicious snacks.

We were honoured with a visit from our local councillors Bernie and Norman and local MP John Leech.

"Everthing was interesting" said Monique and Harris "like chopping up things and making pastry"

Don't forget we've got another session on Tuesday 8 March. We'll be making stews. Sessions are free to anyone living on the Hough End and Arrowfield estates. If you'd like to take part text Sarah on 07930 898 935 or clare on 07595 873 221 or email clare.walker@afsl.org.uk

Sundays at the Lost Plot

Sunday 13 Feb

Not a very nice day for an outing to the allotment, but before we got drenched we managed to tidy up, sort out the shed, do some weeding and start turning over the soil in the Polytunnel.

Half the raspberry patch has been weeded and mulched, the other half can be tackled this weekend along with moving the blackcurrants and sorting the cage out.

We meet from 1pm onwards and new volunteers are always welcome!

We've got an Introduction to Local Growing workshop coming up in conjunction with Hulme Garden Centre so watch this space...

MORE FREE COOKING SESSIONS

CRACKING GOOD FOOD SESSIONS WITH THE LOST PLOT

Tuesdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
Buckthorn House, Nell Lane Chorlton

22nd February: Patties; 8th March: Stews; 22nd March: Burgers
Veg and non-Veg options

Cooking sessions are Free to residents of the Arrowfield and Hough End estates.

To guarantee a place be sure to book in advance either:

Email | clare@afsl.org.uk
Phone | 07595 873221
Text (Sarah) | 07930 898935
All are welcome, but places are limited

February 2011

Looking forward to another month down the allotment. Welcome to Kelly who's recently joined us - we're getting very international.

This week we'll be moving black currants, preparing ground in the poly tunnel, mulching and digging over. There's still road clearing to be done and the pond to be sorted, so plenty of jobs for everyone.
Anyone wanting to join us, just come along to the Lost Plot on Sunday from 1pm or give me a call on 07595 873 221. New Volunteers always welcome!

Annual General Meeting

Annual General Meeting

This year's AGM will take place on Thursday 3 March 2011. We're actively looking for new volunteers to get involved with the Lost Plot, so if you're interested come along to the meeting and find out more. Get in touch with Clare at afsl.clare@gmail.com