The Good Life

 I am sure we all remember the comedy series The Good Life. I never aspired to their lofty sustainable lifestyle, even with my full sized allotment. But today I went back to the site of where my plot was and broke up soil that’s not been used for years. Before I left for a Greece,  this patch of ground was relieved of its bumper crop of brambles, not an easy job, and then it was covered with weed control fabric. The space is not large, but is part of my friends plot, and he doesn’t need the space. So when he offered it to me, I took up the challenge. Unfortunately there were trees nearby and these had been cut down but their roots are still in the soil. But it did not take long to realise that someone, with good intentions had laid an old carpet on the ground, and after several years, it’s now about six inches below the surface. So it’s a devil to get rid of it, with that amount of soil on top of it.

After a couple of hours work, I had cleared a fair sized area, set shallot sets, and sowed rows of beetroot, spinach and spring onion. My ninety plus neighbour is growing French climbing beans and sprouts for this plot,  which I think is fantastic. Her passed husband, used to have a plot up here. 

I have a bit more time now, to clean the rest of the plot up, before the plants above need planting out and a courgette and butternut squash perhaps. Back at the house, the last cake I made is lasting a lot longer as there is only myself and friends who I give a slice to are eating it. I am definitely trying the marbled cake next. I have been looking after the cat by the station, the gym and all the usual things, including visiting friends in my immediate area. I have done more work on our garden on the ground elder riddled area. It hasn’t rained today which has been a relief!

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