Thu 1 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny and unseasonally warm
Progress : Cut the grass paths. Found a cluster of caterpillars on the Curly Kale. Picked for two families today.

Fri 2 Nov 2007
Weather : Dull start then sunny.
Progress : Away on holiday.

Sat 3 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny and unseasonally warm.
Progress : Away on holiday.

Sun 4 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny and unseasonally warm.
Progress : Away on holiday.

Mon 5 Nov 2007
Weather : Heavily overcast.
Progress : Away on holiday.

Tue 6 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny but cooler
Progress : Cleared the remaining Cabbages in plot 3d. Cleared the overgrown Radishes, most of which looked like pigs bottoms. Dug some Schorzonera for roasting for dinner tonight. Removed the netting from the Cabbages in plot 3d. Recovered the waterproof layer on my shed door.

Wed 7 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny.
Progress : Delivered some bags of fresh horse dung. Removed the weeds from plot 2d then double dug a trench ready for the winter sowing of Broad Beans.

Thu 8 Nov 2007
Weather : Dull but mild. Rain in the afternoon
Progress : Took a couple of bags of surplus soil up in my barrow. Found that work was underway in moving back the bank to allow better access. Not surprisingly, it had made a bit of a mess of the grass but that can easily be put right. The young Buddleia that I had planted in the bank had been terminally savaged by the JCB. Delivered some bags of stable manure later and was able to back my car right up to my plot. I sent an email to the Town Clerk to offer my thanks for the improved access.

Fri 9 Nov 2007
Weather : Mostly sunny but a cold wind.
Progress : Took up two more bags of soil. Work continues in digging back the bank. Talking to one of the workmen, he said that not everyone was happy with what was being done. Should be entertaining listening to lots of moaning next week. Still finding Cabbage White caterpillars.

Sat 10 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny.
Progress : Took up a load of leaves from the garden to put onto the compost. Evened up the track alongside the allotment after it had been dug up by the excavator and sowed some grass seed.

Sun 11 Nov 2007
Weather : Overnight frost. Cold day.
Progress : No work today as we were celebrating our ruby wedding anniversary.

Mon 12 Nov 2007
Weather : Overnight frost. Sunny day.
Progress : No work today - getting over yesterday.

Tue 13 Nov 2007
Weather : Overnight rain then sunny spells.
Progress : Double dug two more wide trenches in plot 2d. Found some more cuddling carrots in todays vegetable collection. I am abandong the remainder of this last row of carrots as they are suffering from some sort of black staining around their circumference and are no longer nice to eat.

Wed 14 Nov 2007
Weather : Overnight frost. Sunny day.
Progress : Delivered some bags of fresh horse dung then came back later with a bootload of stable manure. Noticed a Sloworm on the track which was living up to it's name as it wa almost torpid in the cold air so I put it into long grass near a nice compost enclosure. Received an excellent book for my birthday called The Allotment Cookbook.

Thu 15 Nov 2007
Weather : Heavy frost. Sunny but cold day.
Progress : Took out the Spinach from plot 3b and composted it then dug a deep trench along the front of plot 3b to clear tree roots. Was given a Pumpkin by a fellow allotmenteer in exchange for a rooted Loganberry I had propogated for him. Went up to the local garden centre later and met my niece's sister-in-law who works there. She keeps horses and has offered me free well rotted manure if I bring and fill my own bags.

Fri 16 Nov 2007
Weather : Overnight frost. Sunny day.
Progress : Delivered some bags of stable manure. Had trouble getting the car off the allotment as it was so slippery where the digger had been on site. Cleared the remaining Beetroot from plot 2a and weeded then double dug a trench. My sister called in whilst I was there so I supplied her with a bag of Spinach. Fitted a cabin hook to the shed door which will be easier to use than the bits of plastic rod I had used to wedge across the opening edge.

Sat 17 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny but not warm.
Progress : Made up the compost with a bagfull of leaves from home. Double dug two more trenches in plot 2a.

Sun 18 Nov 2007
Weather : Heavy rain all day.
Progress : Total washout today. Over one inch reported.

Mon 19 Nov 2007
Weather : Heavy rain with hail and thunder in the morning.
Progress : Popped up to the allotment to check the site as I was told the gate had been left open but all was OK. However, the track was extremely muddy and slippery where the contractors had been running their equipment.

Tue 20 Nov 2007
Weather : Persistent rain.
Progress : Managed to get to the allotment early and complete another double dug trench on plot 2a. I am bringing up lots of stones from the lower levels so am using these to repair the track inside the gate so I can get the car back in again. There has been about another inch of rain.

Wed 21 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny start then persistent rain.
Progress : A further one inch of rain reported. Managed to complete the double digging of plot 2a. Sent some allotment information with good wishes to one of my allotment neighbours who is unwell.

Thu 22 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny again after a wet night.
Progress : Delivered some fresh horse dung in the morning then some stable manure in the afternoon. Had to use an alternative entrance due to the track being extremely soft amd muddy after the excavations.

Fri 23 Nov 2007
Weather : Sunny with a cold wind.
Progress : Noticed some deer hoofprints around the allotments when I walked in this morning. Double dug two trenches each to my standard width of two feet in plot 2c.

Sat 24 Nov 2007
Weather : Heavy frost. Sunny with a cold wind.
Progress : Double dug two more trenches in plot 2c. Harvested some Schorzonera today. It is almost impossible to get them out of the ground without the bottom ends breaking off and being left in. Workmen were busy installing double gates in the Picket Close entrance by the garages.

Sun 25 Nov 2007
Weather : Damp start then sunny spells.
Progress : Day off today doing other things.

Mon 26 Nov 2007
Weather : Wet day.
Progress : No work today.

Tue 27 Nov 2007
Weather : Damp start then misty all day.
Progress : The contractors had been back in to clear a bit more of the bank where they had not left it straight. Double dug another trench in plot 2c. Sowed two rows of Broad Bean (Aquadulce) in plot 2d. Raked down the high spots on the bank and planted a Buddleia seedling from home.

Wed 28 Nov 2007
Weather : Dull day with light showers.
Progress : Delivered some bags of fresh horse manure. Whilst getting access onto the allotments, noticed that the catch on the new gates has been fitted the wrong way round so it is virtually impossible to open them from the outside. I shall advise the Town Clerk. The groundsman was on site clearing the hedgeline along Green Lane. He found an old hand cultivator which we have put to one side in case anyone would like it. Went back later and double dug a trench in plot 3b. I am using my home made compost for the lower level. Cut down and composted the Asparagus foliage.

Thu 29 Nov 2007
Weather : Damp start then sunny.
Progress : Delivered 10 bags of stable manure. Double dug another trench on plot 3b. Noticed someone trying to use the new gates but they soon gave up due to the catch being the wrong way round. The groundsman had a good bonfire to clear the tree branches he cut down yesterday. A local resident came in to take advantage of the fire to burn some of their own rubbish.

Fri 30 Nov 2007
Weather : Cold night.
Progress : No work today. Visiting family on the Isle of Wight.