I am sorry to report that our most recent storm has caused a good deal of damage on site. Plotters might want to visit ASAP to secure items and structures before the return of stormy weather forecast for this weekend.
These photos show only some of the damage done. Thanks go to Anna and Steve for passing on these photos. Sympathies go to all those who have suffered loss or damage.
Well, let’s be honest, 2023 has been a trying year as the weather this last few months has proved. Windy, wild and wet rather sums it up.
We think this was the worst flooding we had ever seen on site, but at least it was relatively short lived.
However, we have ended on a high note. Firstly, the volunteers enjoyed a good end of term bash. They have all put in a fantastic shift this year and our celebration was just a wee thank you for the 22 who have done us proud all season long. Sorry goes to those who missed out on the photo opportunity.
Special thanks go to Irene for overseeing a fantastic spread of party food and to Jordi for his Captain Morgan Mocktails. Very special!
It was a great pleasure to be invited to Aberdeen Council’s Celebration of It’s Your Neighbourhood successes. Phil 57, our Association Secretary, attended and accepted our Outstanding rating with a Certificate of Distinction award.
Our season has ended with success therefore, but the work goes on around the site. Thank go to Jordi and Danny, our most recent recruit to the volunteers, who have come in specially this week to help finish off an overdue planter build for a lone suffering and very patient plotter who placed an order some little time ago. (No name, no pack drill, but you know who you are!)
As Jordi often proves, working hard does not mean you can’t have a good laugh. Here we see him showing off his new skills with the Block Plane.
As the Season ends, we wish every plotter, volunteer and friend of Garthdee Allotments a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday and successful growing in 2024. Cheers!
It is a pleasure to report that Garthdee Field has retained its Outstanding rating following the recent visit by Steven Shaw, our current IYN Assessor.
Here’s how Steven’s report sums up our year in 2023.
Areas of achievement:
Garthdee Allotments Association continues to develop and grow. They are an outstanding Its Your Neighbourhood group.
This group should be congratulated on their Green Flag status. They are one of only two allotments in Scotland to achieve this award and they should be very proud of this achievement.
The group are welcoming and very enthusiastic. It is obvious they love what they do and have real pride in what they have achieved to date.
The idea to recycling and repurposing old, vintage tools is tremendous, and I look forward to hearing more about this.
The new cabin is fantastic and an asset to the group.
Garthdee Allotments Association is an absolute joy to visit and a very special place. It is an outstanding Its Your Neighbourhood group and deserves all the plaudits that come its way!
Congratulations on such a fantastic site and well done to everyone involved.
Recommendations/suggestions from your assessor:
Steven’s recommendations and suggestions are especially helpful and will frame our efforts and activities in the coming year.
Thanks go to all our plotters, volunteers, friends and partners who helped us achieve this outstanding success in 2023.
Next year GFAA will celebrate its tenth year in the IYN competition. Let’s make it a year to remember!
Read Steven’s full report in this download
A wee bit of background. ACC used to be able to provide us with free road planings for repairing our potholes. Unfortunately, a change in the Council’s contracts for road repairs meant they have not been able to supply any for a year or so now. Over which time, you will be aware our potholes became deeper and wider by the week.
So, it is especially pleasing to report that after some excellent sourcing and bargaining by Secretary Phil (Plot 57) we recently took delivery of 20 tonnes of very fine planings.
Tuesday and Sunday of this week, after an appeal to plotters for help (Thanks to the two Graemes, David (Plot 57) Sophie (Plot 25) for coming forward), the Volunteers and Committee members added their efforts to the task and we have been able to break the back of the work.
The only downside was some damage to the fence, and Gate on Plot 94B caused by the lorry trying to reach the top planings bin at the top of the site.
Apologies to those who missed out on the photo opportunities.
We apologise for the damage and the Volunteer Squad set to on Sunday to fix it. Obviously we cannot allow big lorries to try to reach the top of the site in future.
However, on another positive note the Council have agreed to find a contractor to undertake the more extensive work needed to deal with the problem of cars grounding as they reach the top of the main path leading to the North of the site. Discussions are ongoing between ACC and GFAA to find a satisfactory solution to this problem.
A word to the wise: we plan to turn off the mains water supply to the site this coming Sunday, 12 November 2023. If a threat of frost is forecast before then, it will be turned off immediately.
Dobies have a seed sale on at the moment.
Please note this is the online seed merchants, not the local Dobbies’s Garden Centre.
If you miss the deadline, remember you can get a 40% discount on seed prices throughout the year when you use our Garthdee Field Discount Voucher. Copes of their 2024 Catalogue and a letter with the NEW Discount Code are available in the Octagon. Order online at your convenience, but you MUST use the code at the point of ordering to get the Garthdee Field 40% discount.
I am not sure our code will work with these sale purchases. Let us know if you find it does.
There are still lots of free seed packets in the Octagon Seed-Swop – many current and viable.
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