Garthdee Allotments

Grow Greener with Garthdee Field Allotments Association

Community Sunday Activities June 21 2015

Today’s Community Sunday activities involved dodging the weather quite a bit, but thanks to a good turnout we still got a lot done and everyone enjoyed themselves.

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Thanks to everyone you managed along – and especially the flan, cake and scone bakers who excelled themselves today.  Scrumptious!  Our next Community Sunday is scheduled for 19 July – pop it in your diary now!

Allotments find their place in the legislative sun

Thanks go to Alison and Stuart for prompting this post.

Today Holyrood passed into law the Community Empowerment Act, Section 7 of which gives new rights to community growing groups and will bring new security and opportunities to allotment sites and associations.

The bill was first brought before The Scottish Parliament in June of last year and a spirited campaign by the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society has seen its terms significantly strengthened.  The legislation now requires local authorities to:

  • consult with ministers before closing a site
  • provide a replacement site if demand exists
  • manage waiting lists within a five year maximum period
  • set fair rents.

GFAA has always enjoyed a positive and cooperative relationship with Aberdeen City Council and hopes and expects to do so in the future, but it’s good to have the new Community Empowerment Act as a backstop to further developments and a spur to new projects.

If you have ideas about how we might create and exploit new opportunities under the Act please bring them to the attention of a member of the GFAA Committee or post them in a comment below.

Further Reading:

The Scottish Allotment Diary (SAGS)

The Herald: Allotment holders have something to grow about

The Holyrood Magazine: The Community Empowerment Bill presents a great opportunity for communities to shape their future

The Holyrood Magazine: Community Empowerment: we must give people greater control over their own future

 

 

 

Save Our Bees

I wonder, if like me, you have been aware of how few honey bees we see in our gardens and on our plots these days?  While yesteryear they were everywhere, now they now only put in rare appearances.

It’s an almost unthinkable thought, but if we don’t manage to do something to help our bee colonies soon, we may lose them. Our bees are embattled today as never before and seem to be under attack on every front. Individually and collectively, locally and nationally we need to come to their assistance.

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Change.org has a petition running for Friends of the Earth at present and are offering a packet of free wildflowers to everyone who signs: So for a few moments of your time you can demand action nationally and help take some practical steps locally on our site to help our buzzy friends along.

 

 

Kaimhill Primary 2/3 Visitors

I think we can claim today’s visit by pupils from Kaimhill Primary was enjoyed by all, although Gill, Jacqui and I needed to go lie down in a darkened room for an hour or so afterwards!  Thanks go to Mrs McKenzie and her team for all their help on the day.

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Community Sunday June 2015

Sunday Post!

Allotment Market Stall Update

Cath Pilley has been in touch with an update on The Allotment Market Stall (TAMS) for the coming season.

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“We are really pleased to let you know that we have received funding from Comic Relief to go ahead this summer.
Like last year we intend to kick-start the season with a produce and plants sale at the Highland Games at Hazlehead Park on Sunday 21st June. 
At this time of year most of us seem to have extra plants and rhubarb we don’t need so we sell them on at the stall for people to plant in their own gardens. The proceeds go into the pot for redistribution to providers at the end of the season.
If you have spare plants, rhubarb or any other produce that is surplus, please let us know and we will come and collect it. We will collect on Saturday 20th June during the day. Last year we had a really good choice of plants and produce, it would be great to have the same this year.
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We are also looking for volunteers to help on the day with the added incentive of free entry to the event if you help for a couple of hours on the stall. This is an important event as we begin to let customers know where and when we will be setting up this summer.
Greg and myself will be coming round the allotment sites in early July to talk to gardeners about the TAMS scheme. This year, rather optimistically we are aiming to start on 17th July and run for 12 weeks. We hope this way we will be able to sell some soft fruit at the beginning. 
Greg and myself will be responsible for veg collections this year on Thursdays. We will be coming round with crates in July to get you started and if you would like us to come and talk to your allotment holders, please let us know. We would really appreciate the opportunity to talk to as many gardeners as possible.
There is a slight change of venues this year. Fridays we will be at Duthie Park and Saturdays we will be at Hazlehead Park. We are happy to receive produce at the stall if it is not convenient for you to put veg out for collection on Thursdays.
You will see we now have a website. It is still under construction but we are very grateful to Scotmid for funding it.
Please email us if you have plants and produce for collection next Saturday (20th June) or if you would like to volunteer on the Sunday. We look forward to seeing you all soon.”
We hope GFAA will continue its support for TAMS in the coming season – to the benefit of TAMS, the wider community and GFAA’s funds.

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