Plotters may have noticed that the P&J ran a feature about the increased demand for city allotments and Aberdeen City Council’s new strategy to promote food growing in the city.
It was pleasing to see this further commitment by the Council to allotment and green spaces. GFAA works in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and is a keen supporter of the strategy. We were delighted that Garthdee Field featured in the article.
An extended version of the article is available online.
We now have a good and growing stock of leaves, wood chips and compost on site, kindly provided free by The Council, local contractors and from Hazelhead Park. Plotters should feel free to collect as much as the like for use on their own plots.
I had an interesting conversation recently with Bruce (Plot 79) on the safe handling of these materials. Bruce believes he may have contracted a respiratory complaint from spores in the water vapour released when these materials are handled. A little internet research (Daily Mail Article: Gromicko Article) suggests caution is sensible when handling leaves, wood chips and compost (both homemade and commercial).
These seem sensible precautions:
Always wear dry, breathable gloves to avoid direct contact with the skin, and to protect yourself from injury while using gardening tools and implements.
Wear protective footwear that covers your skin adequately to avoid direct contact with compost. Do not wear them anywhere except outdoors.
When stirring and tilling the compost, which is required on a regular basis in order for it to process and break down, always wear a nose and mouth guard or dust mask to avoid inhaling the various spores that will become airborne during tilling and turning.
Avoid tilling on windy days.
Do not store compost in fully closed or airtight containers. Without any air, it can actually become combustible.
Wash your hands after dealing with compost. While this suggestion may sound obvious, many garden enthusiasts get so absorbed with their activities that they forget the potential dangers from poisoning.
If you develop a severe cough or infection of the skin (especially if there is an open sore or puncture wound), seek medical attention immediately. You may require antibiotics or a tetanus shot.
It’s not too late to enter your plot for the Aberdeen in Bloom Garden Competition 2019. This year’s entry form gives another wee glimpse of the glories of Sandy Inkster’s prize winning garden – as featured in the Beechgrove Garden when Jim McColl visited it.
Luckily, plots don’t have to be to this standard! Entering your plot helps fly the flag for Garthdee Field and shows support for the Council’s efforts to encourage gardening and plotting across the city.
There are a few entry forms available in the Octagon, or you can apply online using this link. Entries close 12 July.
These recent or impending changes to Council practice and regulations relating to allotments were indicated in papers presented for discussion at recent Allotment Representatives Network Meetings and may be of interest to many plotters.
Paper 1: Bee-keeping
“It has been brought to our Services attention that there may be unauthorised beekeeping activities at our allotment sites.
We require any persons who may be undertaking beekeeping without permission to contact our Service so we can consider the suitability of the plot and advise the process required for Beekeepers to meet our requirements to allow them to keep bees.
Our Service do allow a limited number of beekeeping plots at our allotment sites but there is a risk assessment policy in place to identify if an allotment is suitable.
Additionally there are requirements for a potential beekeeper to have a certain level of experience before permission will be granted and the beekeeper must have suitable Public Liability Insurance which can be obtained from the Scottish Beekeepers Association.Beekeeping on our Allotment sites without the necessary permission may result in termination of the tenant’s Allotment Lease.”
Paper 2: Community Empowerment Act 2015 – Part 9 (Allotments)
“Following delays and a series of consultations, the above has now been enacted and our Service requires to make changes to the way we operate our Allotment Service to comply with the Act. A brief summary of some of the main changes required are:
(a) An applicant has the right to specify the size of plot they require. If our Service offers an alternative size, the applicant has the option to accept the offer or reject it and retain their same position on the Waiting List.
(b) Applicants can apply for Joint Leases.
(c) Termination of Lease: our Service will require to give 1 month’s Notice of our “Intention to Terminate a Lease ” for example, following an Audit Failure, during which time the Tenant can make an appeal to our Service and if rejected can lodge an appeal with the Sherriff Officer. If and when both appeals are rejected, we can then issue a Termination Notice, giving the Tenant, 1 month’s Notice to vacate the allotment.
(d) Allotment Regulations: We have a duty to prepare allotment site Regulations and these proposed regulations will be published to allow all stakeholders to make representations on the detail. Much of the detail will be similar to the requirements detailed in our “Managing Your Allotment” document. These Regulations require to be implemented before 1 April 2020 but we anticipate they will be available for publication/consultation in the next few months but will keep you advised.”
Yesterday was perhaps our busiest day ever on Garthdee Field. Proof of the pudding perhaps, that our Active Community Engagement initiative (ACE) is beginning to bear fruit.
We were delighted to host groups from Santander and Momentum Skills as well as our regulars, Mike and Gordon from the Volunteer Squad, with Penny-Louise on hand taking photos. As icing on the cake we had Carol Baxter and a film and drone crew from Beechgrove Garden working on Sophie’s Plot.
The Santander group were on a team-building corporate sponsorship day with staff drawn from far and wide – from Thurso in the North down to Perth in the South. They threw themselves into a special project to renew the paths around the micro-plots and achieved an amazing amount on the day. The Company also paid for many of the materials needed. A huge vote of thanks go to them and the team on the day for all their efforts and to Stephen Bly, Aberdeen City Council’s Community Engagement Officer, who set up the event and helped out with the work.
Momentum Skills were on one of their regular activity days with us and set about a major tidy up of the former MacMillan Plot. Thanks go to Linda and all the gang for their efforts. They are very much appreciated.
Our Volunteer Squad enjoyed a couple of days off site recently helping clear and tidy a garden in Peterculter.
In return the householder was happy to donate a small greenhouse and shed for GFAA use, so it was a case of a real win-win for all concerned. Big thanks go to Stephen Bly, Aberdeen City Council’s Community Engagement Officer for making this possible and all of the arrangements and especially to George on Plot 3 for dropping this own plans to come and give us a hand with the moves yesterday.
Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén