Allotments

[CardiffGuy]

Afternoon Folks,

As some of you may know from a previous post, due to my health I'm off work for a while and as such myself and Mrs C.G. have moved in with her parents which will is starting to help financially and also will help as time goes by when I am a bit drained.

The benefits of living with the in-laws, less that 20 yards away is an allotment with at least 2 patches going on it and a small river(less than 1ft deep and about 4ft wide running behind the house and allotment) but the patches will require a lot of work due to being currently covered in a huge amount of a dead bushes.

I'm thinking of spending my time over the winter days in clearing this out but seeking advice on the best way to clear it and the best things to start doing to prepare for early spring planting.

C.G.

[junmist]

If possible pigs are great for clearing land they do all the work and you can eat them at the end if not hard work and double digging

[preppingsu]

You could always have a day when you invite friends and family to lend a hand to clear it with the offer of lunch ( take down your camping stove with a big pot of chilli on it) and a few beers.

But I am afraid to say, it will be down to hard graft to clear it. I would aim to get some manure on there and dug in to give something back to the soil.

Then in the spring, get some early potatoes in, carrots, spring greens as a starter.

[CardiffGuy]

If possible pigs are great for clearing land they do all the work and you can eat them at the end if not hard work and double digging

Junmist,

I would like to do this however as absolutely no one in my wife's immediate nor her extended family like anything other than beef or chicken, I would put off eating pork altogether if just me eating it.

Plus due to the size of the allotment and also due to the river banking being as close as it is, I may end up having a pig finding week along the mountain behind if they got across, or having swimming piglets.

Due to the amount of farmer's around here, I was also considering trying to approach one of them regarding renting an some land(about an acre) for growing aswell but also don't know what the best way about doing this is.

C.G.

[junmist]

If possible pigs are great for clearing land they do all the work and you can eat them at the end if not hard work and double digging

Junmist,

I would like to do this however as absolutely no one in my wife's immediate nor her extended family like anything other than beef or chicken, I would put off eating pork altogether if just me eating it.

Plus due to the size of the allotment and also due to the river banking being as close as it is, I may end up having a pig finding week along the mountain behind if they got across, or having swimming piglets.

Due to the amount of farmer's around here, I was also considering trying to approach one of them regarding renting an some land(about an acre) for growing aswell but also don't know what the best way about doing this is.

C.G.

Swimming pigs intresting you could barter the pigs but understand what you mean. Try the local pub and if you are lucky the local shop they will put the word out for you or if you cannot find any land ask if there is any older people that need help in there gardens in return of sharing the produce.

[moocher]

Clear the brush off to ground level,hire a big rotavator.
When I started one the neighbour done that and it smashed through bracken root,and chewed the grass up and buried it.
He did 4 full size allotments in a day,it was a Honda engined beasty from local hire place.