Off To A Good Start?

Sunday 1st June
It was my first day going to the allotment. It was wet, very wet, my train was cancelled, it took two hours on the coach and then I got lost.
Yet it was strangely enjoyable (put aside the fact my bag was soaked through and I was worrying if my equipment inside would survive) being out in the weather and fresh air, wondering the quiet streets on an early Sunday morning, it was invigorating.
Anyway I finally arrived and research commenced. Harry took me on a tour of the allotment, giving me an insight on the people and plots as we went around, as well as himself.
There weren’t many people there at all, but the atmosphere was so calming, out in the open with just the sound of rain hitting the ground, no electrical equipment or any modern technology (apart from my camera), straight away I could see why a lot of people would come here, you could be anywhere.
I think it was good to experience the allotment without human bustle, seeing these tranquil pieces of land in all their different styles and states and how they sit in next to one another, forming images of their owners in your head, and what all this digging around like chickens is about for them.

Rob Lane Allotments

I know a man who has a plot at Rob Lane Allotments, a kind gentleman that agreed to my invasion, so this is the "Project Allotment" base.
The problem I have is that I can only go with Harry (the kind gentleman), which is a problem because

1- the place is under lock and key (which I'm forbidden to have), and
2- he only goes on weekends.

So that means limited time there, which for tying to capture the essence of the place, isn't ideal, but it's a start. Hopfully I'll meet new people there and maybe make some friends too that wouldn't mind me tagging along in the week.

The Project

About a year ago I started looking after a garden (not my own), I hadn’t done any gardening before (apart from the days of helping my “grandy” in his garden) and it’s progressed from keeping it tidy to growing whole plants from a tiny seed in the shed. It’s become my dirty secret, an ongoing project that I tend to whenever I can.

Lately I’ve become interested in growing food, it’s something that really appeals to me and would like to try. So I decided for one of my projects, I would go to an allotment and experience it, talk to the people there, and get a sense of the community, look at the different styles, methods and opinions towards agriculture, anything that takes my interest really. It’s going to be an organic process, so I haven’t a clue what direction it will go in.

Exciting!