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2024-05-23 07:18:46 - Paul D. Foy -
AllotmentIssues2

There is the issue of using pesticides and fungicides for horticultural purposes in an allotment setting. Now using natural, organic methods (horticultural practices, understanding the life cycle of the pest and intervening appropriately) is all very well but I don't think there is still any effective treatment for some pests (eg flea beetle, potato blight, gooseberry mildew) - so what does one do. There isn't generally the space, or the luxury of space in an allotment (300sqm at best) to practice some alternative practices (eg a lot of space between bushes (mildew) or planting a sacrificial barrier crop (flea beetle)) so chemicals can't be avoided if you don't want to accept a diminished or impoverished crop. I don't think the argument is the same as for commercial farmers. Are small scale users to be treated in some kind of namby pamby manner that they can't handle dangerous chemicals or cannot have a proper appreciation of the risks? Can one really argue that the damage to the environment (pollution of water courses, getting into the food chain (ie humans) is serious for such a small scale use? Is the small scale person or enterprise to be prevented from growing his/her own food or running a business in this way for these reasons? Should the emphasis not be the bearing down on the big corporates, and the Universities into the research for the better (yes chemical) alternatives. For example those that target only the desired pest, or research into other effective techniques?.



2024-06-25 10:04:18 - Paul D. Foy -
So far the allotmenting in Birkenshaw is proving more of a challenge. At Dursley the site was very favourable: sandy chalky soil (no brassica club root, easy to prepare), on the sheltered lea of a hill (no nuisance wind to spin roots around) and birds were not as much a nuisance (there must be a greater shortage of bird food in a more urban setting). In Birkenshaw we have already lost the gooseberry crop to birds - not thinking they would need protection even before they were ripe. Protection from birds is not just needed for young brassica seedling but for the mature plants as well! (and this has been witnessed). So this is cost and expense and considerable inconvenience to provide this. We have no economies of scale and cannot afford that say 30% of the crop is wiped out. Wind is a problem. This is why Birkenshaw was not settled early - the land is not as good and it is an exposed area. The �85 allotment rent doesn't help either! (no taking into account the nature of the site, no taking into account the increase in labour and running costs). I'm still hopeful we are going to at least break even else we've lost at least one of the three reasons: (saving money, freshness of produce, exercise and well being).




2024-06-08 20:11:05 - Paul D. Foy -
I'm working from a computer with a very tight select delay hence the 3 previous posts by mistake.




2024-06-08 20:09:31 - Paul D. Foy -
Of course the Nazi's were well known for extolling the virtues of the (Bavarian) agrarian lifestyle and ethos, in contrast to their much despised socialist orientated city inhabitants, and also extolled the virtues of being productively occupied. But how that developed into murdering millions of people and plundering much of Europe I don't really know.




2024-06-08 20:09:30 - Paul D. Foy -
Of course the Nazi's were well known for extolling the virtues of the (Bavarian) agrarian lifestyle and ethos, in contrast to their much despised socialist orientated city inhabitants, and also extolled the virtues of being productively occupied. But how that developed into murdering millions of people and plundering much of Europe I don't really know.




2024-06-08 20:09:30 - Paul D. Foy -
Of course the Nazi's were well known for extolling the virtues of the (Bavarian) agrarian lifestyle and ethos, in contrast to their much despised socialist orientated city inhabitants, and also extolled the virtues of being productively occupied. But how that developed into murdering millions of people and plundering much of Europe I don't really know.




2024-06-08 19:52:48 - Paul D. Foy -
The photo of the night time scene taken by my video camera to spot birds highlights a few issues. (1) There's a lot to do, they don't seem to be any low cost or sophisticated aids for the allotmentor. Sure if you work in a big Company you can do clever things to look after John Deere et al. There's money in it for you there, but doing simpler things with a smaller remit - not much reward. And there's a big need for the simple easy to use and understand, concepts distilled down in a user friendly way. (2) You can't be macho man as a homemaker, or one does innovative things to help out here in our society! Doesn't buy food (and you've no help in growing it!) or a nice house or flat. Not a glamorous as a fast car (I'll leave the women out here :)). So it's not just the (female) history personnel needing help.




2024-05-23 07:28:48 - Paul D. Foy -
A photo of scenes from Birkenshaw allotments.




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