Winter warmer
Thank you to everybody who made the Winter Warmer such a success last weekend: those who made soup, brought (and bought and ate!) cakes, contributed to the raffle, and who made it such an enjoyable day.  The wreath workshop was very popular, and you can see a couple of examples of the beautiful wreaths that were made here.  Our thanks to Mary Ensor for leading the workshop and Garry Doyland for helping with making willow frames. 
 
There was a great turnout for the main event, and we raised over £700 for allotment funds and Gary Sycamore raised £190 for Harington.

On the walls of the Barn was a fantastic display of artwork produced at the recent 'Art at the Barn' workshops.  The paintings will shortly be on display on the SHA website, and are all for sale at reasonable offers, with proceeds going towards allotment funds.  Do take a look. 
 
We have light! (in the Barn)
Earlier in the autumn we put in an application to the Re-Power Communities Fund for £2,000 for solar panels to provide lighting in the Barn.  We’re delighted that our application was successful – you can read more about the Fund here.  We hope to fit the panels sometime in the new year.

And some bad news...
In the past week there has been two incidents of vandalism on the Queens Wood end of the site, with three greenhouses having glass panes smashed. We know from a walker in Queens Wood that on one occasion it was some young teenage boys who had trespassed onto the site. Please keep a vigilant eye out and report any incidents or damage to us at info@ We have reported the vandalism to the police, and the maintenance team continue to work on making the boundary fences as secure as possible.

Support our Haringey neighbours
On Saturday 9th December Harington are holding their Christmas fair and open day – details on their website here: https://www.harington.org.uk  We have strong links with Harington, so do go along and support them if you can.
 
On Sunday 10th December Wolves Lane Centre is holding a Christmas Market from 10am – 4pm.  Details on their website here: https://www.wolveslane.org And the Centre is open regularly on Sundays 10am – 3pm. If you haven’t visited Wolves Lane before it’s well worth a visit, with a great selection of reasonably priced plants, and cactus and palm houses to visit.
 
Meadow Orchard Project: just a stone’s throw from Shepherds Hill, off Park Rd, is the oasis of the Meadow Orchard Project.  You can visit on Saturdays between 12 and 4pm, and they are always looking for volunteers. More details here: https://meadoworchard.org
 
Dates for your diaries

  • Café at the Barn: Wednesday 10th January 10.30 – 12.00
  • Discussion group and lunch: Sunday 21st January 12 – 2pm
  • And don’t forget the trading shed is only open fortnightly until potato day on Sunday 11th February.  All opening dates on the SHA website.

Artwork and video on Britain’s allotment waiting lists
A Greenpeace article reports on how a group of artists and campaigners have created an artwork to highlight the long waiting lists for allotments across the country. https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/giant-living-artwork-unfurled-at-westminster-as-waiting-lists-for-allotments-double-in-a-decade/
And you can watch a video about the artwork and campaign here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bbl0idJ5IY
 
Season’s Greetings to all
 
Annie, Garry, Ian, Jill, Jo, Julie, Juliet, Nev, Trevor
The SHA allotment committee

14:49, 07 Dec 2023 by Website Admin

Dates for your diary

Sunday 22nd October Barn discussion on no-dig 12- 1pm, followed by lunch 1 – 2pm.  Come along to hear about plot-holders’ experiences of using the no-dig method on their plots.
Sunday 5th November Maintenance working party.  All hands on deck needed for the last working party of 2023.  Lots of jobs to be done, meet at the trading shed at 10am.  The core team need you!
Wed 8th November Café at the Barn. 10.30-12.00.  Come along for tea, coffee and cake by the fire, and a friendly chat.
Sunday 19th November  Craft afternoon? – see message from Garry Doyland below.
Sunday 26th November Winter Warmer 2023 12 – 3pm – see details below.
 

 
Winter Warmer 2023  (and we'd love your help)
Our annual event will be taking place in and around the Barn on Sunday 26th November. The main event will be from 12-3pm, but we are lucky enough this year to be able to hold a session on winter wreath making for those who sign up in advance from 10.45-12 – there’s room for 10 participants. The main event will include lunch of delicious soups, breads and cakes. There will also be stall of preserves, a cake stall and a raffle. Weather permitting we'll have a fire pit in the trading shed yard as well as the wood burning stove around which we can sup and chat.  Bring family and friends. But please remember no parking in front of trading shed that day.
 
Please help if you can:

  • Make a cake for the cake stall (bring along on the day)
  • Bring something enticing for the raffle: please bring either to the Barn cafe 10.30-12 on November 8th or trading shed 11-12 on 19th November. 

 Email Annie to sign up for the wreath making or if you need any more information.
 
Message from Garry Doyland:
On the 19th November from 1.00pm we are hoping to have a craft afternoon. This event is for anyone who has a craft or skill they’d like to share. Knitters bring your knitting, artists bring easels and paint brushes, whistlers bring knives and wood. If you have something to offer please write to me via info@shepherdshillallotments.co.uk  Together we can put on an event in and around the Barn, fire burning, kettle boiling and any snacks you bring to the party. 
 
And a second appeal: If you joined the art group during the past summer and have any pictures to show please let me know. It would nice to view them at the Winter Warmer on the 26th November.
 
Are there trees on your plot that need pruning?
Your tenancy agreement states that trees on your plot must be kept at a maximum height of 3 metres. Please make sure that you keep trees pruned and to the permitted height to avoid shading neighbours’ plots.  Richard Dickson is a tree surgeon who regularly carries out work on the site and can quote for works on 07764 448650.
 
Rent invoices from Haringey
Haringey will be sending out invoices in January.  If you are considering giving up your plot you need to inform the allotment officer at Allotment.Enquiries@haringey.gov.uk by 1st December, otherwise you will be charged rent for the year 2024.  Please also inform the allotment officer if you have changed address (postal or email) so they can update their records.

And finally …. There is a lot of work to do to manage the site, organise events, run the trading shed and other work.  Contributions are always welcome – time, food and helping  with events. Just let us know info@shepherdshillallotments.co.uk

16:35, 21 Oct 2023 by Website Admin

Dates for your diary
 

Sunday 10th September 10-1pm

THIS SUNDAY

Maintenance working party.  Meet at the trading shed.  All help welcome.

Wed 13th September 10.30 – 1pm

Café at the Barn

Sunday 24th September 

Discussion group (jobs on your plot for the autumn)  + seed swap 12-1pm followed by lunch 1 – 2pm.

Wed 11th October

Café at the Barn

Sunday 22nd October

Discussion group 12-1pm; lunch 1-2pm

Sunday 26th November 12 – 3pm  SAVE THE DATE

WINTER WARMER.  More details to follow.

 
Tomato Blight
If your tomatoes have got blight do NOT compost them on site or leave in the ground.  Take them off site to minimise risk of infection across the site.  They can go in the council brown bins.
 
Site Inspection
We are expecting a site inspection from the allotment officer in the autumn.  Make sure your plot is ‘inspection-ready’.
 
Muswell Hill Horticultural Show
AUTUMN FLOWER SHOW AND PLANT SALE
Saturday September 16th, North Bank, 28 Pages Lane, Muswell Hill, N10 1PP at 3pm.  Entry £2.00

16:30, 21 Oct 2023 by Website Admin