Shepherds Hill Allotments

Potato Day at the Trading Shed. Tomorrow, Sunday 9th February, 11am-1pm
Despite the poor weather forecast for tomorrow the Trading shed will be open for potato/onion/shallot buying along with usual stock.  If you can't make it tomorrow we expect to be selling the potatoes/onions/shallots over the next few Sundays too.  The shed is open every Sunday from now on throughout the year from 11-1.

The following potatoes, onions and shallots will be on sale. We will be selling them by weight – potatoes at £1.20/kg; onions £3.50/kg and shallots £4.00/kg. There will be leaflets about the varieties and on growing potatoes.
Potatoes
First  Earlies
Red Duke of York. ( yellow flesh)
Lady Christl. (Good for salads and for chips)
Second Earlies
WCF Spunta. ( grown widely in Cyprus. White/yellow flesh waxy salad potato)
Anya. ( nutty taste, salad potato)
Charlotte  ( creamy yellow flesh salad potato)
Main Crop
Desiree ( boils well. Smooth texture)
Pentland Crown  ( boils well, floury texture, good for mashing)
Pink Fir Apple.  ( firm fleshed nutty Flavour)
Onions
Red Baron
Sturon
Shallots
Golden Gourmet

A message from Haringey's allotment officer
"This year’s allotment invoices have been processed and emailed or posted to all tenants.  Please email allotment.enquiries@haringey.gov.uk if you haven't yet received your invoice. Include your name, site and plot number in all correspondences."
 
Yours

Julie, Annie, Trevor, Juliet, Gary, Jill, Ian, and Nick (co-opted - Treasurer). The Site Committee, February 2020

Potato Day at the Trading Shed. Sunday 9th February, 11am-1pm
The following potatoes, onions and shallots will be on sale. It will be busy at the shed so it would be a good idea if you did your research on our varieties beforehand so that you come knowing what you are buying. We will be selling them by weight – potatoes at £1.20/kg; onions £3.50/kg and shallots £4.00/kg. There will be leaflets about the varieties and on growing potatoes, at the shed on the day.  Of course the usual stock will also be on sale as usual.
Potatoes
First  Earlies
Red Duke of York. ( yellow flesh)
Lady Christl. (Good for salads and for chips)
Second Earlies
WCF Spunta. ( grown widely in Cyprus. White/yellow flesh waxy salad potato)
Anya. ( nutty taste, salad potato)
Charlotte  ( creamy yellow flesh salad potato)
Main Crop
Desiree ( boils well. Smooth texture)
Pentland Crown  ( boils well, floury texture, good for mashing)
Pink Fir Apple.  ( firm fleshed nutty Flavour)
Onions
Red Baron
Sturon
Shallots
Golden Gourmet

Helpers needed
There’s going to be a big delivery to the Trading Shed on the morning of Friday 7th February. Please can people avoid parking at the shed between 10 and midday. Also Annie and Liz would really appreciate an extra helper or two to help stack up the stuff in the store and in the Trading shed. A couple of the regular volunteers are unable to make it this time. The lorry is due to arrive at 10.30 am. Many hands make light work!

Site inspections
As spring is just around the corner we thought we should remind you that there will be a Council inspection sometime during April.  As the weather improves, the ground should be becoming workable for sowing preparation and weeding.  And now is a good time for bonfires.  Don’t forget that the Council require all plots to be clearly numbered.  And a reminder that the Council will consider issuing NCNs where unreasonable amounts of rubbish have accumulated on plots.

Next maintenance working party
Please note that because of Potato Day we have moved the date of the next working party to Sunday 16^thFeb from 11.00 – 1.00pm. Come and help if you can. We will be concentrating on repairs to improve security in the boundary fencing.  Meet at the trading shed.  Tea and coffee will be provided.

Save the date...
Our annual plant sale will be on Sunday 10th May.  More details to follow in the March newsletter.

Finally….
A pick axe has been found – please contact info@shepherdshillallotments.co.ukif you have lost one.  

Yours
Julie, Annie, Trevor, Juliet, Gary, Jill, Ian, and Nick (co-opted - Treasurer). The Site Committee, January 2020

SHA Annual General Meeting: All welcome
Come along to the AGM on Tuesday 19^th November – see poster above for details.  As well as an opportunity to hear about what’s been happening on the site over the past year and exciting future plans, this year we have invited a guest speaker, who comes highly recommended, to come and talk to us about dead hedging and how we might reduce our use of bonfires.  And, do consider standing to join the committee – nomination forms and details are on the website.  If you would like any further information about what being on the committee involves email us on info@shepherdshillallotments.co.uk
 
Winter Warmer Fair, Sunday 24^th November 11.00 – 2.00
In the trading shed yard.  Wrap up warm and come along to buy some fantastic Xmas presents – delicious preserves, stocking fillers, etc.  There will be soup and bread, cakes, a warming fire pit, a seed swap, raffle and more.  Bring friends and neighbours too!  If you have anything you could donate for the raffle please bring along to the trading shed on the 10th or 24th November.  Also please bring any seeds you have for the seed swap on the day.

A message from the Harington Scheme
Harington would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at SHA for the fantastic donation from the plant sale - another record of £870. The donation has gone towards the conversion of the new Harington employability hub at 46 Hornsey High Street which will comprise a large charity shop with an adjacent training suite, enabling us to substantially increase our number of full time students. 

Volunteers are still needed for the shop on Mondays, and at weekends when it is extremely busy. If you can spare any time on a regular basis each week please drop in and pick up a form. It’s a great shop with a high stock turnover and some excellent bargains so do have a look round. As well as donations for the shop, Harington is also looking for donations of any old garden or woodworking tools. If you have any spare please could you email Rachel direct and she’ll arrange to collect them from you.
 
Scaffolding boards
This message from Bruno: “I am plotting another scaffolding board run (for raised beds) next month. Do you want any? Each is a tad short of four metres long (between 12 and 13 feet) and cost £9 each, delivered to the site (not to your plot). These boards are recycled and although they are not rotten, some have the odd bite taken out of them - which does not render them unusable, especially if you are going to chop them up. If you want some, please measure up and let me know how many. Please contact by mid November. All of this is dependent on me getting an order of at least 100 as they are sold in packs of 50 and I can’t cover costs (van hire etc) if the order is below that.”
 
A reminder about plot etiquette
Please ensure that you are mindful of your neighbours at all times, and if you are having work done by someone else on your plot, which may affect an adjoining plot, keep your neighbours informed.  And remember anyone else working on your plot is your responsibility and you should be present when they are working there.
 
Next maintenance working party
The next working party will be held on Sunday 10^th November, 11.00 – 1.00.  We will be pruning the apple trees on the communal orchard and on plot 15.  Please come along and help if you can.  Refreshments will be available.
 
If you’re considering giving up your plot…
Don’t forget that if you’re thinking of terminating your tenancy, in part or whole, you must do it before 1st^t Dec otherwise you will be invoiced for the whole of next year. 
 
Water on the site
A couple of weeks ago we turned off the water to the Queens Wood end of the site as we thought there was a leak but it turned out to be excessive rain water.  As usual we will be draining down the water system in November for the winter.
 
Best practice for disposing of tomato and potato plants that have had blight:
This advice from the RHS: Infected material should be deeply buried (more than 45cm deep), consigned to the green waste collection or, ideally, burnedrather than composted.
 
How to thin your fruit trees
Helpful advice from Alys Fowler here. 

Yours
Julie, Annie, Trevor, Julia, Juliet, Gary, Jill, Ian,  and Nick (co-opted - Treasurer).
The Site Committee, November 2019