Shepherds Hill Allotments

Lights in the Barn!
Thanks to Ian and Garry’s hard work and a grant of £2K from Re-Power Communities we now have solar powered lights in the Barn.  Do pop by on one of the Barn events days to admire them.  And SHA bridge players – note the specially designed pulley light system for the card table!
 
Annual Plant Sale 2024 – advance notice
This will be in front of the trading shed and in and around the Barn on May 12th from 12-3pm. It’s an important money raiser as well as a joyous occasion for all who join in. 
 
You can join in by offering to:

• run a stall (veg and herbs, ornamentals, annuals, bric-a-brac/tools) 11.30-3pm
• bake a cake and bring it to the Barn between 11 and 11.45am
• help set up stalls 11-12
• provide plants, labelled and priced and brought to the stalls at 11am
• serve in the Barn Cafe 11.30-3pm

If you can offer help with any of these please contact Annie stating the ways in which you can help.
 
Maintenance working party
After a winter break, these will start again in April.  All hands on deck needed for lots of small maintenance jobs.  Come along and help the maintenance team on Sunday April 7^th 11-1pm, meet by the trading shed.
 
We are also looking for volunteers to take on organising particular maintenance projects.  The first one is building some compost bays on the communal plot by the Barn.  If anyone is able to volunteer to take this on please let us know on info@
 
Haringey invoices
These have now been sent out.  If you have not received yours please contact the Haringey allotment officer on Allotment.Enquiries@haringey.gov.uk
 
Dates for the diary
 

 
Site inspection reminder
With a Spring site inspection by the Council due in April/May, it’s a good time to remind everyone of a few pointers:
 

• Plots must show evidence of full cultivation.  The Council’s definition of full cultivation is that 75% of each plot should be fully cultivated within a complete growing season.  Further details about the definition of cultivation can be found in the ‘Tenants Notes and Responsibilities’ document under the Resources section of the website.
• Make sure your plot is numbered and the number clearly visible from the path.
• The path around your plot must be kept clear (possibly arrange with your neighbour which adjoining paths you are responsible for).
• Fruit trees should be kept at a maximum height of 3 – 4 metres.
• Please inform the Committee and the Council of any changes in either house or email addresses.
• Those with large or perhaps unmanageable plots please consider halving them to make them more productive.  Bear in mind that there are around 100 people waiting for a plot at Shepherds Hill and it is now taking approximately six years for someone going on the waiting list to be offered a plot.

 
Annie, Garry, Ian, Jill, Jo, Julie, Juliet, Nev, Trevor
The SHA allotment committee

Potato Day
Come and collect your potato orders this Sunday 11^th February in the Barn (not the Trading Shed) between 10.00 – 1.00.  We will be serving tea, coffee and cakes too.
 
Message from Haringey about invoices
The allotment officer has informed us that they are having technical problems with preparing invoices for this year, and there will be a delay in getting them out to tenants.  We will let you know when to expect your invoice once we have further news.
 
Dates for your Diary
 

 
Volunteers needed
As ever we need more volunteers to help with making a cake, or soup, or helping with serving or washing up at a Sunday lunch or other Barn event.  We’ve set up a Barn Events WhatsApp group to coordinate help at each event.  If you able to volunteer (even just occasionally) and are happy to join the WhatsApp group please write into info@ with your phone no. and we will add you to the group. Many thanks.
 
Spring site inspection
With a Spring site inspection by the Council due in April/May, it’s a good time to remind everyone of a few pointers:

• Plots must show evidence of full cultivation.  The Council’s definition of full cultivation is that 75% of each plot should be fully cultivated within a complete growing season.  Further details about the definition of cultivation can be found in the ‘Tenants Notes and Responsibilities’ document under the Resources section of the website.
• Make sure your plot is numbered and the number clearly visible from the path.
• The path around your plot must be kept clear (possibly arrange with your neighbour which adjoining paths you are responsible for).
• Fruit trees should be kept at a maximum height of 3 – 4 metres.
• Please inform the Committee and the Council of any changes in either house or email addresses.
• Those with large or perhaps unmanageable plots please consider halving them to make them more productive.  Bear in mind that there are around 100 people waiting for a plot at Shepherds Hill and it is now taking approximately six years for someone going on the waiting list to be offered a plot.

Weedkiller
Please note that the Committee has made a decision to ban the use of weedkillers containing glyphosate on the site.  This is in line with other allotment sites and local Councils.  You can read more about the detrimental effects of glyphosate on health and the environment here:
https://www.pan-uk.org/glyphosate/

Annie, Garry, Ian, Jill, Jo, Julie, Juliet, Nev, Trevor
The SHA allotment committee

Potatoes
Potato day is on Sunday 11^th February.  There’s still time to order potatoes. Separate email with details to follow.
 
Logs
There’s a stack of freshly cut logs going free in the car park by the Wood Vale track, so please help yourself.
 
2024 dates for your diary:

• Discussion/lunch – Sunday 21^st Jan. Discussion on Preparing for Spring 12.00 - 1.00pm, followed by lunch 1 – 2pm.
• Café at the Barn – Wed 14^th Feb 10.30 – 12 noon.
• Potato Day - Sunday 11^th Feb.  Times to follow. Tea, coffee and cakes available in the Barn. 
• Discussion/lunch – Sunday 25^th Feb.  
• Café at the Barn – Wed 13^th March 10.30 -12 noon.
• Discussion/lunch – Sunday 24^th March 

And we hope to hold another craft afternoon in the Spring.  Date to follow.
 
Barn Bridge
If you would like to play some bridge, or come along to learn (all standards welcome) then do join the Bridge WhatsApp group, where we organise ad hoc dates to meet and play in the Barn.  Send Garry Doyland a message on 07806 695199 and he’ll add you to the WhatsApp group. 
 
Help needed in 2024!
The Barn events – cafes, lunches, etc. are a great success and it’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying the Barn as a meeting place. BUT we need more volunteers to help with making a cake, or a soup, or helping with serving or washing up at a Sunday lunch.  Please look at the dates above, and let us know if you can help in any way.  And a reminder that our policy is to reimburse any cooks £5 per cake or soup etc.
 
Happy growing to all in 2024!

Annie, Garry, Ian, Jill, Jo, Julie, Juliet, Nev, Trevor
The SHA allotment committee