8 November 2007

The farmer who has been delivering most of our manure came with his bucket and trailer and levelled the plot. He couldn't take away all of the debris and so we still have a heap of soil left behind. At least now the area where we want to construct storage bins has been cleared. It doesn't look very pretty though does it?

 

11 December 2007

Today we received a cheque from the Primary Care Trust. A bid was put in to them for a Wakefield Healthy Activity Grant. This grant means that we now have some funding available to make a start on the development of this area. There maybe will not be enough to do all that we have planned but it will be good to make a start.

 

 

The first job will be to clear the heap of soil left after the levelling and then to lay the weed suppressant membrane. Then we can get started on the construction of the storage bays.

 

17 February 2008

 

Today we had help in clearing the heap of rubbish from the plot. The next job is to get down the week suppressant before the weeds start to grow again.

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 21 2008

 

We kept planning to get the plot covered with the weed suppressant membrane but kept being thwarted! It was either too wet or someone kept dumping piles of wood chippings in the way.

 

Well today thanks to Jan, Martyn and Matt we did manage to spread out the membrane but unfortunately we have now discovered that we didn't have enough of it!! Anyone with any surplus please let us know or just pop it on plot 46 and we will spread it out.

 

Hopefully we can start work on the bays soon.  As a temporary measure once the plots is covered with membrane we will cover that with wood chippings. These can be then removed as and when we need an area to work on - that way we shouldn't have to battle with weeds again!!

 

The next stage will be to build three storage bays. One for manure, one for wood chippings and one for the recycling cans collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 28 2008

 

Some second-hand scaffolding boards have been ordered. These will be used to construct the two storage bays

 

 

April 30 2008

 

Having covered some of the plot with weed suppressant we ordered some wood chippings with which to cover it - just after spreading out the first pile a second pile was delivered.

 

As can be seen from the photograph areas that we had to leave bare of weed suppressant are starting to develop weeds so we really do need to quickly find some more surplus.

 

 

May 1 2008

 

Even more chippings arrived - thanks to  Ossett Tree Services and Wakefield MDC for supplying us. Not just for the communal plot but for other plots too!

 

May 20 2008

 

Decided on old scaffolding boards for the bay which have been purchased from Colmil and arrived today.

 

June 3 2008

 

Today work finally started on the storage bays on our communal plot. We have taken some time to make sure that we were choosing and sourcing materials that were going to give us best value for money and yet would provide a long lasting solution. On Monday Earnshaws delivered the fence posts and the day after construction started. Thanks to Chris Olenczyn for providing his work free of charge and also Paul on plot 38 for looking after Jack Olenczyn whilst his 'dad' was at work. The plot was so waterlogged that Chris didn't need to mix the post mix with any water at all. The holes that he dug were completely filled with water - is the water table so high?

 

 

 

 

 

June 5 2008

 

Jan, Martyn and Sue  spread as much of the remaining wood chippings as possible over the weed suppressant membrane to make room for Chris (Lenny - don't ask!) to start on constructing the second bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7 2008

 

'Lenny' and Jan have now finished erecting the posts for the storage bays. One side panel has been attached as this needed cutting to size due to the irregular shape of the plot. Jan now has the job of completely the task with any willing helpers that he can muster. The inside of the bays will be lined with weed suppressant membrane.

 

Once completed we hope to plant one or two shrubs under the pussy willow tree - just to make it look nice!

 

The side adjacent to the roadway will be edged using scaffolding boards to prevent the chippings from slipping away. (See above photograph).

 

Once this is completed we will think about constructing the raised beds. Ideally we would like a type of gazebo on the plot to provide shelter for meetings or gatherings during times when the weather is too wet or (ever the optimist) too sunny. By the way Jan - don't forget to pop up Pat's signs!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 9 2008

 

Work on the storage bays is progressing well - thanks to Jan, Phil (plot 49) and Paul (plot 38).

 

The only blot on the horizon is that someone doesn't really appreciate what the bays are for and has already dumped something in one of the bays - please don't!

 

The bays are to be used for wood chippings and horse/cow manure ONLY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 10 2008

 

The bays were completed last night. Even down to having the signs - that were arranged by Pat - being erected so that people can be in no doubt as to what should be stored in the bays. They still are not ready for use as we need to line the bases with weed suppressant.

 

August 3 2008

 

We are steadily progressing with the communal area in spite of a large step backwards courtesy of a local tree services company. They were working in the area and decided to offload three lorry loads of chippings onto he area that we have cleared and covered with weed suppressant membrane. A phone call later and they arrived to remove what was an enormous mountain of chippings but in the process ripped up much of the weed suppressant. Another phone call was needed and GEOfabrics Limited, Skelton Grange Road, Stourton, Leeds LS10 1RZ agreed to help out by providing us with more fabric.

 

Andy on plot 44 offered to collect the fabric for us and did so with Jan's help. Today Jan, Tracy plot 51 and Paul plot 48 lined the storage bays. Now we just need to get the council to deliver us a load of chippings to fill the chippings bay. The manure bay is not as straightforward as we are reluctant to fill this with manure since our experiences with contaminated manure so for the moment that bay may house the can collection.

 

 

Andy on plot 44 offered to collect the fabric for us and did so with Jan's help. Today Jan, Tracy plot 51 and Paul plot 48 lined the storage bays. Now we just need to get the council to deliver us a load of chippings to fill the chippings bay. The manure bay is not as straightforward as we are reluctant to fill this with manure since our experiences with contaminated manure so for the moment that bay may house the can collection.

 

Andy on plot 44 offered to collect the fabric for us and did so with Jan's help. Today Jan, Tracy plot 51 and Paul plot 48 lined the storage bays. Now we just need to get the council to deliver us a load of chippings to fill the chippings bay. The manure bay is not as straightforward as we are reluctant to fill this with manure since our experiences with contaminated manure so for the moment that bay may house the can collection.

 

 

 

 

August 22 2008

 

The first load of wood chippings for the communal pile is delivered! We will only be using council supplied wood chippings for the communal bay as these are chippings from deciduous trees and so will not affect the acid levels in the soil. The council also tell us that there should be no problem with chemical contamination

 

We now have a regular supply of manure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again due to site politics no further was carried out on this plot and the remaining ground has been rented as a small allotment plot.