We begin this new decade on a new plot with a desire to move on from the negativity that blighted our previous season, and in order to move on I feel the need to re-visit once more the circumstances that have led us to our new beginning.
We began 2019 slowly, a devastating family loss had left its mark on both us and the plot, I simply didn't have the spirit to get down to the plot, planting windows were missed and it didn't matter to me, weeds grew instead of vegetables.
if you leave a plot to its own devices even for a few months its amazing just how quickly it will become overgrown, a wasteland greeted us when we finally got up the strength to visit.
I embarked on an aggressive strimmer campaign and after a week of daily visits I had the plot back in order, it was late spring and I was just getting the season back on track, or as close to it as I could considering my late start, I was enjoying my time on the plot once again.
My plot had become a hangout for kids to get stoned, knowing the chances of getting the police to visit were next to zero I left a sign for them asking that they don't damage my plot and always close the gate, I had a month of peaceful visits, then one afternoon I went with my wife and kids to harvest the onions and found that the peaceful period had come to an end!
my shed window was smashed, beds trampled, chairs broken and thrown around, I can honestly say I was devastated, that was it for me, I didn't want anything to do with the plot anymore.
You don't realise just how much of yourself you put into every seed you sew, how much you're investing whenever you tend your plants so to have them destroyed for no reason really hurt me, thankfully my wife gave me a good talking to and helped me look for a way forward.
The way forward for us was to relocate, our plot was on the boundary of the allotments so easily accessible for the vandals so we found an unused plot in the centre and applied to take it on, I also reported the trespass and damage to the police who informed me that they would not be taking any action, It was agreed by the allotment management that we could have the new plot and keep the old one until September to move things across.
The first thing I took was the shed, I must say I enjoyed taking away the vandals hangout! It got upgraded too with a sturdy inner frame, new roof and very strong locks, then I moved across all the wood and began building our new plot, our new neighbours were all very kind and I started to feel quite happy with the decision to relocate.
So this is where the start of 2020 finds us, on a new plot with a new layout (nearly finished) and a new found enthusiasm for what the seasons may bring, I'm hoping to post often on my blog so I can look back in time and see where we are and how we arrived there.
I'm also investing in motion sensor cameras! If the buggers come back I'll make sure I've pictures of them so the police actually do something about it!
Happy new year to you all and may the seasons treat us kindly.
David.
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