What happened in 2012...
March 2012
First working weekend of the year wasn't very well attended, but this did mean that there were plenty of Sue's lovely flapjacks to go round.
Anyway, many hands make light work and the stones were all moved away from the rabbit fencing - this was done to avoid damage to the fence.
The water system has been future-proofed with flexible joints and the IBCs (international bulk carriers) which we use for storing the water have been placed higher up, this should aid water flow.
May 2012
Fairfields plotholders held a HAHA plant fair on the Hungerford Town Hall steps with plants, books and cakes provided by plotholders from both sites. It was well attended with all sales being split between both sites.
July 2012
Marsh Lane welcomed the Nutshell Theatre, award winners from last years Edinburgh fringe festival, to perform The Allotment. The play was performed three times during the day as part of the Hungerford and District Community Arts Festival (HADCAF) and was enjoyed by plot holders and others.
The Newbury Weekly News referred to the 'delightful Marsh Lane Allotment site in the play's write-up - we try our best, even this rainy year! :-)
The second HAHA AGM was held at the Royal British Legion. Minutes will be posted to the minutes page as soon as they are available in draft format. The meeting was quite a small gathering but discussions were lively and interesting. A new chairman was nominated along with some changes to the HAHA committee - the committee page has been updated accordingly.
It is hoped that we can get more people to attend in the future.
HAHA was represented at the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) 40th birthday celebration "The Bountiful Landscape Market" held at Hungerford Town Hall. Allotment holders provided produce and manned the stall throughout the day; letting visitors know about the allotment sites, how we'd been helped by the AONB grants and showed children how to sow beans into hand-made paper pots.
It was a very successful and fun day. A hamper of our produce was provided as one of the raffle prizes.
August 2012
The water troughs have had a makeover thanks to John Stanley! These covers should prevent so much algae build-up so reducing the number of blockages to the pipes.
As ever, plotholders should not wash veg or tools in the troughs and close the lids after use - thanks in advance!
September 2012
The Hungerford Food Festival was a great success and the HAHA stall was stocked with vegetables and jars of pickles, chutneys and jams made by our excellent plotholders!
Thanks to Ted who did so much work on and before the day and to all the plotholders who helped on the day, provided display items or popped up to visit the stall.
If anyone has any allotment recipes they would like to share please email Belinda or another committee member.
October 2012
The previous week had been extremely wet but the sun shone on the working party who did a great job cutting back the hedges which had grown through the rabbit fencing and clearing up other parts of the site which were looking weedy and bedraggled. The weather was good enough to enjoy a bbq and some drinks - thanks as always to the volunteers!
November 2012 and December 2012
The "Year of the Slug" ended in a further wet couple of months with little activity on the site due to sogginess! Plotholders did manage to enjoy home-grown produce in the form of parsnips, potatoes, sprouts and cabbage. We're all looking forward to a drier 2013!
