Tis the season.....

......so come and be jolly at the Society Hut on the morning of Sunday December 13th!

As usual, we will be enjoying a spot of cake, and maybe a mince pie or two. The kettle will be on between 9.30am and 12.30pm. It would be great to see you!

We hope to have a few gift items including local honey, and, besides, who wouldn't love that extra special bag of fish, blood and bone under the tree on Christmas morning?
Sunday December 13th. 9.30am - 12.30pm.

Fa la la la la lah...

RVCG Event

Chat now, Chit later!

It was absolutely brilliant to see so many members on Sunday! The sun shone on the Hut, and much tea, coffee, cake and chat was shared by some 80 people! Thank you so much to those of you who were able to join us! Many, many thanks, also, to members who baked and brewed, and also many thanks to different individuals who offered to join the volunteer crew. Your names have been noted!!!!! And also many, many thanks to others who have offered to make donations of various items, and also to those who went home and came back with them!!!

Now that we are, once again, open, we want to try to have regular social drop-in get-togethers, and hope to have another such event in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Having said that, we also plan to keep the kettle boiling EVERY weekend, and we will be pleased to see you any Sunday if you need anything, or just fancy a cuppa and a chinwag! We can't promise cake every time, but you might be lucky...! We will be firing up the stove if the weather gets chilly, so you should get a warm welcome.

Sunday also saw record orders taken for 2016 potatoes and onions. It is not yet too late to place your order, but don't leave it too long!

Hope to see you soon!

Job done, compost piled, free cake for all and loads of lovely potatoes!‏

After many years hard work, the roof, walls and door are now firmly in place and we are delighted to announce that the Society Hut is now well and truly BACK! The long awaited compost delivery has finally happened and, in the wake of this, we would like to invite you to come and join us for a cuppa and piece of cake (FREE) on Sunday November 1st, between 9.30am and 12.30pm

As you will be aware, the process started many years ago. The former, but much-loved hut had served the Society well for nigh on a century, but the elements and miscreants had a significant impact on the fabric of the building. By 2011, the volunteer team felt that the time had come to act, and we held a consultation process over the 4 days of the Plant Sales, where everyone was invited to view plans and make comments as to the future. Support was overwhelming and the decision was made to go for it! But you know all this!

Needless to say, new buildings don't come cheap, and the fundraising process was to continue for another four years... until we were plunged into our darkest days. But you also know all this. We have scraped right to the bottom of the piggy bank and every penny has been raised through fundraising and very kind donations. No, we did not get any grants. Yes, we did ask. Yes, it has been hard work (very, very hard work for a few individuals) but we truly believe that it was worth it.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1st - 9.30am - 12.30pm Compost, coffee, cake. AND, you will be able to place your order for your 2016 potatoes, onions and other such delights. (Onions and garlic quickly sold out last month, so don't leave it to the last minute.)

Thank you for all of your encouragement and support over the past few months, and over the years. We really look forward to seeing you at any time and will continue to be open on Sunday mornings through to late January, when Saturday openings will recommence for the new season.

FREE CAKE.....

2016 Seed Potatoes, Onions, Shallots & Garlic to order now!

BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time - Sheffield Central Library - Monday 7th September 2015

BBC Radio 4 are recording a programme at the Sheffield Central Library Theatre this coming Monday 7th September and some tickets are still available. Tickets cost £4.50 each and can be acquired by contacting hannah.newtonATsomethinelse.com or Sheffield Library on 0114 273 4736.

The celebrated panel of gardening experts will be tackling the questions put to them by local gardening enthusiasts. Eric Robson will be in the chair and Christine Walkden, Pippa Greenwood and Matt Biggs on the panel.

Sheffield Central Library, Surrey St, Sheffield, Yorkshire S1 1XZ
Doors: 5:30pm Recording starts: 6:30pm

Autumn planted orders

All Autumn planted orders are due to be delivered to us, and available for collection, on Sunday 6th September 2015. We currently have 100% availability.

We are open every Sunday for "Autumn Planted Crop" Orders

We are now taking orders for the following quality Autumn planted crops, and bulbs, at 2013 prices!:-

"Senshyu" Japanese Onion Sets 500g (80-100 bulbs)£1.40
The original "Japanese overwintering onion". Semi-flat and yellow with brown skin which mature late June. Feed with "Nitro Chalk Onion" fertiliser.
"Blood Red" Japanese Onion sets 500g (80-100 bulbs)£1.80
A northern European variety produced to withstand harsh climates. Oval in shape, light red in colour, it has an excellent flavour and is a heavy cropper less prone to bolting.
"Thermidrome" Autumn planting Garlic 125g (3 Lge bulbs) £1.60
Commercially grown variety with soft neck producing large bulbs of good flavour.
"Douce Provence" peas 250g £1.50
A cross between Meteor and Kelevdon Wonder. Very early, round seeded excellent cropper. For sowing November - February
"Aquadulce" Broad Bean 250g £1.50
The standard overwintering variety. Good cold tolerance producing compact plants with high yields.
"White Tilney" Mustard (Green Manure) 250g £2.00
A quality quick growing Mustard variety which develops a high level of green matter. Sow Aug-Sept at 5g/sq metre.
"Forage" Rye (Green Manure) 250g £1.20
For sowing Aug-Nov at 9g/square metre for turning in Apr-May. Suited to most soil types particularly heavier soils.

Delivery expected late August 2015 and current 2015 Membership required. Please order early to avoid disappointment and ADVANCE PAYMENT secures. Please ensure collection of all orders by Sunday 4th October 2015 (as storage space is limited)

Britain's Best Allotment Competition

Sheffield Manor Lodge

Wisewood Show (22nd & 23rd August)

Contact Pete Sides for more details:- petesidesATyahoo.co.uk

Walkley Library Gardening Book Sale ( Saturday 30th May 2015)

Walkley Library will have books and magazines all to do with gardening, as well as cookery books for when your allotments bloom. They will also have plants and seedlings for sale.
Walkley Library are now an associate library which means they are run exclusively by volunteers. All proceeds go to keeping Walkley library open for the community.

Raffle Winner

Congratulations to our raffle winner, Mr John Green, who won £100 worth of Spear and Jackson garden tools. John was pleased to find out he had won and we hope he makes good use of the tools this summer.

Thanks for your support

Many thanks for all your support at recent plant sale. Our next plant sale takes place on Sat 16th May & Sun 17th May 2015:-

Spring is in the air, and it is now only just over two weeks until the first of our annual plant sales on May 2nd and 3rd. Many volunteers have been sowing seeds and nurturing seedlings and cuttings, to enable us to have a good range of vegetables, fruit and flowers to sell. The list to date includes : artichokes, beetroot, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers, sprouts, spinach, sweet corn, calabrese, kale, courgettes, cucumbers, cornichons, pumpkins, squash, peas, sugar snap, dwarf beans, runner beans, broad beans, lettuce, tomatoes, chillies, peppers, chard, aubergines, rhubarb, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries - as well as herbs, companion plants, perennials and bedding plants. There are undoubtedly a few other items that I have forgotten as well!

After the trials of the last 9 months, we are hoping that, this year, we may be able to reach our target for fundraising, and we are in discussion with a number of different companies to see if we can afford to replace the much-missed, palatial hut! At the moment we are exploring the possibility of erecting a steel structure, although even this will involve obtaining planning permission, once again emptying and moving the green container and putting down a concrete base, before anything can be built! Nothing is straightforward, but we are obviously concerned to ensure that we make the right decisions, and achieve something which is an asset to the society and to the community, and which is as vandal-proof and fire-proof as possible.


With tis in mind, please try to support our plant sales in any way that you can. Obviously, your custom will be valued (even if you just buy a token plant) and it would be brilliant if you could also advertise the event to others. Additionally, any help that you can give over the weekends will be appreciated. The sales run from 9.30am until 2.30pm and we try to have a team of people to help with setting up (on the Friday), putting away (on the Sunday) as well as during the days, selling and generally fetching and carrying. We are always delighted to receive any donations of plants and seedlings, and cakes. If you think you might be able to help for an hour or two, or more, please feel free just to turn up, but if you are able to let us know in advance it would be helpful for us to be able to arrange a volunteer rota.
In the meantime, we still have a good supply of items such as compost, grow bags and slug pellets, and also have most of the range of stock that used to be available from the hut. A new stock of compost is expected this weekend, together with some runner bean seeds.

We hope to see you at the plant sales, if not sooner. Thank you for sticking with us!
Debbie x

National Trust Community Allotment, Hagg Lane

Are you: waiting to be allocated an allotment or
Do you not want: the commitment of renting your own plot or
Do you: just want to do some volunteering for the National Trust

The National Trust are looking for volunteers to help extend the number of working days at the Community Allotment Plot 2 on Back Lane. Currently there is a working day every Tuesday between 10:30 – 15:00. Feel free to drop in.

For more information please contact Rachel Mora-Bannon Tel: 07766 511423 or Email: Rachel.mora-bannon[AT]nationaltrust.org.uk

Some Dates for your diary:
Tuesday 11th August 1pm – 3pm. Summer Public Open Day
Tuesday 22nd September – Workday to prepare for juicing day
Wednesday 23rd September 1pm – 3pm. Public Open Day. We’ll be harvesting apples and going through the juicing process, tasting and bottling the juice.
Tuesday 27th October – Workday to prepare for juicing day
Wednesday 28th October 1pm – 3pm. Public Open Day. We’ll be harvesting apples and going through the juicing process, tasting and bottling the juice.

Compost, Growbag, Fertiliser & Bamboo Cane Delivery

Our latest delivery is scheduled to arrive today shortly after 9.00am.

UPDATE: Many thanks to the dozen or so volunteers who helped us unload earlier, what a fantastic effort!

RVCG Work day - Sunday 22nd February 10.00am to 2.00pm

Rivelin Valley Conservation Group are holding a task day in Upper Hagg wood clearing undergrowth bordering Hagg Lane Allotments. Hagg Lane & District Gardeners' Allotments Society members are welcome and we would encourage you to join them improve the surrounding area. If you are interested in volunteering please e-mail Graham Appleby directly (rvcgATsupanet.com) so he can get an idea of numbers. RVCG are meeting in the Hagg Lane allotment car park at 10.00am and will work until about 2pm on Sunday 22nd February 2015.

Parking is available on Long Lane with a short walk to the bridle path and the car park in Upper Hagg wood.

Potatoes available this Sunday from 9.30am

Finally, today we have been able to receive our delivery of potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic and seeds. Many thanks to the band of around 15 volunteers who turned out to help to unload the lorry, and then to weigh out and bag up the various varieties. It was certainly a chilly morning, but the cake, soup and good company kept us cheerful throughout the four hours of grafting!!!

Because of storage issues, it is now urgent that orders are collected (or further purchases made) as quickly as possible. As you know, we are having to make creative use of a much reduced space, and everything is currently being housed in our green shipping container. Only our very slimmest and svelte volunteers are now able to access the darkest depths, whilst the rest of us are having to console ourselves with more tea and cake... The RHS recommends that potatoes are chitted in egg boxes, in a light, frost-free environment, and although we are hoping that the potatoes will be well protected from frost in the container, under duvets, and blankets, they will not be getting any light for as long as we are storing them for you.

THIS WEEKEND the "hut" will be open for business on SUNDAY from 9.30am until 12.30pm. It would help us greatly if as many members as possible could come to collect orders on this day. If you have not placed an order, we would also recommend that you visit as soon as possible as many of our popular varieties sell out quickly.


NEXT WEEKEND (February 14th and 15th) we will open on both Saturday (10.00am to 12.30pm) and Sunday (9.30am to 12.30pm) .
If you are unable to collect your order over the next 2 weeks, for any reason, it would be helpful if you could let us know.

Root trainers - new item now being stocked. (Member price £8.00)
These are supplied as a pack of 32 deep cells, known as books, as they fold, ensuring minimum root disturbance when transplanting seedlings. Recyclable, they are housed in custom-made trays. They are particularly recommended for deep-rooting seedlings such as peas, sweet peas and sweet corn as they encourage a strong root system.


Mr Fothergill's Flower Seeds - We are also pleased announce to now have a large selection of discounted Mr Fothergill's flower seeds available due to member requests. We will again offer our members a £2.50 of all purchases over £10.00 (£5.00 off £20.00 etc).


Plant sale - seedlings
Thank you to those who have already volunteered to raise a some trays of seedlings for the plant sales. Debbie will be delighted to provide you with seeds and planting strips, and any other information that you require. We will establish a database of seeds taken and seeds needing to be sown, and if you would like to be involved in this way please let us know when you are visiting the "hut"! We are able to provide vegetables, herbs and flowers if you fancy having a go at something new.

Delivery

Friday's delivery is finally due to take place tomorrow at 9.00am. For all those wishing to volunteer on the day please wrap up warm and we will have plenty of free hot drinks and cake available.

Shop Closed Tomorrow Only

Sorry, but due to a lack of volunteers we will be closed tomorrow. A huge thanks to everyone though who helped us renew our storage bays today in our existing container. We are still taking orders for seed potatoes, onion sets & Mr Fothergill's seeds.

Hut demolition

The hut at Hagg Lane & District Gardeners' Allotments Society is being demolished today.  As you know, the arson attack in August left the hut in a terrible state and we were unable to continue working in there.  It is, of course, a great shame as the hut has been there since the 1930s.  The allotment society is continuing with its work, and a shipping container will be on site soon.  Shortly we will be looking for volunteers to help move stock into the container and to weigh out seed potatoes.

Here's to a successful gardening year!