Allotments & Gardening

• There's an album in the photo gallery of the 'Allotment Soup' event held by Heeley & District Allotment Society's on 21st September 2008. Local artists got creative on some allotments.
• Breaking news: Important update from the Federation of City farms about contaminated manure: see the news pages of the FCFCG website at www.farmgarden.org.uk (makes you think about how organic you are using farmyard manure - never had problems with Heeley City Farm).
• Denise Reaney has acquired a skip for the allotment site through area panel (that she now chairs) - well done Denise.
• We should also be getting a 40 cubic yard skip through Veolia (via Chris Healey at Allotment Advisory).
• Kevwalters and others have completed their annual survey of the allotment site. There is no change from last year: still approx 85 plots not being worked (but not the same 85).
• The Heeley and District Allotment Newsletters are available as pdfs at the foot of this page.
• A map of the Heeley and District Allotment site is available as a pdf at the foot of this page.
• KevWalters has developed a website for the Heeley & District Allotments
• Join in organic veg growing on Meersbrook community allotment. Contact Heather (or call if you know me)
• For pictures of allotments, gardens and yards where people are growing stuff, see the My Veg Patch Album
• Do you put grass clippings in your green bin? If so then lease consider passing them to KevWalters to use on his allotment as mulch.
• Thanks to Pete, the allotment shop sells an increasing range of organic products from slug pellets to tomoato feed. Anyone can use the shop (for a membership fee of £3/year). Some of the 'earth friendly' products we sell are on the website.
• There's lots of information on food growing in Sheffield, organic food growing generally, seed companies on Heeley Allotments website information page: http://heeley-allotments.wikispaces.com/Useful+Websites

Community Garden

• The community garden is located in the Heeley and District allotment site. It is open to anyone and has open days throughout the year. See www.carfieldfarm.ik.com for more details.
• The entrance gate is at the end of the lane next to allotment plot 286 (see map attachment below).
• Their latest newsletter is available as a pdf below.

Composting

• Council looking for volunteers to trial Green Cone food waste digester using sun as power source. Garden space needed 2 foot deep by 2 foot wide.http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/environment/waste/gardenwaste/green-cone-trial
• If anyone's using a kitchen composter/ bokashi bin, I found the best deal for buying the bokashi bran from Wiggley Wigglers: www.wigglywigglers.co.uk . It was £25.00 (+£3.00 p&p) for a 5kg bag. If you find a better deal, let me know Apple_Gilly
• We run a community compost scheme; a pdf with further details is available at the foot of the page.
• If you want to buy a compost bin, then subsidized ones are sometimes available at http://www.recyclenow.com/compost/
• The Bohemian Cafe may still have waste vegetables to collect ["I usually text Awad -the guy working in the shop - on the same day to confirm there is stuff to collect. You'll need a car (unless you want to walk through the streets with a wheelbarrow) with protection on the floor of the boot as containers sometimes leak a bit. A mobile is probably the most useful form of communication (which can be a bit eratic)." (from a GT Email 09/10/07)] Not sure if this is still available, but if anyone's interested, pop in and ask them.

Skills & Resources Available

• I've a lot of years of winemaking experience I'm very happy to share the fruits of. Contact Izzy.
• I have a few seedling trees wanting a good home: silver birch, hazel, horse chestnut, holly and forsythia. Contact Heather (those that know me, please call me)
• Kev and Rob have various tools available to loan: workmate, loppers, extendable tree pruner, electric hedge trimmers, wheelbarrow, tile cutter. Contact KevWalters or Rob
• More tools from Mary&Ant: pick axe; small sledge hammer; and a ladder (2 sections, approx 17ft max extension)
• Circular BBQ on wheels: Contact KevWalters or Rob
• Petrol Driven strimmer.. contact Judy Harris

Skills & Resources Wanted

• Pallets for making a new compost bin-2 or 3 about a metre square would be great. Contact Heather (if you know me, call me)
• Would also like pallets to extend a compost bin and does anyone know a supplier of straw bales, not too far away? Contact Lollorosso
• Branches and trunks from tree felling for wood burning stove. Contact Heather
• I'm interested in growing more food. I'm not up to an allotment yet, but last year I started growing a few things in my backyard. As it's a yard, I have to use containers rather than putting stuff in the ground. I'd welcome advice from anyone else growing stuff in pots. Contact Gilly.
• Splitting axe; contact KevWalters

Other Sources of Local Food

• Sheffield Farmers' Markets
• Banana Bobs (used to be on Valley Road), does Organic/ Local (UK) box deliveries. He doesn’t charge for delivery and will personalise orders. Tel: 249 1800. (GT Minutes Jan 08)
• Local milk deliveries in bottles. Co-op delivers 7.30am, guaranteed from Yorkshire, 58p a pint. Reuses bottles. Tel: 250 0051. (GT Minutes Jan 08)

Ideas for Using Surplus Produce and Leftovers

• I'm happy to buy (or consider buying) any allotment produce you have surplus. Contact Gilly
• I've a lot of years of winemaking experience I'm very happy to share the fruits of. Contact Izzy.