This is our allotment......

I really didn't realise how wonky that path edge is !
I'll have to do something about that........

The chicken run is 18' x 10'. I've converted part of the shed to their sleeping accomodation. You wouldn't believe the rubbish that I had to clear just to make the space to build the run. It is roofed over with wire that is stitched in to the sides, and I dug the whole floor out and covered it with chain link fencing (also stitched to the sides) and then the soil was replaced. All this to keep out Mr Fox and friends !

Now this might not seem very much to you, but at the beginning of August it was an absolute jungle....and we must be gluttons for punishment as we intend to take on a second plot !

One of the plots we intend to completely convert to a huge chicken run, with lots of separate pens within it to hold all our breeding stock.
We have bought loads of veg seeds, seed potatoes, artichoke sets etc etc (I work part time for a seed company) and we decided that the one plot really isn't enough for our needs.

The area in front of our present run contains the young fruit trees and bushes that we have planted, and also our soft fruits. The idea is that we will build a fruit cage round them, using one side of the chicken run to spur off from. When I'm working on the allotment we thought it would be nice to let the chooks out into the fruit cage so that they could have a good root around - not when there is fruit on the bushes I hasten to add !

16.1.2005 The new year didn't get off to a good start. I rang the field secretary earlier this week to check on progress of the plot next door that was coming vacant, only to be told that he had forgotten that we wanted it and given it to somebody else ! I was furious.
However I discovered that two plots at the back of ours belonged to somebody that had died a little while ago, and so we went to see his widow. It turned out that she doesn't want them, and so we are now the proud owners of two further plots.........

If you squint very hard at the picture on the left you will see the beginnings of the new chook pen.
Not bad, when we only took the plot over yesterday !

Here it is in all it's glory. We managed to get six eleven foot long construction site fences, that conveniently fell off the lorry right outside our house. Strange how these things happen. They make terrific chook pens. The intention is to extend along the field as we manage to get more panels. I also bought a massive roll of nylon trawler netting, which will make a superb roof over the entire plot as the net is absolutely HUGE. Our existing run is to the right of this one, and we are going to put a fence between the two so that we create another run. All I have to do is find some scaffold poles to set in the ground at the corners to give it a bit more strength, build a gate, and dig some chainlink fencing into the ground all round and it's ready......apart from the small matter of the chook hotel that also has to be built.

Then of course there's also the veggie growing - I've cleared a section where we intend to plant our 200 potato tubers, and somebody is lending me a rotovator.

27.2.2005 Progress has been slow owing to a spell of severe inclement weather....that fluffy white stuff called SNOW !! I have also been unlucky when replying to adverts in the local paper for sheds etc and missed some nice suitable items. I was also let down by the person who promised to lend me the rotovator. However this week I have struck lucky and found a really nice shed for £65, and a few days later bought a nice trailer on E-Bay, so I was able to go and collect the shed............

The Chicken Hilton arrives in Ipswich ! I also bought a secondhand aviary flight from the local paper (this trailer is really going to be useful) and have made great progress on the run. The youngest babies are installed in their new home, and once I've put the finishing touches to the run, they will have their first taste of the great outdoors.

Our artichokes ordered over the net (for delivery in March) arrived in mid-February and were duly planted. Now another lot have turned up which I assume are a duplication of the order, so I've got to dig another two trenches for these ones !
Our 200 or so seed potatoes are chitting nicely in the spare bedroom, and have been joined by the seedtrays containing our tomatoes for the greenhouse. And as for the HUGE box of veg seeds that are sitting there staring at me..............

.....not to mention the HUGE area of rough overgrown allotment where the potatoes have to be planted...........

12.3.2005 We've had some problems since our last update. The Chicken Hilton was erected on the Monday 1.3.05......

We were let down on the loan of the rotovator (which is really frustrating when we are working on a tight budget) but after quite a search all over East Anglia we found one.....from the old boy on the next plot to us ! He bought it from new, and it's only been used for about twenty hours, so it should serve us for a good few years. It is a 5hp Westwood Groundhog which is really heavy-duty and will dig down nice and deep, but it hasn't been started for two or three years so we've put it in for a full service which should bring it up like new. Unfortunately it's the wrong time of year and there's a five week wait to get it back, just when I really need it, so I will have to make myself be patient. Unbelievably we went to an auction the next day and there was a rotovator there. I chose not to watch and see what it sold for !

The other artichokes are now planted, and quite a bit of the rough ground cleared. The tomato seeds (Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker) for our greenhouse have sprouted and are doing well, and the spuds will be ready to go in after Easter.........

4.4.2005 Six rows of broad beans have gone in, to join six rows planted in the autumn. We also have our first two rows of Kelvedon Wonder peas showing, and another two rows put in a couple of weeks later. Cabbages, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, Kohl Rabi, and early carrots are in. The radishes (3 sorts) lettuce, beetroot and salad leaves are all showing their first leaves. Onions sets have joined the autumn-planted ones, and shallots and first early spuds are in. The cucumbers for the greenhouse germinated spectacularly in the airing cupboard, which was a great relief as they cost seven quid for just five seeds, and the similarly expensive asparagus have also put in an appearance.

13.5.2005 (Friday the thirteenth !!) We are going on holiday tomorrow, and I have frantically been getting everything shipshape before we go, so this seems like a good time to take some photos and update the website. As you can see, the Chicken Hilton has expanded into Chicken City.......