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Home About Events Contact Links The Allotment Campaigns   South East Essex WEN   FOOD GROWING PROJECT - OUR ALLOTMENT Latest News We have been allocated an allotment in Manchester Drive , Leigh-on-Sea and plan to use it to encourage people who are keen to grow food but would not otherwise have the opportunity to do so. We intend to use a permaculture/no dig/organic approach to food growing as far as possible. Our gardening group will be open to anyone who is looking for the opportunity, horticultural advice and social encouragement that we offer. We aim to circulate local groups for participants in the scheme and we will target people who are single parents, those who are socially isolated and women from ethnic minority groups. The allotment we have been allocated was covered with nettles (see attached photos) and is in need of considerable work input. The nettles and brambles have already been cut down and we intend to cover the ground with cardboard and a layer of straw/manure/compost mulch. We'll then wait until Spring before we plant early potatoes. We have applied for a grant to help to pay for capital equipment such as a shed, polytunnel (so that we can work on the plot throughout the year), paths, days rent of a lorry to carry straw & manure, raised beds (especially high raised beds to facilitate gardening for people with a disability), tools,initial ground clearance and compost. Latest News:  The POND... ....................................................................... Click Here  Saturday 7th August 2010 Thanks to a lot of hard work from Dave we have now completed construction of the pond, together with an attractive surround of turf and a shallow 'beach' area to allow wildlife to access the water for a drink or a bath. We are just watching anxiously to see if the pebbles/gravel on the sloping beach area migrates into the bottom of the pond. It was pointed out that we have quite a lot of gnat larvae on the surface of the pond but Carol said she thinks this is something common when ponds are first set up but that after the pond has settled down the larvae will disappear. So, we will wait to see what happens. In the meantime we are rather proud of our new pond and await with interest to see which wild creatures decide to visit or make it their home. Once again, if anyone is interested in helping us to monitor life on (in) the pond please do get in touch.  Monday 2nd August 2010 For some weeks now we have been digging away to make a wildlife pond in our 'quiet corner' of the plot. We are making a willow arbour and have plans to make a seat from reuseable materials - pallets and the like. Anyone who can help with making the seat please get in touch! The pond is now fully dug and lined and is partially filled with water. We've just got to make a shallow area for 'marginal' plants and then we will wait to see what little creatures decide to make our pond their home. We plan to have a dip (just a jam jar, not us swimming!) a month after the pond is set up to see what is living there. Be great if we could go dipping regularly and keep a record of what is in the pond ... frogs? those little creatures who skate on the surface? even sticklebacks or minnows? As you can see my knowledge of just what is in a pond is pretty limited - wouldn't it be great if someone with an interest and some knowledge would come along to help us make a 'log' of life in our pond? Nothing too heavy or time consuming .. but fun and a lot of learning! Watch this space for the ongoing story of pond life in Leigh!    New Plot in 2010... .......................................................... Click Here   We have now taken over a second adjoining plot and work is underway planting potatoes, raspberries and fruit trees. We are also planning a 'quite corner' at the back of the second plot where we are hoping to construct a willow arbour overlooking a wildlife pond. If you'd like to join in then please get in touch. Now the Spring has arrived we are usually at the plot on Friday mornings and over the weekend. If you'd like to pop down to see what we are up to, phone : Eileen on 078 1369 3107 for Friday morning sessions and Carol on 01702 342148 for the weekend    Produce from 2009 .......................................................... Click Here As we come to the end of our first growing season we are really pleased with our great harvest! Since taking over the plot less than 12 months ago we’ve harvested ... 167 lbs potatoes 220 lbs tomatoes 26 lbs of runner beans (plus a few Berlotti) 16 lbs of onions Sweet corn (the badgers liked them too!) Carrots (some were a bit small) Fennel Chard (we’ve tried some new recipes) Lettuce (lots) Sweet peas Sunflowers (we’ve left the seed heads for the birds) Garlic Horseradish (it was in residence when we arrived!) Shallots Parsley (its still going strong) Basil Beetroot Cabbages Cauliflowers    Bonfire Party 7th November 2009 ............................. Click Here   Bonfire Party Just imagine the scene: The bonfire is blazing, the soup and beannie stew are bubbling away, the fireworks are whizzing and the moon shines brightly down on the happy folk who turned out for WEN’s bonfire party at our community food-growing project ‘DIG IN’ on Saturday 7th November. Now aren’t you sorry you didn’t come along!!? Our ‘WENdy House’ shed was put to good use as the kitchen and Sue turned up with a wonderful range of desserts. Mulled apple juice went down well and Carol’s part-cooked jacket potatoes were giving the finishing touch in the embers of the fire. Our apologies to our neighbours the badgers who were sensible enough to keep their distance and and we’d like to give early notice to them that we are planning another nocturnal event for the summer solstice 2010. I guess they might forgive us for partying at the plot just twice a year!    Open Day 21st March 2009 .......................................... Click Here   REPORT OF LAUNCH OF S E ESSEX WEN FOOD GROWING PROJECT Just three months after taking over a bramble covered plot on the Manchester Drive allotments in Leigh for their food growing project, S E Essex Women's Environment were able to hold an Open Day at the plot on Saturday. The shoulder-high brambles had been cleared, ground covered with cardboard and manure and early potatoes planted; advice had been sought on how to live in harmony with the badgers at the back of the plot; beds had begun to be laid out and rhubarb was planted; and finally a shed (named the WENdy House!) had been erected ready for tea-making. The Open Day was very well supported by neighbouring plot holders, representatives of the Manchester Drive Allotment Society and the Leigh Council and lots of potential new group members. A good explanation was given of how the scheme will operate - a sticker will be awarded for every hour worked and this will be exchanged for produce at harvest time - and some visitors joined in making plant holders from newspaper and planting seeds. The scheme is yet to be named but lots of suggestions were made from which visitors were asked to vote their favourite. For information on how to find out more or join the scheme please contact : Carol on 01702 342148 or Pauline on 01702 712596    Grant Allocation: 2nd February 2009 ...................... Click Here We have been allocated a grant which we plan to use to erect a shed and storage box and to lay paths and clear a sitting area. The work was held up for a short time while we explored some holes which were at the back of the plot. Either foxes or badgers were recently using the holes so we are having to take expert advice on how to progress. News is that there are no badgers on the allotments so we are hopeful our neighbours are foxes who are easier to live with than badgers who might be tempted to dig for their dinner on our newly-cultivated plot! We have put down a layer of cardboard covered with a layer of manure and are ready for potato planting once the weather begins to warm up, hopefully in March. We welcome new members to share in the work, the fun and the produce!   Do keep an eye on this web site for regular updates. To benefit the wider community we intend to circulate information about what we are doing as much as possible. An Evening Echo features writer will also report at intervals on how the plot is developing. We will keep an on-going log and are hoping to add a blog soon. We will be meeting for coffee at about 10.30 on the first Saturday in the month, if you'd like to come along please phone EIleen on 01268 752264 for venue We shall also be holding bi-monthly open days during the summer months . These are intended to inform people about permaculture and organic horticulture and encourage more people to grow their own - naturally! PLEASE NOTE During the winter months we might not always be at the allotment for our usual sessions but if you fancy going along just to see how the plot is going or to help us with some winter tidying up tasks please get in touch to arrange for someone to be there. Otherwise you might find the gate locked. Friday mornings Eileen on 01268 752264 or week-ends Carol on 01702 342148 More Information ................ click here   Aim - To encourage and facilitate individuals and families who would like to grow food and who would welcome the opportunity, support and horticultural training our plot aims to provide. The Project – We are renting an allotment in Manchester Drive, Leigh. Although the allotment will be accessible at all times to suit the group members, project facilitators will be key-holders and will aim to be at the allotment at regular times to provide support. Although the project will be run on informal lines, we will draw up and discuss with new group members the group’s expectations of their involvement. The ‘Vision’ – We aim to encourage anyone keen to grow food to join the group but we will particularly be targeting single parents, those who are socially isolated and people from ethnic minority groups. The way forward – The project is in its ‘fledgling’ stage at present but it is being launched by a group of women with enthusiasm and not inconsiderable horticultural knowledge/experience. Two of the women are school teachers with links with SureStart and Family Centres. A third member of the group is a retired social worker with experience of community development projects. Recruitment - The intention is to contact local groups/contacts to recruit group members. Finance - We have been granted £4,000 by Essex Community Development Foundation with which we intend to erect a shed and polytunnel, to lay paths and a sitting area and to buy tools and seeds/plants. Training and Networking - As the scheme develops we hope to provide more formal training for group members and to keep in touch with local horticultural organisations such as S E Essex Organic Gardeners and Growing Together. We hired a truck and got a load of straw and manure and cardboard to mulch a half of the plot.  in March we will plant the potatoes ..   For further information contact: Carol on 01702 342148 or Pauline on 01702 712596 or Eileen on 01268 752264 or visit : www.seewen-allotment.org.uk Back to the top