our landshare blogs
Our first introduction to Landshare. . . - 3rd June 2009
First view of Kingfishers Smallholding. . . - 4th June 2009
And so the project begins. . . - Sun 14th June 2009
And the digging continues. . . - Thurs 18th June 2009
Our first introduction to Landshare. . .
Posted on - 3rd June 2009
After watching River Cottage this evening, we decided to join the Landshare Scheme to see if it would be possible for us to gain some land close to our home which we could use to grow our own fruit and vegetables on. The idea of the scheme is that Landowners who have spare land and are willing to donate it are matched with Growers in the area who do not have the space to exercise their love of gardening. After we registered on the site we looked at the Landowners in Stoke On Trent and came across Andrew and Joanne’s advert who have a smallholding in Blythe Bridge. As soon as we read their advert we knew we had to get in touch with them and just hoped that they still had the land available as the advert was posted in April. Luckily it was still available so we have arranged to go and view it tomorrow evening.
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First view of Kingfishers Smallholding. . .
Posted on - 4th June 2009
Well after visiting Kingfishers Smallholding we have fallen in love with the place!! There are animals aplenty roaming around and they are all treated as pets.
The plot they have put aside for us is about 50ft x 15ft and is ample for what we plan to use it for. There is a water supply to it and at the moment it houses to pigs. However Andrew will be building another dwelling for these so they wont be homeless!! 
It is next to a stream which we have been told an otter lives on, so we can’t wait to “meet” him. Our plan is to try and get hold of a rotovator to turn the soil and mark out some plots and decide where and what we will be planting. We also have unlimited access to Horse manure which will come in very useful! We have arranged to go up and spend the day making a start on the 14th June . . .
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And so the project begins. . .
Posted on - Sun 14th June 2009
Up early to go and collect the rotovator. We were told that it may need a bit of TLC before it would work properly, however we thought it would just need the tyres inflating a bit. How wrong we were!!!! After spending almost 4 hours and 3 men trying to get it started, the problem made itself apparent! Just a tiny speck of dirt in one of the jets was preventing it from starting. Once we got it going, the sound of the engine was like music to our ears. The thought of trying to dig over the land without the use of it was quite deflating.
So, off to Kingfishers we go. . .
Due to the hot spell we had been lucky enough to have had, along with it housing the pigs for the last few months, the soil had been compacted and was solid like a huge slab of concrete! Unfortunately it laughed in the face of our rotovator!
So, plan B. . . Manual labour was calling!!!! The soil had to be broke up using spades, plenty of sweat and bags of determination, (oh, and fair use of the hose to try and soften it first!). After digging out our first patch of about 12ft by 6ft (bite size is the key here), we then employed the rotovator which to our delight, ploughed through the soil like a hot knife through butter.
So this was to be the plan for the remaining land.
We then marked out a path using string down the middle so we could get an idea of what space we had to play with. Luckily, Andrew had said we could use some slabs which he had left which had served as a floor for the pig house. Upon removing one of these slabs, Brian unearthed a mouse nest and was greeted by about 7 or 8 mice scattering from their now exposed home.
So that was the first day done. Although we wanted to get more done, we didn’t plan on the rotavator’s mechanical issues taking up the majority of the day! But we were really pleased to have actually made a start and we were already visualising how it will look when our plots are flourishing.
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And the digging continues. . .
Posted on - Thurs 18th June 2009
Since Sunday we had 1 or 2 days of quite heavy rain, which to our thoughts would have softened up the soil. However this was not the case! But the moderately sized pick axe, which Andrew kindly lent to us, replaced the spades and quite a lot of the aches and pains that came with using the them. While Brian was in charge of the pick axe side of things, Michelle worked on the area which had become waterlogged due to the pigs water being there originally, by trying to encourage it to drain elsewhere. But the soil is so wet it will probably take about a month to dry out. The good thing from digging in this spot is that plenty of worms were found which we re-homed in our newly dug plots as there were no worms in there, in the hope that they would improve the condition of the soil.
So having another plot completed, more slabs laid, and some of the water draining away, we called it a day as it was getting on for 8p.m and we could foresee the rain coming in! (Oh and the chippy was calling!!)
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Our first introduction to Landshare. . . - 3rd June 2009
First view of Kingfishers Smallholding. . . - 4th June 2009
And so the project begins. . . - Sun 14th June 2009
And the digging continues. . . - Thurs 18th June 2009
Our first introduction to Landshare. . .
Posted on - 3rd June 2009
After watching River Cottage this evening, we decided to join the Landshare Scheme to see if it would be possible for us to gain some land close to our home which we could use to grow our own fruit and vegetables on. The idea of the scheme is that Landowners who have spare land and are willing to donate it are matched with Growers in the area who do not have the space to exercise their love of gardening. After we registered on the site we looked at the Landowners in Stoke On Trent and came across Andrew and Joanne’s advert who have a smallholding in Blythe Bridge. As soon as we read their advert we knew we had to get in touch with them and just hoped that they still had the land available as the advert was posted in April. Luckily it was still available so we have arranged to go and view it tomorrow evening.
top of page
First view of Kingfishers Smallholding. . .
Posted on - 4th June 2009
Well after visiting Kingfishers Smallholding we have fallen in love with the place!! There are animals aplenty roaming around and they are all treated as pets.
It is next to a stream which we have been told an otter lives on, so we can’t wait to “meet” him. Our plan is to try and get hold of a rotovator to turn the soil and mark out some plots and decide where and what we will be planting. We also have unlimited access to Horse manure which will come in very useful! We have arranged to go up and spend the day making a start on the 14th June . . . top of page
And so the project begins. . .
Posted on - Sun 14th June 2009
Up early to go and collect the rotovator. We were told that it may need a bit of TLC before it would work properly, however we thought it would just need the tyres inflating a bit. How wrong we were!!!! After spending almost 4 hours and 3 men trying to get it started, the problem made itself apparent! Just a tiny speck of dirt in one of the jets was preventing it from starting. Once we got it going, the sound of the engine was like music to our ears. The thought of trying to dig over the land without the use of it was quite deflating.
So, off to Kingfishers we go. . .
Due to the hot spell we had been lucky enough to have had, along with it housing the pigs for the last few months, the soil had been compacted and was solid like a huge slab of concrete! Unfortunately it laughed in the face of our rotovator!
So this was to be the plan for the remaining land.
We then marked out a path using string down the middle so we could get an idea of what space we had to play with. Luckily, Andrew had said we could use some slabs which he had left which had served as a floor for the pig house. Upon removing one of these slabs, Brian unearthed a mouse nest and was greeted by about 7 or 8 mice scattering from their now exposed home.
So that was the first day done. Although we wanted to get more done, we didn’t plan on the rotavator’s mechanical issues taking up the majority of the day! But we were really pleased to have actually made a start and we were already visualising how it will look when our plots are flourishing.
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And the digging continues. . .
Posted on - Thurs 18th June 2009
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