How the years have flown since a field of dreams became an allotment site at Hook Cross, Hook in Hampshire. March 2020 saw Hook Allotment Association mark 10 years of allotment gardening on its 5.35 acre site. Originally arable farmland, it was bought by the community for the community and we think it could be the largest privately owned allotment site in the country.
Sadly, due to Covid-19 we weren’t able to celebrate our superb achievement. Wouldn’t it have been lovely to have partied? While fundraising in the early years we had lots of memorable, fun get-togethers to help swell the coffers. We raised the purchase money in just over three years, to repay a wonderful village couple who loaned the original purchase amount over a much longer period.
During 2020 the site has been an even more precious village asset where people have been able to escape their houses, take their exercise by tending their plots, say hello to their friends from a distance and relax watching raptors circling above, all while breathing in Hampshire’s freshest air in a long time and looking down over the mostly tree-covered area that is Hook. How lucky we are to have such space and the allotments to escape Covid!
Even though we have more than 100 allotment holders (quite a lot for a village of less than 4000 chimney pots), with the amount of land we own, social distancing is not a problem. Over the years the site has always been a popular amenity, with a great number of original plot holders still tilling their land year in, year out and growing their vegetables, fruit and flowers.
HOW IT BEGAN
Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
