Chagford Allotments

[Jon Lawrence]

The pleasures of allotment gardening by Michael Rhodes

On retiring to Chagford in 1992, somewhere I had known for some twenty five years, I told myself I must find some fulfilling hobby and considered two possibilities: water-colouring or gardening. Then by chance, the decision was made for me: I was offered an allotment (shared at first, with one of the local doctors: Dr. Marsh).

‘Fulfilling’ it certainly became; collectively demanding, productive, health-giving, tiring! Chagford allotments have a commanding view that sweeps from the top of Meldon round to Cawsand. What a panorama! Gardening is a constant rising learning curve: no two years offer the same problems or ask quite the same questions but equally quite the same rewards. Among the latter is the camaraderie. No two allotments are managed in quite the same way or have quite the same priorities. Yet I found there was always a willingness to offer advice and support or, indeed, practical help. There are, too, those moments of rest, a cup of tea or coffee and a chat (usually a diatribe about the vagaries of Dartmoor weather!)

Naturally, allotment life isn’t entirely idyllic. There are the storms, the pests, the crop failures and always the ‘unexpected’: once there was snow in June! Almost my entire crop of potatoes was ruined and gales will quickly bring down your bean-poles however securely tied you thought they were.

But the plusses do outweigh the minuses. There is something profoundly rewarding in tramping home with bags of fresh produce (with no E-numbers!) and a sense of the time-honoured.

Michael Rhodes

• This topic was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Jon Lawrence.

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