August – especially August after 2 months of hot, dry weather, both heatwave and drought – was possibly a bit optimistic for a working party. Lots of people at work or on holiday, so there were only two of us.

We’re lucky enough to have a friendly tree surgeon that delivers woodchips directly to the site – we use these for paths, as mulch or even (when well-rotted) as compost/soil improver. Over time, though, the many deliveries have begun to overwhelm the small car park at the allotment – particularly because the most prized stuff is the well rotted woodchip in the back row.

We had a big gap against the fence, then a massive bank of woodchip and, in front of this, a shrinking car park. Our mission was to move as much woodchip backwards as we could to reclaim the car park, which was a big ask for 2 people working by hand – and would have been much simpler with a machine of some kind, but we got stuck in and managed to make a dent in it…!

We also barrowed some of the fresh woodchip to top up the paths in the food forest, and some well rotted to top up the vacant raised beds. We certainly earned our cake, which was coconut and blackberry this month!

Thanks to Janet & Derek for today!