This time last year I had begun in earnest with sowing and getting things ready
for the coming season on the plot. Potatoes were chitting, broad beans sown, onion seeds had shown their heads and I had planned what I was going to grow for the year… this year I haven’t done anything yet apart from flick through a few magazines to find what I want to grow. This had lead me to ask myself what is my new season resolution?? Last year I had some big plans for the plot but my change of job and the weather put pay to some, so this year I want to keep it simple because as a chef we don’t lead a “normal” working life. The stereo typical Monday to Friday 9 to 5 job is a myth in the catering industry, and some weeks, it’s just imposable for me to get to the plot. So I am just going to grow what fits round my life style, vegetables that need water every day will be off the list and things like baby corn will not be grown, as I typed that it saddened me because that was one of the reasons I took the plot on to grow the things I love, but the truth is baby corn needs to be picked quickly and if left even for a few days they become too big and turn woody, as I found out last year.
So back to my question what would my new year’s resolution be?? Well the answer is keeping it simple. Grow less but give the less more attention don’t get me wrong I am still going to have a full plot but 
a full plot of what I love that fits in with me.
I read a lot of blogs from people that have taken on their first allotment plot and I know the tendency is to grow it all but what I have learnt is unless you can be at your plot 3 or 4 days a week it simply is not achievable. So my advice is, grow what fits with you.
I also what to keep my promise when I started my blog and that was to share some recipes from time to time with the things I grow on the plot so this year I will do more to share this.
So my question to you dear reader is what is your New Season Resolution?.................
Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter @plot58 or on Facebook.
No resolutions here. I suppose we have some aims but to be honest we haven't really thought of what we actually want to achieve this year yet. When we first retired we used to treat the plot almost as a job and were busy there every day so our big change was to limit our allotment time and make time for doing other things and no fret if weeds grew so we will be sticking to that 'resolution'.
ReplyDeleteAfter last season the one resolution I intend to follow this year is not to be tempted into being the first to plant or sow anything. Later sowings will more than likely catch up and go on to produce better tastier harvests. I read on Facebook some plotters have already planted their potatoes. Ours are still in the garage not even chitting and there they will stay until the weather warms up a bit.
ReplyDeleteI second that! Last year I had lots on the go already this year I am waiting until it warms up a bit.
DeleteI don't have any formal resolutions either - apart from perhaps to keep things a bit simpler this year. I mean not trying to take on too much, but to stick to a slightly larger quantity of a slightly smaller selection of different varieties. I echo other peoples' thoughts about not being tempted to sow too early!
ReplyDeleteI'll try the same resolution as last year: don't take freebies off people which I haven't planned for...
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think I'll stick to it either!!
I can never do that either!
DeleteTo try and visit and post something on my blog weekly!!!! so far so good but have many more weeks to go :) Flowerlady
ReplyDeleteKeep it simple definitely although looking at all the seeds I have not sure if it'll stay that way!
ReplyDeleteHey Stacey,
ReplyDeleteLike your thoughts. My resolutions (well, two) are to keep things manageable and do little and often.
I'm really coming around to the idea that smaller can be more productive, especially if you concentrate on growing food you like to eat, and produce that stores or freezes well.
Good luck!
Keeping is simple is the way forward this year
Delete