Walking (digging) in the footsteps (vegetable patches) of others...

'Pause for a while you walk around your allotment, and reflect. All land has a hidden history and unless the site is very new you will be treading in the in the footsteps of previous tenants, possibly going back for generations' - Andi Clevely

Walking around the allotment the one thing that really does sing out to me is the history of the site. Whether it be a plot that is over grown with weeds, moulding veggies and a clapped our old shed, or one of the beautifully kept plots with its perfectly turned over earth and uniform canes.  

One of the more organised plots on the allotment (not my own, that can be found on earlier posts)

I can't help wondering how much the site has changed in it's 37 years, and apart from the odd exotic veggie growing in one of the many greenhouses, I doubt that much has changed at all. 

From reading books, blogs and the odd magazine about Growing your own and the history of allotment life, the 'community' of allotment folk is talked about at great length and fondness. Looking over the my plot I do wonder about the friendships that have begun there, with the words, "Morning, I'm new on plot 19a do you think you could give me a bit of advice..." Or more likely, how many Welsh rugby internationals have been dissected over a cup of luke-warm flask tea on a cloudy Saturday afternoon.    

I'm looking forward to walking around on a busy day over at the allotment, to meeting my neighbours and learning from their knowledge. 

I think it's safe to say that I'm going to enjoy this allotment malarkey.