Allotments Update October 2021
Report by Liz Armitage as first reported in the Tatsfield Parish Magazine of October 2021
On a lovely sunny Sunday in August we had our allotment BBQ. The forecast wasn’t good, but the stalwart hard-core crowd turned up anyway and the sun shone, the beer flowed and the food….well – as a one-off special, Dilo cooked Sri Lankan curries for everyone. His lovely wife Alison made three amazing puddings, all eaten so quickly there was no time for photos! Jim Mullen brought his guitar, and sang and played to us all afternoon – we were totally spoilt.
In September when I went to the THS Autumn Show, I wondered why so many beautiful flowers we had seen at the allotments weren’t entered in the show – a thousand verbena left to sway in the wind, vibrant marigolds only amusing themselves, giant sunflowers impressing no-one, not to mention runner beans running rampant, raspberries and blackcurrants drying on their stalks. Any one of these could have easily taken 1st prize – remember, the flower show isn’t for “professionals” only, its for fun! We all know Covid has taken its toll, but we need to retain our village traditions, else they will be lost forever, and the flower show is such a demonstration of our community spirit.
Earlier that day I had walked around the village with my granddaughter as she needed to take photos of “an interesting place” for her university project. So I looked at our Village through different eyes…. She took photos of the village pond, the Tatol bed, the trim trail by the swings – and the wildflower display beside it. Sheree’s Tea rooms and the Charity shop with their flower baskets, the mini vineyard outside The Bakery, and the allotments with its bee hives. She remarked on the tranquillity of the place, how peaceful it all seemed and how she intends to live here when she is older! We walked up to see the Charity Wagon, then onto the alpacas & emus. We never got as far as the churchyard with its stunning views, or the horses on the way, or the golf club (and we are still looking for the Treacle Mines!) But it made me realise that we probably don’t stop often enough and remember what a beautiful and interesting village we live in. How many things we take for granted that are not readily available to anyone else not living here in this wonderful place. We love Tatsfield.
Report by Liz Armitage as first reported in the Tatsfield Parish Magazine of October 2021
Liz Armitage
