Leeds Allotments Federation
News item.
Apply to Leeds Council for funding.
Self-managed allotment sites in Leeds can now apply to a Community Committee fund skip hire. You can email them for the application pack. Then, read through Frequently Asked Questions, and fill in the Small Grant Application Form. It is not too difficult, and and once you have the money you can arrange with the skip company exactly when and where you want the skip delivered and picked up.
Timetable of Learning Day + AGM
Our first Learning Day of 2025, including short AGM at HEART Headingley. Details are on the Event Calendar. Here is the Timetable for the day:
| 09:15 to 09:45 | Registration and Coffee | Shire Oak Hall |
|---|---|---|
| 09:45 | Welcome | Shire Oak Hall |
| 10:00 to 10:45 | Joe Lofthouse talks on the Vegetable Garden at Harlow Carr | Shire Oak Hall |
| 10:45 | Workshop 1 | Shire Oak Hall: Making and Managing Raised Beds Claremont: Composting Ridge: Clearing your new plot |
| 11:30 | Coffee | In Workshop rooms |
| 11:45 to 12:30 | Workshop 2 | In rooms as above. Delegates move to a second workshop |
| 12:30 to 13:30 | Lunch and AGM | Shire Oak Hall |
| 13:30 to 14:15 | Workshop 3 | In rooms as above. Delegates move to a second workshop |
| 14:30 to 15:30 | ‘Cuttings’; short presentations to include: 1. Recipients of this year’s LAF grants 2. Plot inspections, how and why? 3. Fundraising for Associations | Shire Oak Hall |
| 15:30 | Tea and Raffle Draw | Shire Oak Hall |
| 16:00 | Q & A | Shire Oak Hall |
| 16:30 | Close |
Great talks for Leeds allotment growers
Great talks for Leeds allotment growers, especially those new to it. Book your place at Ticket Tailor.
Misleading labels on fruit and veg
Some supermarket fruit and veg may look like they were grown in Britain, but that is not always true, according to an article in the BBC.
Of course, if you have and allotment you know where your fruit and veg come from!
For neglected or overgrown trees.
Winter is the time to prune neglected or overgrown apple and pear trees. Here is some simple advice from the RHS.
August is the time.
Here are two useful articles from the RHS about summer pruning apples and pears:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/summer-pruning-fruit-trees
With LAF Secretary, Rosie.
The Yorkshire Post did a piece about Allotment Week . It is a good feature on the benefits of allotments and gardening in general, with nice photos of our LAF Secretary Rosie and some wise words most of us would agree with.
Development as flats blocked.
Park Road Allotments in London saved from development into flats.
West Yorkshire Organic Group annual show
The annual West Yorkshire Organic is on Saturday 9th September. Entries are judged on taste!
Full details are on their web site.
Exploring the history of the food crops we grow.
Leeds Allotments Federation took part in the 2023 RHS Festival of Flavours at Harlow Carr. This year we explored the amazing heritage passed down to us in the food crops we grow.