Category: Old

The National Allotments Association recommendations on Covid19 were updated in July 2021.

Feed Leeds is running a Sow a Row Xtra project – SowX for short – to give people all over Leeds a start in growing their own food. They are looking for help to produce seedlings and find seeds, pots and other useful stuff from growers around Leeds. Seedlings and plants can be left at Drop-off sites and and people can drop of or collect them from Xchange sites. There is a list of Drop-off and Xchange sites on their interactive map.

Here is a list of local garden centres who deliver around Leeds – useful during lockdown.

An Ecology student at Leeds University is conducting an online survey about Leeds allotments and their value to urban food production and people’s health and wellbeing. The survey is easy to complete and only takes about ten or fifteen minutes. People who have done it find it quite interesting, and it may even help us in our campaign for more allotment sites to meet the huge demand in Leeds.

It’s that time of year again.  If you want a quote in November for Allotment Site Insurance then now is the time to complete the data form (It has not changed since last year).  If you are new to the form and or process, Ken Mulley-Smith is here to help you.   He has run this process for the last two years on behalf of and for LAF. 

Attached is the data form for you to complete and return by Oct 30th to Ken, by email (groupinsurancecoordinator.ldgf@gmail.com).   He will then work with Chris Knott Insurance to get a group quote for us all.  

The data form has not changed, but Shield Insurance have sold their business to Chris Knott Insurance.  Attached below is the Chris Knott Insurance (CKI) Summary Of Cover document and a link to their website for further information. 

Ken has still to review and compare the CKI Summary Of Cover document line by line to the Shield 2020 document. If you see anything different, then please let him know via email. The Summary of Cover includes:

1. Public Liabilities of the club, its members (not landlords)
2. Court Awards
3. Employers’ Liability
4. Wrongful Acts 
5. Property
6. Abandoned Events
7. Loss of Money
8. General Exclusions

Do not click the “Get a QUOTE” button on the CKI web page. To get a quote, fill in Ken’s form and email it to him.

Here is the description of our planned entry which was submitted with our application for the Harrogate Show.

Keen to grow and eat your own produce but only a limited growing space available?

Our border is a combination of healthy and tasty seasonal produce blended alongside pollinator friendly flowers and herbs which can easily be incorporated into your back garden.

We are demonstrating how a small garden space can be a decorative, sustainable and environmentally friendly hideaway but still provide us with a range of late summer fruit and vegetables as part of our year-round harvest.

The border is a blend of vegetables, herbs, annual and perennial flowers; creating a beautiful space where you can grow and eat your own healthy, tasty crops in an environmentally friendly way. We are using companion planting and edible flowers as part of this garden.

A small peaceful space in which to perch among the plants and rest, reflect or meditate – and harvest.

Leeds Allotments Federation is mounting a display at this years Harrogate Flower Show in the “Curated Spaces” class. It will be a mix of veg and flowers together. We need more volunteers to raise some plants in pots or troughs. We could also use few people to help set up the display earlier in the week, from  Monday the 9th September through Wednesday the 11th. If you can help, please get in touch with Rosie Hall (vicechair@leedsallotmentsfederation.org). 

People who have done this before always say it is great fun, and we usually come away with some top awards.

With purple purple broccoli and kale sprouts finished and spring sown veg not ready yet, there can be a bit of a hungry gap in June.

But wait! Here are some recipes for allotment produce in June, from some Leeds allotment sites:

• Garlic scapes are the curly shoots that hardneck garlic sends up in June. They make a real gourmet treat.
• Globe artichokes are easily grown and make very striking plants, but not everyone knows what to do with them. All is explained.
• Strawberry cake needs no introduction.
• Elderflower Cordial – the fragrance of summer all year ’round.
• Coming from Leeds you would expect lots of things to do with rhubarb. Here are a few:
  • Rhubarb mousse
  • Rhubarb gin
  • Rhubarb cake
  • Uncooked rhubarb chutney
  • Val’s rhubarb clafoutis and Rob’s rhubarb and orange cake
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Gardeners at Cemetery Road Allotments in Huddersfield have scored a victory in the High Court against local council plans to develop their site. You may spot a familiar face in the photo.

Volunteers in the Community

Phil Gomersall, Publicity Officer for Leeds Allotment Federation received

a certificate, on behalf of the Federation, in recognition of the outstanding contribution that the organisation makes to the citizens and communities of Leeds.

The certificate was presented by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Graham Latty at a Civic Celebration for Small Groups and Charities in Leeds. The event was very well attended and held in the Lord Mayor’s Banqueting Suite in the Civic Hall.