Allotment Life


I've been growing vegetables on a city allotment since 2008, and keeping ex-battery hens since April 09. Prior to this, my experiance with horticulture was restricted to killing houseplants. As much as I've learned, I'm still a novice experimenting, making mistakes, and having surprising successes. So as another year begins, I thought it'd be fun to blog and photograph life and productivity at the allotment. If you're in the UK, and want to know more about allotments including how to get one, try visiting this site: Allotment Growing and The National Society of Allotment and Lesiure Gardeners.

Ask me anything

16th July 2010

It’s been a lousy month for pet hens. My neighbours have lost hens recently, all unconnected. And then Brazil came down with septic peritonitis, which apparently isn’t uncommon for ex-battery hens. It’s bittersweet being at the allotment now. The 3 new hens have settled in well, made friends with Brazil, Carly (ex-bat) and myself, and are laying their first little eggs. I’ve harvested cauliflowers, broccoli, beans, salads, asparagus peas, strawberries, blueberries, courgettes, onions, carrots and potatoes, and everything is growing well with plenty to share with my friends and neighbours. But I miss Little Miss and Harriet, and will miss Brazil, who was laid to rest today to end her discomfort. She first saw the vet on Monday, we hoped she’d stabilise, but that didn’t happen. Keeping ex-battery hens is very rewarding. They fall in love with you as much as you do with them. I have no regrets. But… it is heartbreaking that they leave so soon because of their stressful past lives.

It’s been a lousy month for pet hens. My neighbours have lost hens recently, all unconnected. And then Brazil came down with septic peritonitis, which apparently isn’t uncommon for ex-battery hens. It’s bittersweet being at the allotment now. The 3 new hens have settled in well, made friends with Brazil, Carly (ex-bat) and myself, and are laying their first little eggs.

I’ve harvested cauliflowers, broccoli, beans, salads, asparagus peas, strawberries, blueberries, courgettes, onions, carrots and potatoes, and everything is growing well with plenty to share with my friends and neighbours.

But I miss Little Miss and Harriet, and will miss Brazil, who was laid to rest today to end her discomfort. She first saw the vet on Monday, we hoped she’d stabilise, but that didn’t happen.

Keeping ex-battery hens is very rewarding. They fall in love with you as much as you do with them. I have no regrets. But… it is heartbreaking that they leave so soon because of their stressful past lives.

Tagged: Allotmenthensgardening

  1. kipcodisclen reblogged this from allotmentlife
  2. allotmentlife posted this