Intro

 So, what is Littlemeadow?

Littlemeadow is actually two allotment plots that I tend in a town in North Norfolk. 

The first was taken on as an almost clear patch of land, only two thirds of which was ever used to grow tomatoes cabbages and potatoes, three years ago this May. This was part of a double plot, so has a shared access with my allotment neighbour. It had nothing. The bottom third gets very wet even now, especially in the chicken enclosure and the composting area. It's getting better now with the addition of material from composting. The chickens are a motley crew (my daughter calls them 'The Muppets') of crossbreeds that hopefully will be joined by Brahmas come summer.

The other is completely different. It had raised beds when I took it on almost a year ago, was almost completely enclosed in half inch mesh (Which kept the birds out) and was overtaken by bindweed and dock.  It has a homemade shed, which is joined into a huge homemade greenhouse (which has an IBC tank at one end and a well at the other, and raised beds), which in turn is attached to a poultry enclosure and the remaining mesh caged half of the growing space. Last spring, I hatched five magpie ducks. They have access to the paths on the still meshed side, where I grow fruit. The raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, goosberries and rhubarb were all ready in various parts of the plot and have been transplanted here, with mesh round the beds to keep the ducks off. Vegetables are going into the raised beds on the other side of the plot, where I took down the mesh to allow birds in. I hope to put mesh round the beds and let the ducks have the paths here too eventually. The raised beds have stayed, because as soon as there's a lot of rain, the whole place floods. The floor of the shed has been raised and pallets have been used to create a decking to raise the walking surface in the shed end of the greenhouse. All the paths have been cleared of membrane, which was no longer keeping the weeds at bay and I hope to lay down fresh woodchip as it becomes available.

So, that's Littlemeadow. I'll post pictures of before and after next time, and introduce you to The Muppets and The Quackers (ducks) next time.