Volunteer Rosta for 2nd Nov

Thank you to all those who have volunteered to drag branches cut down by the tree surgeon, working on Scarcroft on the 2nd of November, to the shredder.  Judith Ward, the allotment officer, asked us to have 2/3 volunteers to be available across the day, so it looks like we now have our full team.

Please bring thick gloves and a warm coat.  You may also want to bring your own secateurs and loppers.

Thank you all for helping.  Let's hope it doeesn't rain.

Pumpkin Carving

Please send in any photos of pumpkins you have carved to scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk.   We would like to display them on the website.

Calendar 2011 - the contributors

The 2011 Scarcroft and District Allotment Association calendar has gone to the printers.  It should be available in the shop from the 6th of November for £5.  Below is a list of all the contributors that were selected.  Well done to you all!

A special thanks should go to Sarah Austin of Sarah Austin Creative and a Hob Moor Plotholder for her HOURS of dedication to this project.

Green Waste Skip at Scarcroft

This weekend, 29th to 31st October, there will be a green waste skip near the Hut at the Scarcroft Road end of the Scarcroft site.  Green waste only, please.

Greenhouse for sale on Scarcroft

Good sized greenhouse for sale - £50
Currently situated in the middle of the Scarcroft site.
Part glass, part plastic.  Includes staging.
Whoever buys it will need to be responsible for taking it down to move it.
Contact the asscociation for more details scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk and to find out exactly what plot it is on.

Scarcroft Tree Day - Volunteers needed - 2nd November

We need volunteers to help drag branches to a shredder on Tuesday 2nd November for 1 - 2 hour time slots from 9am  - 4pm .

Judith Ward, the council allotment officer, has arranged for a tree surgeon to carry out some urgent tree removal work on the Scarcroft site.  This work will principally focus on removal of ash and sycamores.  The council only has budget for one day's worth of work at the moment, so the Scarcroft and District Allotment association committee thought that in order to maximise the tree surgeon's time we would form a volunteer working party to do things like pulling branches to the shredder and thereby maximise the amount of skilled work the tree surgeon could do in a day.  Any help you are able to offer would be greatly appreciated.  We are looking for people to sign up for slots during the day, the aim being to have 2 - 3 people available to help the tree surgeon all day.  If you are able to help please contact the association on scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk and say when you would like to help.

Please note that which trees are a priority has already been decided.  The association has conducted a thorough tree survey of the site and made recommendations to Judith.  Our recommendation have endeavoured to identify which trees grow the fastest, produce seeds which quickly shoot on neighbouring plots, impact plots by shading, are a problem to local houses and are least beneficial to wildlife.  Judith has the final decision and she has tried her utmost to take a balanced and fair approach.  There are many 'problem' trees on Scarcroft and this tree surgeon day will not be able to deal with all of them.  However, this is a start.  Both Judith and the committee also acknowledge there are also many trees on the site which are beneficial to wildlife and are appreciated by plot holder and local residents alike.  These trees are not the subject of this tree surgeon day.

If you would like a copy of the final tree survey please contact the association.

Pumpkin Pilfering Alert

This time of year pumpkin pilfering is rife so please, if you want to enjoy your own pumpkins or at least not come down to your plot to find they have done a runner or been smashed to pieces, make sure you take them home.

These lovely photos are of George Foster's pumpkins, taken by Luke Bevan.

Deadline for entries to the 2011 calendar looms

After the success of the 2009 calendar and a short lie down and breather, the Scarcroft and District Allotment Association is now producing one for 2011.  The calendar will be made up of photos taken by plotholders and local residents - basically anyone who is a member of the association.  If you would like the chance of your photos being included in the 2011 calendar please e-mail your images to scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk or bring them in on a disc/USB stick to the association shop. Please mark them with your name and which site your are from or where the photo was taken.  Photos should be taken on Hob Moor, Hospital Fields or Scarcroft or other York allotment plots.  If they are not taken on the plots they shouls show fruit/veg grown on the plots. Images can show people, produce, the plots or wildlife. Both landscape and portrait are fine.  If you include pictures of children please make sure you have their and their parents permission.  We will try to include a wide range of photographers in the calendar so everyone has a good chance.

Deadline for submitting photos – Saturday October 16th 2010.

We hope to have them on sale by the first week of November - £5 each.