Toll Bar Allotments

From Jo to Bev Yearwood

2008-04-03T15:31:00.000+01:00

Dear Beverley

Thanks for pointing us in the right direction. John Casey has been very helpful to us. As far as we are aware, the hedges need to be cut using a vehicle. This is not possible on the allotment side, as there is no path and also there is a ditch. The hedge is high from this side and we didn't feel that it would be safe to try and cut manually with ladders etc.

Hope this helps
Jo Miller

Reply from Beverley Yearwood

2008-04-02T15:17:00.002+01:00

Copied to:
Cllr.Mohammed.Rafique@leeds.gov.uk;
Jane.Dowson@leeds.gov.uk;
roger.harington@leeds.gov.uk;
Arif.Hussain@leeds.gov.uk
joannecmiller@hotmail.com;
simon.frosdick@leeds.gov.uk;
Anna.Turner@leeds.gov.uk

Sorry for the delay I have just returned from Annual leave

Simon - I am unaware of there been any issues with access and works stopping due to the closure of the ginnel, Can u liase with John Casey about getting the hedges cut back as soon as possible , surely we can access from the allotment side. The allotment owners were very supportive in the crack house closure of the ginnel , so if there is anything we can or I can do please let me know

Please advise

Beverley Yearwood

Reply from Cllr Jane Dowson

2008-03-25T15:12:00.000Z

Dear Joanne,

I have passed your enquiry on to the Alley officer for Leeds NE Inner Area although i have a feeling you should really be contacting East Inner Management. She will be able to advise you on this.

I can empathise with you as getting hedges cut back is a real issue for all alleys and ginnels in our area too. I have also copied in Cllr Harington and Cllr Hussain who are the councillors for the area you are talking about.

Regards Jane

Dear Jane Dowson, Mohammed Rafique and Sharon Hamilton

2008-03-25T15:05:00.002Z

Dear Jane Dowson, Mohammed Rafique and Sharon Hamilton,

I write to you on behalf of Tollbar Allotment Association. We have a problem which we cannot find an answer to and wondered if you could help. The Allotments are situated in Harehills Corner (the area betweenEasterly Road and Harehills Lane). There is a ginnel which runs along the South border of the allotments parallel to Hovingham Avenue. The Council is responsible for the maintenance of the hedges around the edge of the allotments and used to trim them using this ginnel as access. Unfortunately the ginnel was closed by police 2 years ago under 'crackhouse' legislation as there was some drug dealing taking place in the ginnel and nearby. Both ends are blocked off with no means of obtaining temporary access.

The Council (my contact is John Casey) have said that it is no longer therefore possible for them to trim the hedge as they have no vehicular access. Several of the plots are now in shade because the hedge is about 4 foot overgrown. It is not possible to gain vehicular access on the allotment side and it is too dangerous for plot holders to try and cut back the hedge themselves. As far as we are aware, there is no longer a drug dealing problem in that particular ginnel. I am under the impression, that nothing can be done to re-open the ginnel because of the legislation. Do you have any ideas?

Yours sincerely,
Jo Miller
(Secretary Toll Bar allotments)

G M Trial in Leeds!

2008-02-06T10:11:00.000Z

Thought some people might be interested in this:

The University of Leeds has applied to Defra for consent to perform a deliberate release of a genetically modified organism for research and development purposes.

There will be a meeting about what action to take to prevent this taking place on WEDNESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY at 5.30pm at Leeds University in the Parkinson Building (home of the white clock tower) room B09. More info about the trial here. As this application hasn't been approved yet, now would seem to be the time to act, and make our voices heard against open GM field trials in the UK.

You can post or email your objections to this application via:
the GM TeamDepartment for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs
Area 4D
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR

stating the application reference number, or to this email address gm-regulation@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Below you will find a sample email that you might wish to base your reply on (or if you're really lazy, just cut & paste!).

If you wish to object the application reference number to quote is 07-R31-01

Dear Sir / Madam,

RE: Application 07-R31-01

I am writing to express my objection to the application by Leeds University to carry out trials of genetically modified Desiree potatoes at Headley Hall Farm, on the grounds that:

- This trial is not in the interests of sustainable farming
- there is a high risk of contamination
- there is a question mark over the safety of inserting a Neomycin-reistant gene
- there are serious food safety issues in conducting this trial
- There is no demand for GM potatoes now or in the immediate future and therefore the trials represent an unnecessary risk to the environment and the integrity of the GM-free potato supplies in the UK.

Whilst I recognize that the potato cyst nematode is a serious problem for potato farmers, there remain alternative, safe and ecologically sustainable methods of minimizing crop losses; in the long run, the use of genetically modified crops may actually increase yield losses due to this and other pests.

Conventionally bred resistant varieties are already available which, if used in combination with long rotations and good hygiene, can minimize yield losses. It is unclear how the introduction of GM PCN repellant potatoes will fit in with other sustainability objectives for farming as they may lead to shorter rotations and thereby:

- increase the risk of soil erosion (the bare soil in potato crops is prone to water and wind erosion)
- increase the risks of other potato pests and diseases (which number 600 in the UK) with a possible increase in pesticide use
- reduce soil nutrients leading to increased use of artificial fertilizers.

I therefore urge you to reject this application.

Yours faithfully,
[your name & address]

Topics

2007-11-29T19:27:00.000Z

As we add more posts to this site, with everything mixed up together and things disappearing off the bottom of the page, you can quickly find the things you want by clicking on the topic headings on the right hand side.

If you click on "Recipes" then it will only show entries labelled as recipes, for example.

When you write a new post, you'll see a box near the bottom saying "Labels for this post". If you click "Show All" you can then choose from the topic headings that have been used before, or you can just type a new topic into the white box. You can add as many topic headings as you like to each post.

Horsetail

2007-11-29T18:45:00.000Z

From the Garden Organic website:

Biodynamic growers use horsetail tea to strengthen plants' resistance to fungal infections. Take ¾ oz dried horsetails and simmer for 30 minutes in 2 pints of rain water. Stand for 24 hours. Make up to 1 gallon, stirring the mixture for about 15 minutes. This mixture will keep for a couple of weeks. Spray the plants thoroughly every 10-14 days, starting early in the season. The later sprayings can be more dilute (making the solution up to as much as 10 gallons) but should always have a pale yellow-green or brown colour and smell of horsetails.

Potato and Tomato Curry

2007-11-29T17:57:00.000Z

It's a bit late for tomatoes but I still have potatoes, and I thought some of you might like this very simple curry - so easy that even I can do it! Serves two.

Ingredients:

1 lb potatoes
4 oz (2 or 3 whole) fresh tomatoes
cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (called Jeera if bought locally)
half tsp mustard seeds (called Rai if bought locally)
half tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
chilli powder to taste
5 fl oz (150ml) water
fresh coriander (chopped) to garnish

Method:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes

2. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook for a few seconds.

3. Add potatoes, tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt and chilli powder. Stir for about 5 mins.

4. Add the water and bring to the boil. Lower heat and leave to simmer for about 20 mins, stiring occasionally.

5. Garnish with fresh coriander and eat with chappatis, yoghurt, etc.

Phil Gomersall's answer

2007-11-29T17:11:00.000Z

Hi all!

Here is Phil's reply - the Secretary might like to update him on contact details! The e-mail on his card was ariyorkshire@hotmail.com , but it all seems to end up in the same place:

Dear David

Thanks for contacting me. Unfortunately I am going on holiday but I shall contact you on my return.
I notice from my records that your association are members of the Leeds & District Gardeners Federation (LDGF) and that your secretary is Linda Kitchin Tel 0113 2483996. It is the LDGF, AGM on Wed 5th December 2007, 7.30pm at the Civic Hall. It may be of interest as you could pick the brains of like minded people.

Will contact you on my return.
Phil Gomersall, ARI Mentor, Yorkshire & Humberside Region
Tel 0845 345 5377 or 0113 2501528
Email: gomersallp@hotmail.com
Web: www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari

Regeneration

2007-11-29T09:25:00.000Z

I've writtent to Phil Gomersall, the Yorkshire and Humberside Mentor for the Allotments Regeneration Initiative (sounds a bit Blairite, but he seemed okay) telling him that we'd like him to visit us, preferably on a weekend. I've explained that we are 'scruffy but happy' (brilliant motto guys!).

The website for the ARI is www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari if you want to have a look.

David

Me too!

2007-11-29T08:42:00.000Z

Now not only can I avoid doing any work on my plot by sitting around reading books about allotments, I can now write about them from my desk too!

By the way, I meant to mention the bird house that has appeared in the unused space beyond my plot. I presume it was put there by the owner of the house next to it, which is a bit naughty, though I don't mind personally.

David

That was quick

2007-11-28T23:03:00.000Z

Hi alice - can't beleive you did the website thing so quickly. Also can't beleive I'm replying when really I should be going to bed!!

Glass Alley

2007-11-28T22:50:00.000Z

I found a link to an article about the Glass Alley on the West Yorkshire Police website a while ago. It's not there any more, but a copy of the same article is on the Government News Network site - click here to read it.

GET STUCK IN!!!

2007-11-28T21:16:00.000Z

Hello world!

This is the new website for Toll Bar Allotment Association. We can all post things here (click on "New Post"), add pictures, recipes, reminders and random things. Play around with it to see what you can do, and if you get stuck you can always e-mail Alice.

Posts will appear in date order, and I'll do basic admin with it as we go along.

Hope you like it!