Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Welcome => Welcome to the Forums => Topic started by: Sinmara on July 16, 2017, 06:02

Title: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Sinmara on July 16, 2017, 06:02: Just a quick introduction - me and my partner live in Stornoway (Outer Hebrides) and have an allotment, plots in a polytunnel and 4 chicken. We will eventually buy a house and obtain a croft here, but until then we're experimenting with growing veg & fruit in this climate.

We've moved up here over a year ago from a hectic life in London, and loving it. The weather doesn't put us off (on the contrary, we much much MUCH prefer the climate here), the people are fantastic and I love the community feel. I'm a member of the board of the Lewis & Harris Horticultural Society and a Power Lifter, as well as a keen hiker and very much into archaeology (of which there is plenty here).

I grew up in rural Austria and moved to London when I was 25, but after 14 years in London I had enough of the big stink. Luckily my partner thought the same and so we decided to start a new, more simple life.
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: New shoot on July 16, 2017, 08:01: Hi Sinmara and welcome to the site :)

You have made a major life change there and it sounds like you are loving it.
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: snowdrops on July 16, 2017, 08:56: Hi there, a brave move for you but it would seem you are already reaping the rewards. As you will find on here we love photos. Here's hoping you can oblige. Hubby & I were just saying last night that we really ought to visit the outer Hebrides😊, what a coincidence is that. Always liked the look of it after watching Castaway
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Sinmara on July 16, 2017, 12:14: Quote from: New shoot on July 16, 2017, 08:01
Hi Sinmara and welcome to the site :)

You have made a major life change there and it sounds like you are loving it.

So far we do, yes :) can't see it changing any time soon!
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Sinmara on July 16, 2017, 12:31: Quote from: snowdrops on July 16, 2017, 08:56
Hi there, a brave move for you but it would seem you are already reaping the rewards. As you will find on here we love photos. Here's hoping you can oblige. Hubby & I were just saying last night that we really ought to visit the outer Hebrides, what a coincidence is that. Always liked the look of it after watching Castaway

It's definitely worth a visit (after all, we moved here after spending a week holidays here)!

Pictures from my allotment (these are already a month old, haven't taken updated pictures. Just imagine the red cabbage forming big heads, the tomatoes being twice the size and a ton more stuff having been planted...)

I still need to do a good picture of what the hen enclosure and our plot looks like, we've done quite a bit of work the past 2 weeks.

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18341738_10154433056791722_6390073129100035616_n.jpg?oh=f3c39750650083d84f9b4dcb9ab7cead&oe=59C813F8)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19146217_10154552557871722_8817418563573551574_n.jpg?oh=52ce1fa3a001d2b0a39bc9a60b5cda5f&oe=5A01AD63)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/q82/p206x206/18951399_10154532156496722_7129200286272764518_n.jpg?oh=2cf96712460deffdb9c1eeae67c2aa41&oe=59FE4511)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p206x206/19601230_10154587505356722_1087039488676520532_n.jpg?oh=57e12a9e9391c1498a1947a795532f2d&oe=5A06C3BD)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059221_10154535557901722_6003349518916380965_n.jpg?oh=a3c4b63dd87501ceb6982b8f492c29bc&oe=5A0B96AB)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19029192_10154535557456722_5299986857117611836_n.jpg?oh=046452a53ddef7ddbfbe3e8aedc3a3d2&oe=5A0F82B1)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059268_10154535557266722_8747984350705197244_n.jpg?oh=fff7e86b2b305660390d73bdced50599&oe=5A0154A8)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/18953562_10154532156491722_2003052014705305892_o.jpg?oh=d1c2cbacc3f435939dfe6f83d9241128&oe=5A073996{/img]

[img]https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/19024943_10154532156496722_7129200286272764518_o.jpg?oh=8e15ab1e8762fb64d2b2ebf60bc007af&oe=59C7FA90)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18582426_10154471884531722_7375991352599530320_n.jpg?oh=e42fa92da05706f80e9da8b50e31edd3&oe=59FFCE9F)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18268185_10154433058751722_1300151690116656466_n.jpg?oh=961d684a730cacac28c9a1999c2d6cc4&oe=5A11F309)
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Yorkie on July 20, 2017, 22:37: Wow, those polytunnels mean business!

I remember watching An Island Parish on BBC2 when it came from the Shetland Islands (?) - and the need for polytunnels to grow plants that could be used in cooking (and also perhaps gin flavourings??!)

Welcome to the forum :D
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Sinmara on July 26, 2017, 12:12: Quote from: Yorkie on July 20, 2017, 22:37
Wow, those polytunnels mean business!

I remember watching An Island Parish on BBC2 when it came from the Shetland Islands (?) - and the need for polytunnels to grow plants that could be used in cooking (and also perhaps gin flavourings??!)

Welcome to the forum :D

There are plenty of crop you can grow outside here (soil permitting) - I'll grow fruit bushes on my plot once the bare root season has started :)

Some fruit & veg grow very well here - potatoes and berries for example!
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: sunshineband on July 26, 2017, 18:21: Hi Sinmara and welcome to the forum. Thank you for sharing those pics. Looks like you are already really organised and loving your new life 😁😁

Your tunnels make our one look teensy!
Title: Re: Hello from the Western Isles :)
Post by: Sinmara on September 09, 2017, 05:37: Quote from: sunshineband on July 26, 2017, 18:21
Hi Sinmara and welcome to the forum. Thank you for sharing those pics. Looks like you are already really organised and loving your new life 😁😁

Your tunnels make our one look teensy!

they are invaluable up here! Wish I had more space, my beetroot, red cabbage, kohlrabi & courgettes LOVE it in the polytunnel. Having a bumper crop of each of these!