Yesterday, Sunday 16th May 2010, I attended an Open Day at St. Ann’s Allotments in the Hungerhill Gardens, St. Ann’s, Nottingham. It was an opportunity to see what is going on there, especially Ecoworks which is one of the major projects on the site (a business in fact). I didn’t get to see everything I wanted because I got there a little late and it closed after a few hours, plus there really was just too much to see and it is a huge area! But I took lots of photos and even recorded some audio.
I went partly as a member of Transition Forest Fields, to do some reportage of the event. I had intended to do some videoing, especially of short to-camera interviews with key people. In the end I didn’t do any, partly because I hadn’t really arranged it in advance and that probably would have been a good idea (a pointer for the future) and also because people were too busy and things kept moving along. Altho I was supposed to hook up with fellow TFF members I managed to miss them entirely until afterwards. (!)
I’ve uploaded my photos to http://s1016.photobucket.com/albums/af286/matmcveagh/Events/STAA%202010-05-16/, and now also posted most of them below with captions. The thumbnails link to medium-sized copies on Photobucket; where noted a photo of some detailed information links to a full-size copy on a file host. Click on those to read close-up text.
Vector 3 is a wind turbine making business based in Nottingham.
Vector 3 infoboard. Click for detailed full-size copy with readable text
Ecoworks
The strawberry patch, the view down the hill, and the plant stall
Ecoworks infoboard. Click for detailed full-size copy with readable text
The eating area and polytunnel
The van of Harvest Cafe, Ecoworks’ catering section
Willow-weaving
A ‘showhome’, outside and in
A vegetable patch and some wilderness areas
Some totem type sculptures
A freshly-dug polytunnel, the inside of the straw bale house, and a renovated Victorian allotment shed.
At the straw bale house I joined a tour of St. Ann’s Allotments led by Mary who runs them.
Two shots of a particularly interesting-looking allotment
Tom Oliver’s allotment – an old allotment maintained for its historical interest
The infoboard on Mr. Oliver and his allotment.
Click for detailed full-size copy with readable text
The broken-down shed and greenhouse, which they are hoping to repair
Some nice views of St. Ann’s and Sneinton to the south (L to R: SE, S, SW)
Close-up on the tower block in Sneinton
The apple and pear orchard nursery
The orchard nursery infoboard. Click for detailed full-size copy with readable text
Julia’s allotment – a particular allotment presented as a showcase by St. Ann’s Allotments with the tenant and her friends in attendance.
Vegetable beds
The more decorative, recreational area
The route to the bottom, examining a well, and a seedling sale display
Click the seedling display pic for detailed full-size copy
Views from Julia’s allotment
The last photo is a look back at the plank I’d just walked over to cross a ditch to get into the STAA Community Orchard. 🙂 Unfortunately my camera battery ran out here!
Uranus Square Ascendant 