The mystery of White City allotments… continued!
You may recall an article in the Dec 2006 Newsletter asking if anyone knew how the White City allotments got their name.The story that the name derived from the huts in the nearby prisoner of war camp, which were painted with whitewash to cheer up the Italians housed there, seems to be a bit fanciful - as I have been told by two people who were born locally and know the area well that the camp was situated further away – on the other side of the railway crossing off Winterstoke Road.
I have since discovered that a prominent exhibition took place in south Bristol in 1914. It was held on what was, until recently, the site of the Mega Bowl complex and was housed in large, white canvas marquees. A photograph in the Reece Winston collection shows part of the exhibition referred to as ‘the White City’. The allotments are only a short distance away – on the other side of the onetime railway marshalling yard - and so maybe the name was transferred.
Any further information is very welcome.
John Holland Plot 53 WC
Email: holland.john@hotmail.co.uk
Letter to the Editor
I began gardening on Alderman Moore’s in 2002 when over half the plots stood idle and overgrown and a huge part of the site was a wilderness as impenetrable as Sleeping Beauty’s forest. What a treat it is now to go around admiring the combined industry of a fully rented out site even though, inevitably, there are the occasional absentee plot holders. The change has mirrored a movement across the country of people wanting to eschew huge supermarket commercialism in favour of returning to a simpler way of life, where you not only know where the food you eat comes from but, even better, you grow it yourself.Alderman Moore’s has come a long way in the last few years to create a sense of community. The new stores has provided a central meeting place as well as somewhere to buy a terrific range of gardening equipment, materials and a good library of books. It is a positive pleasure to read up on cultivation matters in the company of more experienced gardeners as they sit over a cup of coffee. This is in stark contrast to the dark ages of 2002, when we entered a dim dank hole after queuing outside (usually in the pouring rain) to purchase some seed potatoes.
Another change, in the last few years since Alderman Moore’s really began to come alive, has been the number of children who come onto the site, marching up the hauling ways with their gardening tools, willing participants in the quest to cultivate. An allotment is an ideal place for city children to play, to ride their bikes and enjoy the freedom that their country counterparts know better. Some parents have put up swings and slides on plots, knowing that if they want to encourage their children to take a real interest in gardening, they need to balance this out with some fun and play. Too many children (I was one) were initially put off gardening because it was too coercive and lacked the element of freedom and fun. We are lucky that Alderman Moore’s combines both a fabulous green environment and a community of people brought together through a common interest in gardening. A perfect place for children and budding gardeners to be.
I would like to say thank you to the HwDAA committee who have given up enormous time and effort to provide this new injection of life. Let us join with you to make this a place where all can enjoy the conviviality of being part of a community, where children can romp and play while they learn about gardening, where valued volunteers give up their time to run the communal focal point of stores and café, where older people encourage novices, where the site is used creatively and imaginatively by individuals who want to garden in their own way, and, above all, a place where we encourage the next generation.
Briony Waite
Editor’s comment
Many thanks for your appreciation, Briony, so lyrically expressed. The allotments are worked by a diverse group of people who all primarily want to grow veg and fruit but who all have different secondary reasons for being down there. While some seek a community of like-minded folk, others seek peace and quiet and solitude; for everyone who finds growing in straight lines across their plot aesthetically pleasing, there will be someone who prefers to arrange things in a less traditional way. So, managing the allotments is a balancing act and the committee (after much discussion at its last meeting) reached the conclusion that permanent play items such as slides and swings should not be put up on plots - though of course it is fine to have a small sitting area, where children can play when not helping parents or cultivating their own bit. Much as we do not want to dictate what happens on plots other than making sure they are well maintained and appropriate things are being grown, the bottom line is that an allotment is a temporary garden for growing veg and fruit, (not for the myriad other things you do in a garden)
Also, the committee have had to consider health and safety issues, and think there are too many potential dangers if children are allowed to play or ride bikes around the sites unsupervised (especially Alderman
Moores) because of cars manoeuvring on hauling ways and blind bends.
We want to encourage children - let them have a bit of the plot to grow their own produce, and be down with adults so that they can imbibe the atmosphere and have gardening role models – but with regard to ‘freedom and fun’, there has to be respect for other allotment users. It goes without saying that all parents will drum into their children the number one rule that they must not under any circumstances go on to any other plot. So it can’t include freedom to go anywhere except on their own plot and paths and the
haulingways. Fun must follow on from the attitude that children and parents bring to the allotment, not the distractions that are available, always being realistic about the amount of time that a child will enjoy down at the site. I believe some families arrange to go down together and when the children have run out of gardening steam, one person supervises while the others garden - a brilliant solution to getting time to do something without worrying about whether the children are safe and nicely occupied.
Now the growing season is under way, it is a good time to get children started with their own area of
veg. There was a series of 3 lovely articles in the Saturday Telegraph garden pages (23 Feb, 1 + 8 March) on ‘Molly’s garden’
– the planning of a 12 year old’s veg plot, seed sowing, and soil preparation - with a summer series to coming on harvesting and recipes. (See
the Link to the Telegraph articles on the "Links" page -
Webmaster). Actually, never mind it being for children – it’s a brilliant guide for adults as well!
From your Editor
Stores News
There is still a large selection of seeds in both stores at amazingly cheap prices. There are plenty of onion and shallot sets. Potatoes are running out fast. In June we plan to get in some special cold stored potatoes for planting in summer and harvesting at Christmas. Thinking about sheds and site inspections, remember the stores stock cans of timber treatment, roofing felt and nails.AM New Store opens SATURDAY, SUNDAY and WEDNESDAY 10.30 to 12.00
Bower Ashton Store opens Sunday 10.30 – 12.00 and now additionally on Wednesdays 13.00 to 14.00.
Course
Organic gardening (‘maximise your success with vegetables and flowers’) run by WEA at Windmill Hill City Farm, Wednesdays 12.45 – 2.45, starts 30th April 2008 for 10 meetings, phone Windmill Hill City Farm 963 3252Recommended bean varieties from 2007
Climbing bean: Barlotta Lingua di Fuoco produces lovely coloured pods and marbled beans, which can be eaten when very young, but are best left to mature and use the dried beans in stews, soups etc – winter soul food!Runner bean: White Lady Pretty white flowers, tasty beans, long pods, stringless if picked before pronounced bean bumps show.
Allotment TV star (well, extra!)
On 12th April, you can catch one of our members, Audrey Stazaker of White City, in the episode of Casualty.Seasonal Recipe
.. a quick vegetarian pasta dish featuring spring vegetables, from Good Housekeeping’s Vegetarian Cookery …
Pasta with grilled asparagus + broad beans
- 225g (8 oz) shelled broad beans
- 350g (12 oz) dried pasta
- 450g (1 lb) asparagus, trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil + oil for basting
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- grated/shredded zest + juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 4 tbsp single cream
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1. Blanch the broad beans for 2 mins, drain.
2. Cook pasta for 10 mins until al dente
3. Halve asparagus spears. Brush with a little oil and grill for 3 – 4 mins on each side, until charred and tender.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add the garlic and lemon zest and fry gently for 3
mins. Add the beans, mint and cream; heat gently.
5. Drain the cooked pasta and return to pan. Add the sauce, cheese and lemon juice, toss lightly to mix, season and serve at once.