2020 Covid-19 Memories
Tracy Griffen , Pilrig Park Allotments
My husband Andy Wright and I have a plot at Pilrig park. Our pug Coco is also a regular on the plot, and she 'helps' us pick berries.
The pandemic hit my fitness business hard. I went from working flat out to zero work overnight, and if I didn't have the allotment, I don't know what I would have done. As a naturally active person, I love to exercise and move around. Being able to visit our plot became part of my daily routine, and it was amazingly good timing that the global pandemic hit, just as growing season was getting into full swing.
I don't think our allotment has ever looked so good, and certainly we grew a lot more from seed as we had the time to tend them. As relative newcomers to the site (we've had our plot at Pilrig for three years, having been at Leith Links and Cambridge Gardens previously), we also had the chance to get to know our allotment neighbours, as people had more time to chat. The reassurance that even though the world was going mad, we still had a our wee piece of peacefulness. And bringing home big bags of vegetables and having ample time to experiment with new recipes and preserving techniques was a blessing. I feel so grateful.
I was especially grateful to our monster chard (photo attached) which grew overwinter to triffid-like proportions! After having sheltered seedlings on windy days, it was time to move from the plot to the pot - it made delicious cannelloni (a new recipe for us). Immersing ourselves in nature certainly helped Andy, Coco and I cope a lot better than we would've otherwise... and we even got a suntan.
The pandemic hit my fitness business hard. I went from working flat out to zero work overnight, and if I didn't have the allotment, I don't know what I would have done. As a naturally active person, I love to exercise and move around. Being able to visit our plot became part of my daily routine, and it was amazingly good timing that the global pandemic hit, just as growing season was getting into full swing.
I don't think our allotment has ever looked so good, and certainly we grew a lot more from seed as we had the time to tend them. As relative newcomers to the site (we've had our plot at Pilrig for three years, having been at Leith Links and Cambridge Gardens previously), we also had the chance to get to know our allotment neighbours, as people had more time to chat. The reassurance that even though the world was going mad, we still had a our wee piece of peacefulness. And bringing home big bags of vegetables and having ample time to experiment with new recipes and preserving techniques was a blessing. I feel so grateful.
I was especially grateful to our monster chard (photo attached) which grew overwinter to triffid-like proportions! After having sheltered seedlings on windy days, it was time to move from the plot to the pot - it made delicious cannelloni (a new recipe for us). Immersing ourselves in nature certainly helped Andy, Coco and I cope a lot better than we would've otherwise... and we even got a suntan.