Federation of Edinburgh and District Allotments and Garden Associations
  • About FEDAGA
    • Plot Holders >
      • Rules for plot holders >
        • Bridgend Rules
        • Keeping bees
        • Termination and Appeals Procedure
    • Constitution
    • Allotments >
      • Allotment Sites >
        • Allotment Gallery part 1
        • Allotment Gallery part 2
    • Newsletter
    • Seed Scheme
    • Your Data Protection
  • News
  • Events
    • 2020 Virtual Show >
      • Virtual Show Classes
      • Showing Vegetables
      • Virtual Show Regulations
      • Virtual Show Entry Form
      • 2020 Show Winners
  • Gardening Help
    • Plot Holders Progress >
      • Plot Holders Progress - Start 2017
      • Plotholder's Progress - End 2016
      • Plotholder's Progress - Summer 2016
      • Plotholder's Progress - March/April 2016
      • Plotholder's Progress - January 2016
    • Composting
    • Education
    • Biodiversity
    • Plant Diseases
    • Pests
  • Links
  • SAGS
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Committee & Minutes
  • Wildlife Survey: April 2020
  • Wildlife Survey: July 2020
  • Wildlife Survey - November 2020
  • 2020 Covid-19 Memories
  • Small Grants Scheme
  • 2020 Show Winners
  • Wildlife Survey - November 2020

2020 Covid-19 Memories

Tracy Griffen , Pilrig Park Allotments
Picture
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. 

Contact FEDAGA