Tell us about your allotment!

I know there are several UK permies with allotments;  care to share?  Photos encouraged!

I don't actually have any photos of my allotment, even though I've been growing in it for two seasons now;  if I remember to take my camera up I'll post some.

My allotment is about a 10 minute walk from my house and I'm up there every morning;  it's on the way to my son's school so we stop by on the way, to take care of our ten chickens.  Then he goes off to school while my daughter watches me do any other jobs (from her buggy--she's six months old).  Currently I'm digging out the last of the potatoes, and trying to get a handle on all the grass that's taking over.  Seriously, there is so much grass, and I don't know how it's so thick and long, especially since the whole plot from top to bottom has all been sheet mulched within the last year.

However, having the chickens there motivates me to clear away the grass, so they can have something green and fresh to nibble on.  We only completed their yard and coop a few months ago;  last year they were in a temporary chicken tractor there, but they couldn't keep up with the weeds and grass (and it wasn't a long term solution anyway, as they really needed more space).  So I'm digging the grass and weeds up about a metre at a time, and it's really starting to pile up in their yard;  I guess it'll be great compost next spring.  Then the bare spot gets mulched to prevent new weed seeds germinating--but it's looking like I'll be starting over from the beginning once I actually get to the end.  So much grass...

This year I've grown some good pumpkins and peas (dried);  we had a great haul of strawberries (though they are swamped with grass now) and raspberries;  the potatoes have been moderately productive, as have the runner beans, tomatoes and onions.  The slugs ate nearly all my cabbage seedlings, but we've had two small ones and there are another six or so left--really small though, probably from the excess of grass.  I also have some leeks and purple sprouting broccoli growing away but don't expect to eat them until the new year.

My main focus now is to improve the soil as much as possible by adding organic material;  there's a stable on the site, so plenty of horse manure to be had.  I also do a bit of chop and drop with certain weeds like nettles and horsetail.  And of course as I mentioned it has all been sheet mulched, which did wonders for the soil.  I figure that if the soil is soft enough at least I'll be able to pull the weeds out and not have to dig them.

Edited for spelling.

I'm on the waiting list for one where I live. The waiting list might as well be infinite, with a lot of the allotments held by people for dozens of years, and when finally given up they're usually split into 4 giving a plot of approx 25 foot by 30 foot which, while better than nothing, is extremely disappointing if you want to keep chickens or grow trees.

I too am on the allotment waiting list, I think I just missed out in autumn. I live in a small town of 7000 people. I have been helping at the community allotment which was set up last year. I've been planning ahead, potting up some blackcurrant and gooseberry prunings and a perenial kale cutting in the hopes I get one this year.

I asked my husband to take a few photos of our allotment at the weekend.  Above you can see me in the background next to our chicken coop and run.  In the foreground is some sheet mulch, with artichokes visible behind.  Further along are some rows of garlic and purple sprouting broccoli, and not visible (between the artichokes and myself) are both old season and new season leeks; new season onions, peas and broad beans; and old season lettuces.  There is also a strawberry bed and raspberry patch at the very back.  
I'm still fighting the grass!  It got somewhat of a reprieve over winter when the chickens were back at our house and I didn't have much motivation to dig it.  They're back and I'm digging again every day, if only a few clumps at a time.  I'm also sowing and planting up my the start of the summer crops, and hope to be transplanting out the tender stuff (pumpkins, tomatoes, etc) and autumn and winter brassicas next month.