Manna for vegetables

A few months ago I met Brian chipping wood onto a huge pile in the allotments.  He'd just removed a yew tree for someone, and was leaving the chippings on the pile.  He said I was welcome to take some when it was rotted down, as it was a pile for everyone to use.  I'd been told when I first took on the plots that it was somebody's property, so had left it alone.  I was so glad to hear that I could use it.

My long allotment has very poor soil, as the land had been left unused for many years.  It has been disheartening to plant onion and garlic sets, put time and care into them, and then unearth vegetables that are much smaller than those grown in my Dad's rich humousy  beds of home made compost.

I've been waiting until I have enough time for the labour intensive task of transferring barrows of compost.  I thought nobody else would be interested, as other plotters seem to prefer manure.  I prefer to avoid manure, especially if it is from a non-organic farm.  I don't want to put antibiotics and steroids in my earth for my vegetables to absorb.  Even horses not given synthetic drugs may have things in their dung I would rather not put on my land.  I was considering using seaweed fertilizer, but it's quite expensive even on ebay, and I have a lot of beds to condition. 

The other day I saw a fork planted in the pile of compost, and my heart sank.  I felt that I was too late, and the beautiful free gift of manna for vegetables would soon be gone.  I saw a sturdy man heartily filling his barrow.  It would be gone in no time at this rate.  I was busy trying to light a damp bonfire, so couldn't take action immediately.  Anyway, it may have started an awkward battle of the barrows.  It could even have led to a full blown fork war, so I thought I would retreat and follow the peaceful path home.

I returned in the afternoon fearing the worst, and preparing myself to see a flat space where there was once a rich glowing pile.  However, I couldn't believe my luck - it was mostly still there. 

I set to work immediately, covering my strawberry patch and a bed that afternoon, and then today covering the two beds that didn't already have green manure sprouting from them. I was a bit anxious all the time I was barrowing the precious stuff onto my land, as I couldn't quite believe it was true and such beautiful compost was free for the taking. 

This compost would have been better than green manure, but perhaps it's best  that I stop the heavy lifting for a while anyway.  Also it will be interesting to compare the relative fertility of the beds given compost and those given green manure. 

The one area left that does badly need that compost and is presently clogged with weeds is the fruit bed in the small plot.  My next job is to clear and reorganise it, and then I'll be ready to load up the barrow again.