Author: joan

Everything planted in Tom’s memorial garden is beginning to bloom, the new tulips are looking wonderful and promising lots of colour soon

Here are the minutes for the March meeting, if you would like to receive these by email please contact George (georgerubienski@gmail.com) and he will add you to the email address list. The next meeting is on Saturday April 8th at 11am

by Elspeth MacArthur

The bunting was up for a special summer BBQ on Saturday 18 June to celebrate John Maule’s 50 years as a plot-holder at Craigentinny – it is some record and we wonder who else in the Edinburgh allotment world can match it?

Our ace BBQ team fired up the coals and off we went.  The sun came out and the rain stayed away and there were lots of stories, many reminiscences, jokes and, of course, a cake.  

So, a big thank you to John, and thanks too, to everyone else who made it such a lovely event – we hope the pictures here provide a reminder of a great afternoon!

Being a mere infant when he acquired the plot – in the days when there was no waiting list at all and, indeed, the lucky applicant could be asked how many plots he or she would like to have (several of those present fainted at this point) – there was much to marvel at.  To read more about the life of a plot-holder from 1972 -2022, you can read about it in an article John wrote a little while ago which you can be found here (Craigentinny Allotments in the 1970’s – Craigentinny Allotments  John has been a source of strength and commitment on the site, welcoming and helping many of us with much shorter allotment careers. Most recently, we discovered that his many talents include that of stone carving, when he produced the beautiful slate memorial to our friend Tom which was recently placed beside Tom’s tree.

Thanks to Elspeth MacArthur and Laurel Wheatley for photos

Save the Date – 18th June 2022

SAVE THE DATE!

2022 is John Maule’s 50th year as a Craigentinny plot-holder so we’re planning a lunchtime BBQ on the communal plot on Saturday 18th June to celebrate this Golden Jubilee!

Everyone is welcome, including families. Craigentinny BBQs are great fun and we haven’t been able to get together in this way since 2019, so if you haven’t been before or, indeed, have joined the site since then, please do think of coming

We had a lovely day on Saturday 30th April, planting a tree in memory of Tom Cashman.

Kathy and Johnny, gave emotional speeches about Tom, the partner, family man and allotment friend. Johnny read the poem “Digging” from fellow Irishman Seamus Heaney and everyone Everyone had the opportunity to share their favorite stories about Tom.

It was then time to plant the apple tree called Spartan, which seems very appropriate.

John Maul presented, what I had expected to be a rough, rustic wooden plaque, and which turned out to be a beautiful, hand carved piece of stone which must have taken ages to carve and was definitely a labour of love. I think Tom would have felt very honoured.

What really struck me was the different memories of Tom, I think he was the kind of man who gave everyone exactly what they needed. I found he would always stop for a quick chat and to give me, what I thought was advice, but now realise was simply encouragement. Tom’s motto seemed to be “Sure, give it a go, and see what happens” which is sound advice on an allotment.

I don’t think anyone on the allotment site, knows their neighbours very well, but there is a lot of kindness and a sense of belonging, which I hope Tom felt.

It’s sad that Tom is no longer with is, but I think we were all very lucky to know him and I, for one, am very much looking forward to seeing the first fruits of the Spartan tree.

Click on the link below to read the latest wildlife report from Michael Anderson and kudos to anyone who can tell the Black Lace Weaver from the zebra jumping spider

Please find attached the meeting minutes for March 2022