Scottish Parliament debates allotment provision

The Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society has pushed for Parliamentary time to be devoted to debating allotment provision and on December 17th, Jim Tolson MSP will move the motion detailed below.

We have contacted our MSP, Iain Smith, about this and received confirmation that he has added his support to the motion.

S3M-05087# Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): Allotments, Community Gardens and Grow-your-own Projects— That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society in its role supporting allotment holders and community gardens in Scotland, encouraging the development of new sites, enhancing biodiversity and preserving skills in gardening; acknowledges the valuable work carried out by other organisations in the promotion of community gardens and grow-your-own projects; recognises the links between green space, activity and good health and the social, financial, environmental and health benefits of gardening and growing one’s own food; highlights the need to protect and enhance green spaces, particularly in urban and deprived areas; notes that Crossford Community Council, in conjunction with Crossford Allotment Association and the Carnegie Trust, is investigating the provision of land for allotments, community gardens and social enterprise, and hopes that local authorities and other public bodies examine ways of transferring land to local communities to be used for such projects.

Next meeting

!!!UPDATE - The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, 15th December, 8pm at the YMCA on Bonnygate!!!!

The next meeting will take place on Monday, 14th December, 8pm at the YMCA. The focus of the evening will be on where we are with our attempts of getting land and exploring different options for taking the group forward.

If there is anything you would like to have added to the agenda, please email it to cuparallotments@googlemail.com by Friday 11th.

We look forward to seeing you then!

The end of the season: unboxing

Following the group's involvement in Cupar in Bloom's work, this Sunday saw the emptying of the vegetable display boxes as the season had come to an end.

Date for next meeting

The next meeting of the group will take place in the week starting 12th of October - details will be available shortly.
All welcome!

Cupar in Bloom Success

Cupar in Bloom did very well in the Beautiful Scotland awards, winning a one-off Homecoming Award as well as the silver gilt trophy for best medium town.

The Boxes - update

A few photos of how the boxes at the train station have come along.

Sowing session shots

Compost, a chap, a challenge: getting the compost for the Cupar in Bloom boxes

Lots of thanks go to the Andrew Cook Group for the compost!

Rainbows on site

Today a group of 14 kids from Rainbow nursery visited the site and had a great time sowing peas, sugar snap peas and carrots in three of the plots. Showing a keen interest in gardening, they asked lots of questions about growing vegetables and look forward to coming back in the autumn to do the harvest.

Inspiration: Perth Moncrieffe Island

Some lovely inspirational photos from a visit by two of our members to the Perth Moncrieffe Island allotments. [Please click on the pictures for a full-sized version]

Seed Sowing Session

Following on from last month's Dig In and last week's move of two boxes to Cupar train station it's time to grow some fruit, vegetable, herbs, etc. To this end, we will be meeting this Sunday (14 July) at 10am in the station carpark to start planting up the boxes before we move on to the former school.

If you have fruit, vegetable or herb seedlings you could donate, please bring them along to the station. If you want to join in with the planting, we'd be delighted to see you - whether you have lots of experience to share, you are a novice and want to learn, or someone in between.

Digging In...

The Old St Columbus School Garden Dig In

The group has been given permission to use the old St Columbus School Garden this year. To get this into a useable condition, we are holding a Dig In Party on Sunday, 24th May, between 10am and 4pm on the site.

So, please roll up your sleeves, grab a tool, bring a picnic and come along - if you have any spare spades etc. give them to your family, relatives, friends and neighbours and bring them along too. Many hands make light work :)

For directions to the garden, please click here.

Next meeting

The next meeting will take place on Monday, 25th May, at 8pm at the Cupar Arms - all welcome

April meeting

The next meeting will take place on Saturday 11th April, 12noon at the old St Columbus School Garden.
The focus will be on developing the garden and the group's contribution to Cupar in Bloom.

For directions, please click here

March meeting

The next meeting will take place on Thursday, 5th March, 8pm, at the Cupar Arms. All welcome!