Rebecca
In an ideal world I would agree but there are number of issues with this site that I have issue with. If you see my other posts and then perhaps look at the welcome by Charles you may be some way to understanding what my issues are.
It seems that the site offers advise on do as I say not as I do. In my other post New allotment no dig or new plots, dock, couch grass etc.
I have it seems written too much and that I should only be posting evidence of what my efforts have achieved. Now given that I am new to no dig just as you as it seems this is not a discussion site. It is one in which some members pat each other on the back and say oh how wonderful we all are.
This tirade I suspect will get me booted but hey who cares. Charles has questioned my approach about digging the plot over before I cover it with manure and then with compost in spring. My allotment site was severely waterlogged. It is hoped that by digging the soil over and turning the grass and burying it will kill it off. It has already been weakened by the use of weedkiller. Another no no but given that an allotment site which has not been used for 5 years may have had any old rubbish put on it makes little difference if you take this approach. When if you go to take a look at Welcome by Charles he indeed dug over his site before taking a similar approach to me.
Another is that I am layering my compost or my ground with bark chip before applying lime. Lime does need to be used to counter-act acidity, trust me I have a degree in this area and we did a lot of work on soil types and how to rectify problems.
So whilst I may not be taking the route that others have done the outcome is the same. There may be judicious use of what are perceived as chemicals right now but having checked with the soil association and reading the policy documents on what is or is not allowed it seems that I am within the remit for organic growing.
So again I ask myself what is the problem here, is that because I do not fall down on bending knee or my ears are deaf to what comes out of the mouths or is it that I do not fit here in the site users or owners eyes? Not sure what it is but it is a mystery to me why my presence should cause such consternation.
It takes all sorts to make up society and there is enough rigidity around already without us all bickering and squabbling.
Can we all put this matter to rest and continue on the basis that any questions that I may ask in future are as valid as anyone else’s. After all we are all here to get advise but that should all come with a pinch of salt. There is more than one way to get to the same route end. As long as the end is the same and you stay within the guidance framework or principles of No Dig or Organics, it does not exclusively follow that they go hand in hand for all people either.
No Dig principle is nothing new after all nature has been doing it for lot longer than any of us have. In future should I remain then perhaps I will start a new thread outlining all that I have done in the past 12 months, as a series of smallish posts for peeps to see how the issues were dealt with.
