Here’s to a happy and productive 2014.

Here’s to gently wondering through a bountiful plot on a late sunny afternoon with just the bees and butterflies for company, debating what to cook for tea based purely on what’s ready to pick.

Here’s to the joy and relief of seeing your seeds germinating and the potato shoots breaking through the ground.

Here’s to the smell of a freshly pulled onion and the taste of a tomato still warm from the sun, sweetcorn cooked within hours of picking, and plums straight from the tree.

Here’s hoping the weather will be kind and the slugs will be lenient, that the garlic won’t rust and the potatoes don’t catch blight, and the courgettes don’t get too carried away.

Here’s to grafting and chatting and sweating and cursing and helping out your fellow growers in any small way you can.

Here’s to the joys of allotment gardening.

We’ve both been tied up with work and other commitments over the last couple of months, so as far as the allotment goes … well, we’ve been harvesting and eating lots of leeks and a few parsnips. The broad beans have started to shoot and already their tops have been nibbled off! The garlic has yet to make an appearance,  and the purple sprouting broccoli is doing well, although one of the plants has toppled over and needs resupporting. Riveting stuff. The weather consists mainly of wind, rain and more wind, and so this midwinter break has been very much about eating our supplies and drinking the local pubs supplies and making our plans for next year. Relax, recuperate and refocus.

Hope 2014 is a good one for you. Happy plot planning.