Rotovator

I was digging on the Cat allotment today, when Manger walked past (that's not as in little baby Jesus, but with a hard 'g', and a definite 'r' on the end). He commented on me digging, and as he works for Parks & Gardens, I said, "Why don't one of your lot come down and rotovate it for me then?" He replied that they don't do it any more - rotovate allotments. They used to, a few years back, but now they only put down weedkiller - Round-up. I don't really want Round-up on my allotment. I said someone had offered to lend me their rotovator, and he said, "Ah, you won't rotovate that. You'd need a tractor plough to turn that over!" (I'm doing the work of a plough, I thought). I was glad he'd said that though, because it was what I'd just been thinking anyway, and although [Noddy] had said he'd bring the key to the shed down later on so I could have a go with the rotovator, I had no great hopes of being able to achieve anything.

Manger stopped long enough to discuss his abundance of runner beans. Mine have all but finished - maybe I sowed them too early, or maybe his garden is more sheltered than the allotment, and better protected from the rain. Because it was about three or four weeks ago, when the rain set in in earnest, that bean production fell off. I'd just - like him - been cursing the fact that I had too many beans to deal with myself, but now I wish I had more, because now it's back to brassicas until next July, when the broad beans become available.