Monthly Archives: December 2012

Slow Worm

30 December 2012 was a numerical date close to the end of some humans year cycle. On that particular day, the area of the Island where Allotment Plot 326 was situated was experiencing less favourable weather conditions than seen earlier in the predictive reading of Ella Montt’s crystal ball. Ella Montt was however able to visit the Plot without rainfall saturating the event. The ground at the Allotment Plot had continued to receive substantial amounts of rainfall. Plot 325 next to Plot 326 was flooding and collecting a pond of water. When Amphibian life ventures out of hibernation standing ponds of water can be used to breed, but the ponds need to remain in place until the young have developed enough to survive outside of the water.

As each second passes, the human counting system moved ever forward towards the New Year. At the start of a New Year cycle gardeners thoughts can shift through success and failure of plants from previous years; these thoughts are combined with anticipation for plant growth for the coming year. Each harvest no matter how small or large can be seen as a metaphor for human labour, even if the labour can only be attributed in the gathering of a few leaves. The weight of plant growth when harvested can be translated in to profit or loss, even in the eyes of the domestic gardener. Seeds that are purchased are all part of the capital system. Seeds that are saved and used by the seed grower or exchanged with other growers are all part of a system of human interaction. The individual who can sow, grow and save seeds without human authoritarian intervention experiences freedom. The dogmatic authority that requires compliance within their guidelines by using their horticultural products seeks to dictate to individuals and destroy the freedom of the grower.

Ella Montt had started to notice tiny pieces of blue plastic embedded in to the soil of Plot 326. The plastic was not confined to one area, but distributed across the plot. The source of the plastic was unknown. Ella Montt had occupied this particular plot for 28 human month cycles, but it was only in the last month that the plastic had become really apparent. Perhaps the rain had washed the plastic to the surface of the soil? Ella Montt tried to remove the plastic pieces as an on going activity. Then after uncovering an area of the soil that had been covered in tarp, dug the soil, then re-covered the soil with newspaper and cardboard which she weighted down with more tree products including apple tree branches. In the course of this action Ella Montt disturbed a young or female Slow Worm hidden in the soil. It resembled a tiny snake, but was brown on one side and cream on the other with a distinctive marking along its body. The Slow Worm re-entered the soil.

The allotments were bleak in the depths of winter. Harvest was minimal and only centred on an accumulation of a few cabbage leaves and the remainders of the Parsnips that were dug from the soil. There would be no vegetables to harvest for some weeks so nutrition would need to be found elsewhere. The overwintering Broad Beans, Garlic and Onions continued to grow.

Harvest: Winter Green Cabbage leaves = 1oz = 20g; Parsnip White Halblange = 9oz = 620g.