In February Ian Simpson, Collection Development Manager in the Library and Learning Resources team, reflected on the joy of his allotment during Spring.

I walk through Dane John Gardens every morning on the way to work in Augustine House and I’ve noticed that the snowdrops are in fine bloom at the moment. Which means that it’s time to start preparing my allotment plot for spring planting.

I’ve had an allotment for about 7 years now, and the soil is just about coming into its own (it had been abandoned for a while and was overgrown when I took it over). I love this time of year, when I’m working out the crop rotation and buying the seeds. While it might be wet or cold or both outside, I see the potential of spring and summer ahead. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun.

Every year I try and grow something I’ve not grown before. I do all the usual allotment crops: peas and beans, leeks and onions, potatoes and cabbage, strawberries and raspberries. In recent years I’ve successfully grown pattypan, pak choi, cucamelons and physalis. This year I’m going to have a bash at soybeans so I can prepare some edamame. I might even try to make tofu.

My job – library collection development manager – means that I spend a lot of time thinking of databases and budgets and making sure the right money is spent on the right resources for the right students and researchers. Thinking about, planning and working on my allotment is completely different, as you can imagine. Although I use spreadsheets and calendar planners for both! Trello is a useful tool to put tasks into (such as plant carrot seeds, fertilise potato plot, etc) as it can sync with Google Calendars.

But working in the allotment gives me such a sense of well-being. The hard graft is invigorating – especially turning the soil over in winter. It can be almost zen-like. Nothing else matters but those darn weeds! The process of tending and growing the plants is fascinating and frustrating (thanks to the climate, and slugs of course). It can be amazing to see the difference in growth in the space of a week. And the reward is hugely satisfying. Having a lunch at work or an evening meal at home made up of home grown ingredients (a fresh salad or a pea soup) is such a rewarding feeling.

Getting away from my desk and working on my allotment gives me an enormous sense of wellbeing, but it is only moments such as this – when CCCU affords the opportunity for reflection – that you realise how important it is to my sense of self.

As part of Staff Wellbeing Week 2018, Ian is running a workshop on “Blogging to reduce stress” on Tuesday 19th June at 3.00 – 4.00pm in AH2.23. No need to book.