Troon Allotment Society

To all members.

An Extraordinary General meeting will be held on 10/09/2015 at 7.30pm at Ivy Cottage, South Beach, Troon.

As a result of the Committee’s meetings with South Ayrshire Council we have now come to the stage where we need to call an Extraordinary Membership Meeting as described in the Constitution of Troon Allotment Society (Alterations to the Constitution ). This is for several reasons.

1. We are now in a position where SAC are prepared to hand over the running of Troon Allotment Society to the membership. In the past, when this was proposed by the Committee, the council quoted a £500 charge to change the lease. This was rejected by the Committee. The council are now prepared to forgo that charge. 2. South Ayrshire are also willing to renew the lease of the site which is due to expire in 2017. This would extend the lease for ten years. These changes would necessitate a change in the Constitution and will require at least a 60% vote in favour of the alterations before they can take place.

There are also other matters, which do not involve a change in the constitution but the Committee feel that they are important and equally that the should involve the entire membership.

We are now in a position to purchase two containers to be situated on the Allotment site. One would be used to store bulk purchases that would be for sale onto members.The other would be converted into a shelter for plot holders in inclement weather, making tea or any other purpose not yet thought of.

Unfortunately SAC’s position regarding huts remains unaltered. Huts would only be allowed on the periphery of the site and WOULD require planning permission from the council. However, Polytunnels ARE now allowed on plots! The Committee are recommending a maximum size of 6 metres by 3 metres and that they are situated in the South East of your plot. Plot holders will also have to take responsibility for the safety and liability involving the polytunnels . These are obviously important changes and we would urge all members to attend the meeting at Ivy Cottage on the 10/09/2015 at 7.30. Drew Hall TAS Secretary. August 17th 2015.

Troon Allotment Society
Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday 4th April
Between 1100 and 1300

Open to all children and Grandchildren of plot holders

Thanks to everyone who came to our Easter egg hunt today, it was a great success.

Thanks to Nadia Gardiner, Gavin and Isobel Barrie, Bill and Helene Rowell, Duncan and June Malcolm, Nicole Jefford, Elizabeth Hannah and Sainsburys, Irvine for the generous donations, this allowed us to have the hunt without any cost to the society.

Thanks also to Nadia Gardiner for helping set up and help during the hunt

Susan Brown

As most members will be aware TAS started a Facebook in August 2014 – this is a closed group for members and family and we would urge all plot holders to join the group as it has resulted in a significant improvement in communications between the Committee and the Members.  For those who have reservations about Facebook the answer is not to indulge in Friends request and to use a username and provide the personal minimum of information – you can set up a separate email address such as gmail or Hotmail.  Search for Troon Allotment Society on Facebook.

Troon Allotment Society – AGM To be held on Thursday 14th May 2015 at Ivy Cottage, South Beach Road, Troon Time :-  7.30pm Ivy Cottage is situated next to The Walker Halls on the shore front in Troon There is a car park on the left of the venue. All members are cordially invited to attend.   Coffee/tea and biscuits will be provided

19^th AUGUST 2012  –  TROON ALLOTMENT SHOW.

You are encouraged to enter into as many classes as you’re able; you never know you might have grown the best in show!!

All members should have a copy of the various classes you can enter, for example:-

Numerous classes for Vegetables

1. Flowers
2. Home Baking
3. Wine Making
4. Chutney Making
5. Kids Competitions.   Etc. etc.

All lot of work has been done arranging this show, so come on everyone and enter your produce.     There is also to be a Teddy Bears Picnic for our younger members and their guests (under 5’s) and for the adults a bring your own food and wine BBQ.    To make this day a success we hope to see the majority of our members.

You may have noticed the many new notices that have been placed around the allotment site with reference to the dumping of allotment debris along the perimeter fence.     This practice must STOP because the weight of the debris is severely damaging the fence.

The society paid for the fence to be erected and cannot afford to have this repaired.

We have also had to clear the debris left in the Communal Composting area, much of this was inappropriate i.e. – carpets, old seed potatoes, large sods of weeds etc.  These will not compost down.   On the Notice Board you will find a recipe for good composting.

The removal of the debris has cost your society approximately £300 to date.

Many of your weeds can be buried on your plot to the benefit of your crops.   Dig a deep trench or hole two spades deep and bury the weeds.

Any member found dumping along the fence will be asked to remove it; the outcome could be if the member continues to dump along the fence, them being asked to resign.

Maintenance of Whole Site.

Your Management Committee along with a very few volunteers give up their time for the benefit of the site as a whole.    This is not a duty of the Management Committee alone.

If members wish to maintain the present standard of the allotment site then members must be prepared to put in some time helping with maintenance and development.       If every one helps it takes the burden from the committee and the few very willing volunteers.

1. Planting of hedging along the Isle of Pins Road 2012

Approximately 400 young bush plants have been planted around the periphery. we must control the weeds between these bushes to enable them to prosper.

We have another 300 young bushes to plant.

2.   The digger you may have seen few evenings ago is unable to work between the close set trees along the North tree line, or between the hedge bushes planted along the West Isle of Pin perimeter fence.     Volunteers will be needed to manually remove the dumped rubbish at these locations.

3. Clearing the site of rubbish either blown in by the wind or left by members.

4. Keeping the communal areas free of stones, branches etc that will damage the blades of our mower, replacement blades would be expensive.

5. The committee was dismayed to find dumped steel cloth poles at the east perimeter of the site.   Unfortunately they were seen during a recent SAC inspection.   They must be removed.

We have performance problems with the pumps supplied with the water storage tank and have purchased an improved pump. Please understand, the replacement pump will not simply bolt into the current mountings.     Modified mountings will require to be designed, fabricated and welded into place.

We have received many comments that “the tank is empty”.       The tank is filled, by volunteers – the persons who cut the grass, lift rubbish etc.  as and when they can.

It takes at least 40 minutes to fill, and has been filled almost every day during the hot spell, but usually twice or maybe three times a week.