By Dan Thompson
Part memoir and part manual, The Allotment Diaries is a beautifully observed seasonal portrait of life, loss and renewal on Thom Eagle’s father’s allotment.
From February’s leek harvest, to a late summer tomato blight, to the bare branches of December when life still stirs, Thom chronicles a year of growing, cooking and pickling as he ponders wildness and cultivation, family and grief, and the turning natural world.
Thom is a freelance cook, writer and grower based in Margate. He has published several books prior to The Allotment Diaries, including the acclaimed First, Catch and Summer’s Lease and last year’s The Philosophy of Pickles and Fermented Foods.
Thom collaborated with the British Library on that book, exploring the cultural history of pickling and fermentation, and looking at different traditions and practices found across the globe.
The latest event is organised by The Margate Bookshop, and is one of many author visits they’re organising this autumn. Previous events have included authors like Olivia Laing, Rosa Rankin-Gee, Daisy Buchanan, Robin Ince, James Fox, and Raymond Antrobus.
Thom will be discussing The Allotment Diaries with Georgina Wilson-Powell, an author and speaker whose work focuses on sustainability. The event is hosted by The Margate Bookshop at Windmill Community Gardens – where Thom runs workshops and classes. The talk is this Saturday 5th September from 2pm-4pm.
To book free tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-allotment-diaries-with-thom-eagle-tickets-1997559435043
