Steaming pile

There was a great big pile of manure by the gate when I got to the allotment today. I took seven wheelbarrows full and put them on the second and fourth beds, it was harder work raking it in than it was wheeling it over to the plot.  Once I had done it a passing gardener told me that you aren't supposed to use this until it has been sitting for a year, I can see other plots have used it straight away so I'm not too bothered and where am I going to keep a great big pile like that for a year?
The trading hut was closed so I went to the garden centre to see what they had instead, ending up buying lots of seeds and sets. I bought an early potato called Rocket and a main crop of Desiree, I have been told that you don't plant your potatoes until St Patrick's day or even until Easter but I went ahead and planted a row of both, I hope they will be alright. The packaging suggested you chit your earlies but I have no where to do this so they went direct into the ground, they had sprouts on them already anyway. One kilo of each planted March 13th, lets see what happens.
The other seeds can wait a bit, but I got parsnips, leeks and radishes all on tape ready to plant and some onion and shallot sets, if the weather stays good I'll start putting some of these out next week end.
There seemed to be a lot more action at the allotment than in past weeks and it's now more noticeable that other people have started work on their plots. The robin was hopping around as usual and a couple of black birds were joining in today, every minute or so I could hear a woodpecker hammering at a tree. My rhubarb has got the tiniest leaves starting to form on it, other peoples seems to already be forming stalks.