The kindness of strangers

I was off work today, and thought I would pop down to the allotment to take a few pictures since it was actually sunny for once. As I wandered around my plot someone came over from his plot, this is very rare, so preparing myself for the usual questions about what you're growing etc etc I was staggered to be told there was a rotavator in the abandoned shed on one of the empty plots.

I of course had noticed this but assumed that of course it must belong to someone because it was stored in a locked shed but apparently not, it turns out that the rotavator had been left on my plot some time ago and this kind man had locked it in the shed so it didn't get stolen. He then gave me the key to the shed, so now I have some more tools including a rake and fork, lots of canes and useful bits of wood and a rotavator!

He doesn't know if it works or not, and I am assuming it needs petrol to run? I also have no idea how you actually work a rotavator, anyone got any tips? I didn't want to start jumping up and down or anything so next time I go I will get it out and see if there is a make or model and then hopefully find out if it works. It probably won't be that helpful this year because of the scary number of nettles all over the place and I am really trying to be organic which of course means pulling roots out by hand but I guess I could give the rough dug beds a once over and then next year it will be a doddle to clear the plot woohoo!

Oh and I now need a shed, one that is actually on my plot...