Allotments outside turning to cycles (9)

I believe the answer is:

rotations

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'cycles' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to natural events as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?

'allotments outside turning to' is the wordplay.
'allotments' becomes 'rations' (I've seen this in another clue).
'outside' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'turning' indicates an anagram.
'to' with letters rearranged gives 'ot'.
'rations' going around 'ot' is 'ROTATIONS'.

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I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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