Page 64 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2023

Kent DA
I do not have very much to report to you at the moment as the Kent DA have no meetings from December to February. Last November about 24 of us met for lunch in Faversham at Judd’s Folly Hotel where we also presented our Annual Show trophies to the winners. It’s nice to meet up for a relaxing social event at the end of a busy year and all who came enjoyed themselves. All thanks to Peter Aplin for arranging the day.
By the time you are reading this, we shall have had our AGM and slide presentation ‘Shows and Gardens’ by Carole Passey in March. A full programme of meetings is planned to go ahead each month at Bridge Village Hall from April to October (but not July). Details for the next three meetings
are listed below. Please refer to the NVS website for details of these and all future events. We have booked a pitch for our annual plant sale in May which will take place at the Tonbridge Garden and Craft Show (formally called the West Kent Garden and Craft Show). Any help that you can offer for this event will be greatly appreciated.
We particularly need more help this year for manning the stand on show days as we were a bit stretched last year.
Now that we are in April, I hope that you are all busy sowing, planting, and planning for all the amazing exhibits that you will
be bringing along to our Annual Show at Wingham this September. Last year we had an excellent Show, but numbers of entries were fewer than usual. Let’s all make a special effort to fill the benches this year. Don’t worry if you’ve never entered a show before. Entering is quite easy and there’s plenty of advice and help to be had from us all at the DA.
The Kent DA meetings are held at Bridge Village Hall, CT4 5JZ on the second
Wednesday of each month from March to October (except July). Meetings commence at 7:30pm and are open to NVS members and visitors. Refreshments are served before the talks (it’s well worth coming just for Linda’s cakes!).
Meetings at Bridge Village Hall:
Wednesday 12th April
Chris Lane with a presentation on ‘Wisterias.’ Horticulturalist and nurseryman, Chris is well known for his national plant collections, one of which is the Wisteria. Wednesday 10th May
Mick Poultney will be giving his talk entitled ‘Compost in a Month.’
Wednesday 14th June
Paolo Arrigo from Franchi Seeds (title of talk tba at time of writing)
Trophy winners Peter Ellis and Roger Simmons
Other Kent DA Events:
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th May
Plant Sale, Tonbridge Garden and Craft Show at Tonbridge Angels Football Club, Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, TN10 3JF. Help required please.
Other Kent Events:
Sunday 2nd July, 1:45pm – 4:30pm
The Kent Federation of Horticultural Societies Summer Show at Ditton Community Centre, Ditton, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 6AH. Kent DA members are most welcome to exhibit at this show.
For more information about the Kent DA or any of the above events please contact Chris Passey, Kent DA Secretary on 01732 352707 or email chris.passey52@gmail.com
NVS Southern Branch Championships 2023
The NVS Southern Branch Championships will be on Tuesday 25th – Thursday 27th July.
The Championships will be hosted by the New Forest and Hampshire County Show at The Showground, New Park, Brockenhurst, Hants, SO42 7QH. T: 01590 622400 www.newforestshow.co.uk
Staging will be 5-10pm on Monday 24th July and 6-8am on Tuesday 25th July.
The show schedule is available on the NVS and the New Forest Show websites.
The show includes the NVS section for NVS members and the New Forest Open Show which is open to all. There is a fee to enter the New Forest Open Show, details in the schedule along with information on how to submit entries.
Show schedules will be posted to past exhibitors. If you wish to receive a copy, or have any queries about the show, please email Show Secretary, Alison Clarke on alisonclarke1920@gmail.com
Exhibitor entries should be sent to Entries Secretary Barbara Gould; contact details are in the schedule.
Exhibitors, their partners, and families are invited to join us at our social evening. Please advise via the entry form if you will join us and how many will attend.
The Purple Car Park is the closest to the Vegetable Section within the Flower Show Marquee.
Exhibitors wishing to collect their exhibits on Thursday can gain entry to the show after 4pm without the need for a ticket.
We look forward to welcoming exhibitors and visitors to the Showground.
Alison Clarke
Show Secretary – Southern Branch Championships
64 Simply Vegetables