Page 48 - Simply Veg 1 2024

East Yorkshire District Association
A fun evening was had on the last Monday in July at Hessle Allotment Site, on the outskirts of Hull. Despite the wet forecast the weather, though dark and cloudy, was actually quite kind
to our party who were made most welcome by our hosts whom we thank most heartily for their hospitality and for allowing us to tour their site and admire their handiwork.
It is actually quite a large site and extends much further than is apparent from the road entrance. After our walk around and just in time, we assembled in the polytunnel for some juicy refreshments, to swap quiz answers and watch the slugs racing up the polytunnel wall as the rain droplets began to fall!
I was honoured to be selected as one of the judges for the NVS National Championship classes held at Newby Hall this year. As to be expected at this level, the quality of exhibits was generally high although a few classes appeared to be less well-supported than others. As an overall public spectacle, the displays of various fruit and vegetables filling the inside of the marquee were amazing and, hopefully, will attract further growers and exhibitors in the future.
I was particularly impressed by the large number of vegetable baskets staged. The range, quality and presentation effects achieved using the standard trugs provided were truly a joy to behold.
became his first priority but he managed to maintain a stock of pinks and carnations and took over the mail order business from a retiring colleague. He also started to grow a few vegetables under cover for fun and grew some onions averaging 6 to 7lb in weight. He thought he had done well until a certain Mick Mackie came
Our September 2023 meeting, our first meeting after the summer break, attracted some 38 attendees to listen to Peter Booker, an NVS member from North Lincolnshire, explaining how he got into vegetables.
One of his earliest recollections was working on Lord Hesketh’s state in Northamptonshire where the head gardener taught him how to take cuttings and various other growing tips about cultivating flowers and vegetables within a walled garden serving the main residence of Eaton Neston.
the displays of various fruit and vegetables filling the inside of the marquee were amazing
along, showed him some of his, and taught him about raised beds, watering lines, heating mats and various other gems of essential information. The following year, following Mick’s advice,
he grew onions up to 12lb in weight which encouraged him to enter local and a few regional shows. He initially attempted to grow a large variety of vegetables for showing purposes but has since decided to focus purely on Alliums. His shallots and onions have served him well this year with wins at local shows although his leeks all went to seed! We look forward to seeing him enter our own show next year.
Following his marriage, he moved to a different
village in Northamptonshire and took up an
interest in growing, and later showing, pinks and carnations having first come across them at Northampton Show. He subsequently enjoyed moderate success at local Shows as well as RHS Wisley, Bakewell and Harrogate. Following the successful completion of his judging exams, he was invited to join the British Carnation Council, took part in various growing trials at RHS Wisley and was elected Chair of the joint RHS and British Pinks and Carnation Committee.
Due to a house sale falling through unexpectedly, the family moved to Barnetby, Lincolnshire in 2002.
The new property had been a small nursery
equipped with a bungalow with various
greenhouses and polytunnels. Demolishing the bungalow and replacing it with a new house
Although the British National Carnation Society (BNCS) was dissolved in 2022, he still maintains his interest in
pinks and carnations having been involved in organising the Carnation World Championships in 2009 and contributing to the gold medal winning BNCS exhibit at Harrogate in 2019. According to Facebook, two carnation societies still continue – The Great North Carnation Society and The Yorkshire Carnation Society.
Our annual DA Show was held on Sunday 1st October. Traditionally, East Yorkshire and West Yorkshire DA Shows are
both held over the same weekend to enable members to exhibit their produce at both events. This year, West Yorkshire held their show the weekend before ours but, even so, several of their members supported our Show with their exhibits. The full results can be seen on our website https://nvseyda. wordpress.com/show-results/
We have now adopted a policy of awarding only a few physical trophies at our Show. We retain a few trophies for some of
Hessle Polytunnel
our novice classes, the Vegetable Basket class (restricted to entries from members who attend our meetings) plus the NVS Plaque and NVS Silver Medal awards but we have replaced the rest of our historical trophies with trophy award cards bearing an image of the original trophy. Exhibitors have generally welcomed this move and it also makes life much easier for our trophy Secretary.
Reports on our late Autumn/Winter events will feature in the next edition of Simply Vegetables but, in the meantime, our current news and programme of planned events for 2024 can be seen on our own website http://nvseyda.uk and Facebook page.
Paul Neve FNVS
48 Simply Vegetables
New Trophy Award Card