Page 6 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2022

The winter months have been a quiet period for the NVS with no shows, but the program of zoom talks organized by Ian Stocks (thank you Ian) had an overwhelming response from you,
so much so that we have had to take out an up-graded zoom package to accommodate the numbers. A big thank you to all the speakers who contributed to their success, with a such a wide range of topics.
I am happy to see the DAs have started to get meetings with speakers back up and running, I haven’t managed to get to any yet, but have got a few lined up to go to. To find out what is on in your area please refer to the what’s on guide page 21 in this issue of SV or our website event page.
Branches, DA’s, gardening clubs and societies please note that to enable members and non-members alike to
know what, when and where things are happening, the website event page is there to help. Please note, this can include any gardening club or society’s event. I want you to benefit from advertising your events, garden visits, shows etc. via the NVS website. Currently contact Fiona Shenfield (details page 3) and if you have a photo to go with it, all the better (landscape rather than portrait fits best).
It is looking pretty good so far that the shows are likely to be going ahead, my first one is Malvern Spring Festival in
May I will be there for the full week in my campervan making a holiday/break of it as well as helping the Midland Branch
put up and man a promotional stand for the NVS please come and find us in the ‘Grow to Show’ marque or if you would like
Broad beans
to be more involved please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or the Midland branch Vice-Chair David Forrester.
At the beginning of the year our partners D.T. Brown and Marshalls asked if we, the NVS could get them some volunteers to do some seed trials for them. The Trustees agreed to do a broadcast through the website, and an article on our social
media pages. With no real expectations I am happy to report your response was unbelievable my email inbox was red hot, unfortunately the companies only needed so many, so sorry for those of you who missed out, but there will other opportunities coming up to help us out with future seed trials.
Don’t think your response and comments from our online survey last summer have been pushed to one side, Raymond Higgins put a presentation to the Trustee board on the results, then produced a report on the way forward with them using short term, medium term, and long-term actions. They are to be integrated into the development plan, so watch this space
My 2022 growing season got off to a slow start I didn’t seem to be able to work up any enthusiasm, apart from the fact that my handy man (Mark) was on a go slow to get the digging started, I managed to wash the greenhouse, but yet again I was made to wait as Mark wanted to change the soil so until then I could not get the staging in and get the heat bed on, therefore I had to improvise, I cleared the conservatory floor and put the heat mat down and started to fill it up with my seedlings. I could then say I was on my way.
I did manage to sow overwintering Broad
Seeds on mat
beans and peas last October/November time which are looking good. I still have some winter vegetables in the garden, cabbages, kale, and some “Triumphant” cauliflowers which are taking forever to form. I also pulled the last of my parsnips the other day and was pleased with my harvest.
Our partners D.T. Brown have yet again been very generous and put another packet of seed in your SV magazine, this time for pickling onions, so give them a try and enjoy these versatile little onions. See article page 18. Talking of onions, I hope you have all sown your red onion seed you received from Medwyn’s of Anglesey and
I hope you enjoy eating them plus I look forward to seeing them on the show bench at Malvern too.
Lady Chair’s Report
SANDRA HALL FNVS, NATIONAL LADY CHAIR
6 Simply Vegetables
Triumphant cauliflower, just needs a wash