Page 58 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2024

Midland Branch
From The Chairman
I am sitting here during the second week of January, in front of the log burner, central heating on because it’s freezing cold outside. The floods in the surrounding areas are now beginning to subside and most of the roads around and about our town of Newent, are now open again. The threat of snow next week does not bode well either, but I hope by the time you read this, Spring will have well and truly sprung and we are having some nice sunny days.
Our AGM took place in March, and we are pleased to welcome new members onto the committee. I am grateful to Jim Styles or taking on the role of Treasurer and I would like to thank Graham Brickstock
for stepping into the breach at the 2023 AGM, at a difficult time in his life, which prevented the Branch from folding. Without a Treasurer we could not have run. Further details of the new committee will appear in the next edition when positions will have been confirmed.
The Branch is having its usual stand at the Malvern Spring Show - 9th - 12th May – and we look forward to seeing some of our members there and hopefully recruiting new ones.
The West Midlands DA is working hard at the moment, growing plants for BBC Gardeners’ World - 13th - 16th June – and putting on their stand which always attracts a lot of attention.
Tibberton Show, Gloucestershire - Saturday 17th August – for the first time the Branch is putting on a small display
of vegetables to promote the NVS. Please come along and support us and the show. The Bucks DA will be at the Bucks County Show – Thursday 29th August
– further information on how to obtain a
schedule of exhibition classes – is available on the Bucks County Show website.
The Midlands Branch Championships, Malvern - 27th, 28th and 29th September. Schedules are now ready and can be downloaded from the website or by contacting me – details below.
We hope to see you at some, if not all, of
the above events and in the meantime, I wish you all a happy gardening year. June Davies, FNVS junedavies648@yahoo.com
Tel: 01531 822750 Mobile: 07484 877627 108 Watery Lane, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1PY
West Midlands DA Report
At our last meeting held in Fairfield village hall in November we were entertained with a lecture by Mark Hall all about growing vegetables for showing and the equipment and varieties and sowing dates.
Despite the small attendance Mark and Sandra were very well received with everyone learning a few tips. Our next meeting will have been held by the time this report will have been published. This will have been our annual general meeting with hopefully some more members joining our small committee. The next event will be a visit to Sandra and Mark’s Garden in Telford on the 19th May and they have kindly
offered refreshments for everyone. This will be followed by our next meeting
at Fairfield on Thursday 30th May with a lecture by Richard Spiers all about gladioli and will be followed by a plant sale so please bring your spare plants along. This is a very busy time for us
as we are having a stand at Gardeners World live at the NEC as we have
done for several years so, please come along and support us. We have several members growing plants for the show to hopefully fill our 9 metres by 3 metres stand. Hopefully we will meet many old and new friends,
Graham Brickstock F.N.V.S.
Simply Vegetables
Binder
Store your magazines away. Each binder holds 12 magazines. (3 years worth)
£5.00+ £2.95 P&P
To purchase contact: Mrs June Davies FNVS, Midlands Branch, Tel 01531 822750 or email junedavies648@yahoo.com
Have you ever thought of becoming an NVS Judge?
The Midlands Branch seems to be running low on the number of judges we have in our midst. Jim Williams, Chairman of the N.V.S Judges Examination Board, has written a guide to becoming an NVS judge on the society’s website.
The information is very informative and gives full guidance on what is needed to become a respected judge. Apart from the fact that you meet other judges from all over the country, it also enables you to understand what judges are looking for, if you are also an exhibitor.
If you do not have the facility to download Jim’s guide, I will be happy to print it off for you if you would like a hard copy. My contact details are in my chairman’s remarks.
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