Page 62 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2024

Kent District Association
As the Kent DA do not meet through the winter months, there is not much for me to report as I write this in late January. Our last group meeting was back in November when we gathered at Judd’s Folly Hotel in Faversham. The event was well attended and after lunch we presented the winners of our 2023 Annual Show with their trophies. Trophy winners were Peter Ellis, Peter Aplin, Roger Simmons and Chris Spree (From left to right in the photo).
Normally, in the autumn, we would be making plans and buying seeds for our plant sale at the Tonbridge Garden and Craft Show held each May. But the invitation from the organisers to take part didn’t arrive until early January! So, being unsure whether the event would happen this year, we had a few weeks of worry and some head scratching trying to come up with an alternative plan. As the DA relies on the income from this event, it was a huge relief when we knew that the show would be going ahead.
By the time you read this we would have had our AGM in March followed by a fun quiz! We shall be having a full programme of meetings at Bridge Village Hall this year; we just need to arrange a couple more speakers to fill some gaps.
With the National Championships being hosted by the Southern Branch this year in Sussex we all have the opportunity to visit a top-notch vegetable show without having to travel too far. And why not have a go by entering some classes?
Meetings are held at Bridge
Village Hall, CT4 5JZ on the second Wednesday of each month from March to October (except July) with
a 7:30pm start. Meetings are friendly and open to everyone. So, do please bring along your friends. I usually send out reminders of meetings by email. If you’d like to receive these reminders, then make sure that I have your email address. Some dates for your diary are
listed below.
Meetings at Bridge Village Hall
Wednesday 10th April
Guest speaker from Thanet Earth,
the UK’s biggest glasshouse complex producing hundreds of millions of salads crops each year using innovative and cutting-edge technology.
(This is a provisional booking at time of writing, please check NVS website)
Wednesday 8th May
Vanessa Jones with a talk about the threat of the Asian Hornet. A subject we should all be very concerned about.
Wednesday 12th June – TBA
Wednesday 14th August
The Hop Bine & Hop Picking in Kent, a presentation by Chris Stewart.
Other Kent DA Events:
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May
Plant Sale, West Kent Garden and Craft Show at Tonbridge Angels Football Club, Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, TN10 3JF. Help required please.
Other Kent Events
Sunday 30th June, 1:45pm
The Kent Federation of Horticultural Societies Summer Show at Ditton Community Centre, Ditton, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 6AH. This is a top county show and there are classes for vegetables, fruit, flowers, and home economics. All shows staged by the KFHS are open to all person’s resident in Kent, individual members of the KFHS, members of societies affiliated to the KFHS (includes members of the NVS Kent DA).
Details for all events will be posted on the NVS website when available.
For more information about the Kent DA or any of the above events please contact Chris Passey on 01732 352707 or email chris.passey52@gmail.com Chris Passey
Kent DA Annual Show Trophy Winners 2023
Devon DA
The Devon DA closed at their AGM in 2020, I have tried before to see if there was any interest in getting it up and running again but had only about four members interested.
I know there are a number of new members in Devon, but unfortunately, I do not know their details to find out if they are interested in reforming
the Devon DA again. There are Officers positions to fill, i.e. Chairman, Secretary, Trustees, as Treasurer at present I am willing to continue. I feel this is the last chance, if there is still no interest in reforming the Devon DA, I will formally close the Bank account and forward all monies to the Southern Branch Treasurer in June this year.
I can be contacted on Mobile phone 07768583535 for anyone interested, or by email at josephwallis1942@hotmail.co.uk Joe Wallis, Treasurer
The position of the Devon DA was discussed at the January Southern Branch Committee meeting and the possibility of holding meetings at different locations to reduce the travel for some meetings.
The committee is aware of the
rural nature of Devon and adjacent counties as well as the less-than- ideal road network, if possible, meetings could be held at each side of the county which may encourage members living in adjacent counties to attend. Please let Joe know if you are interested and we could then look at what is feasible. Another option would be to hold daytime meetings at a weekend to save nighttime driving and give a longer time for meetings. It may be worth considering say 4 meetings a year at various locations during the daytime but for 2 or 3 hours, also daytime visits are worth looking at. If any of the options above appeal to you contact Joe and a meeting could be arranged to look for a way forward – Ed
If any other counties or areas would like to form a DA, I am sure the trustees would be happy to support this (I say this without checking with the Trustees!). Please contact either Fiona Shenfield or your Branch chairman.
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