Page 58 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2025

NVS Lancashire DA
A round up from the DA from October
2024 to January 2025 – I was too
late with my last article. Work and
volunteering keep me extremely busy.
For 2024, it rained a lot, was dark, lucky if
we got more than 3 days together of good
weather, the worst year for growing in 20+
years that I’ve been growing. I’m a bad
enough grower without being hampered by
the weather all year!
Then we’d snow and ice for a week in
January. And today we’ve got storm Eowyn.
It has been very windy but thankfully seem
to have missed the worst of
it which some other areas in
UK have had.
Our main polytunnel is
even more shredded but
hanging in on there – it was
already broken before the
storm due to old age – nearly
a 20-year-old skin on it. It
will be getting re-skinned in
Spring.
Probably one of my
growing highlights in 2024,
was my African Horned Melons. They were
briefly featured on Countryfile, Sunday 27
October. Gavin nearly jumped out of his
skin when I shouted, “I’ve grown them!!!”
And mine were nearly as big! Thanks
to Margaret and Susan at Robinsons
Mammoth Onions for plant I bought back
in Easter and the growing advice. Definitely
growing them again next year. The luffa
continues to evade producing a fruit which
doesn’t rot off but maybe one day….
Our main
polytunnel
is even more
shredded but
hanging in on
there
The DA started the talks season in
October with our very own, Andrew
Moakes, who gave a very informative and
interactive presentation on growing and
showing gladioli. There was lots of chatting
amongst the attendees on the topic and I
think we all learnt a lot from Andrew and
each other.
In November the DA had myself giving
a talk on the Hyndburn (Accrington),
Federation of Allotments taking part at RHS
Tatton in 2013 – needs must! In December
it was the AGM with a pie and pea supper
for those attending and a
roundup of the shows from
Paul Henshaw.
January saw the DA
meeting cancelled due to the
weather. It varies so much
from area to area so a wise
decision to cancel.
For February I’m hoping
to have Anton Bainbridge
from Moss Hill Mushrooms in
Darwen. They’re a relatively
new company – 2023 –
growing mushrooms commercially. He
also has a general interest in wild fungi
which grow near his home. I came across
him from a chance Facebook posting
and thought, that looks interesting
and a different growing topic. www.
mosshillmushrooms.com
March’s talk is to be confirmed but
hopefully will be Julie Livesey of Pip
Cottage who we had to cancel February
2024 due to, snow. Julie, who I’ve known
for many years is a “Maker and Tutor of
Traditional Baskets and Sculptures. Take
a look here at some of her skills and
creations – www.pipcottage.co.uk
April Ian Sutherland, dahlia grower
extraordinaire is pencilled in. Its some years
since he spoke at the DA, so will be great to
have him back and fingers crossed, some
dahlia plants for sale.
Keep an eye out on in your email in box,
our Facebook page, Instagram and X and
please share with friends who may be
interested in a talk. We welcome non NVS
Members too.
A topic which has been brought up
via Northern Branch is nominations for
NVS Fellowship awards. I think, like many
organisations, we don’t always recognise
the work and time our volunteers put into
the NVS. So, supported by David Metcalfe,
I’ll be looking to nominate some Members
for awards. There are criteria to meet for
this.
November 2024 saw NVS Members,
growers, friends travel from all over the
country to Llanberis, Wales for the last
Medwyn’s Master Class Weekend, which
has been running 26 years. Medwyn
said in 2023 it would be the last. Gavin
and I started going in 2013, after being
introduced to Medwyn, Gwenda and Alwyn
at RHS Tatton when he invited us to this
weekend.
I’d no idea what it was about, what
to expect. It was like walking into a DA
meeting and flower show rolled into one –
there was so many people there who we
58 Simply Vegetables