Page 63 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2025

Kent District Association
Our last meeting of 2024 was in
November when we met up for our
annual lunch in Faversham. This was a
great way to unwind after a long season
of growing, meetings and shows. After
the lunch we presented our show
trophies to the winners, Chris Passey,
Peter Ellis, Chris Spree and Roger
Simmons.
We do not meet through the winter
months and our new year starts in March.
I am writing in late January and so by the
time you read this we will have had our
AGM followed by a presentation by Chris
Spree and Carole Passey where they
took ‘A Look Back at The NVS National
Championships’ held at Ardingly last
September. A full programme of meetings
and events have been arranged for this
year. I’m pleased to say that speakers for
our meetings at Bridge have been found
and booked well in advance.
Our main DA fund raising event is our
plant sale which is usually held each May.
This year we have a change of venue as
there are doubts whether the Tonbridge
Garden & Craft Show will ever happen
again. So, in 2025, we’ll be having a one-
day plant sale at Stockbury. Details are yet
to be finalized and advised to you all.
I’m sure that many of you have already
been busy sowing, planting and planning
for the shows. Onions, leeks, tomatoes and
peppers will already be well under way.
April is the perfect time for planting your
exhibition potatoes and sowing carrots so
that they will be in peak condition for our
DA Annual Show in September. Our show
is held over two days and is the highlight
of the year. The schedule is yet to be
completed as we are planning some new
classes, including flowers. It would be great
to see some new faces at the show. Don’t
be put off if you’ve never exhibited before.
Being a very friendly bunch we shall be
there to help, encourage and advise you.
Kent DA. Our sincere condolences go to
his family and friends.
KENT DA MEETINGS
Kent DA 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 open to everyone, and
refreshments are available. So, do please
bring along your friends. All our events may
be found on the NVS website. Here are
some dates for your diary.
Meetings at Bridge Village Hall:
•
Wednesday 9th April, The Kitchen
Garden, a talk by Steve Edney
•
Wednesday 14th May, Plant
Propagation including Fruit, a talk by
Lee Woodcock
•
Wednesday 11th June, The History of
Sissinghurst Castle and Gardens, a
talk by Stephen Harmer
Other Kent DA Events:
Saturday 10th May, (date to be confirmed
at time of writing), Plant Sale at Stockbury
(full details not available at time of writing)
Other Kent Events:
Sunday 29th 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).
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
BRIAN FRANCIS FNVS
It is with great sadness that I report to you
that one of our stalwart members, Brian
Francis, passed away last November.
Brian had been a member of the NVS
for over 30 years during which time he was
very much involved with the activities of
the Kent DA.
A keen vegetable grower and top
exhibitor, Brian was always there when help
was needed. Over the years he devoted
much of his time helping with our plant
sales and the vegetable displays at the
Kent County and Edenbridge Shows. Brian
was a very knowledgeable and experienced
grower and was always happy to give
advice and encouragement to others.
An unassuming, kind and very likeable
man, Brian will be sadly missed by all at the
NVS Southern
Branch
Championships
2025
The NVS Southern Branch
Championships will be on Tuesday
29th – Thursday 31st July.
It will be hosted by the New
Forest and Hampshire County Show
at The Showground, New Park,
Brockenhurst, Hants, SO42 7QH. T:
01590 622400 www.newforestshow.
co.uk
The show schedule is available on
the NVS and the New Forest Show
websites. The show includes the NVS
Southern Branch Championships for
NVS members only, and the Open
Show which is open to all. There is
fee to enter the Open Show, details in
the schedule along with information
on how to submit entries.
Look out for more information in
the next issue of Simply Vegetables.
We look forward to welcoming
exhibitors back to the Showground.
Alison Clarke, Show Secretary
Essex DA
We have another full programme of events for 2025. By the time you’re
reading this, we should have had our first two talks of the year. However, I
have summarised those that will be taking place from April onwards below:
•
•
•
•
Sunday 4 May: talk by John Lowe and Julie Wills on “Life on their allotment”
Saturday 12 July: Essex DA Mini Show. Please note the change of day for our
Mini Show this year to a Saturday rather than our usual Sunday owing to hall
availability.
Sunday 12 October: talk by Balaji Manoharan from Coco & Coir on “Using
coir compost”
Sunday 16 November: Essex DA AGM
For further information on Essex DA events, please contact Emily Harris on
emily.plumb@btinternet.com or Sherie Plumb on 01621 741787.
Simply Vegetables 63