Page 63 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2023

Kent DA
It’s the end of July and I’ve just returned home from the New Forest Show where the Southern Branch Championships were held. It was a wonderful show with more entries than I’d expected to see.
If you have never been, then put it in your diary for next year, you will not be disappointed. And how lucky we were with the good weather on the first two days. It’s been very wet since then with another week of unsettled weather to come. The extremes of weather we are yet again experiencing certainly make our gardening efforts more difficult. A very hot and dry June was followed by a wet and windy July. And then there is the hosepipe ban for some areas of Kent!
Here at the Kent DA, we have been enjoying our monthly meetings at Bridge with Mick Poultney and Paolo Arrigo providing the entertainment. Mick came along in May with his excellent presentation on making compost in a month. This was a fascinating and very informative talk which was packed with detail and lots of humour. Mick has developed and perfected a method of making his own compost which is ready to use in just a month. He makes enough to use on his no dig allotment and for seed sowing and potting up plants. In June we welcomed back Paolo Arrigo from Franchi Seeds. We’d previously had Paolo give his talk ‘From Seed to Plate.’ Paolo’s talks are delivered with great enthusiasm and with a real passion for growing vegetables and eating good food. A grower himself, Paolo talked of the importance
of maintaining heritage and regional vegetables. Franchi Seeds began in 1783 and they are the oldest family run seed company in the world.
In May we had our plant sale at the Tonbridge Garden and Craft Show. This was a two-day event which is organised by Tonbridge Angels Football Club. We were kept very busy on both days, and raised much needed funds for the DA. A big thank you to all members who contributed and made the weekend such a success.
Late June saw the Kent Federation of Horticultural Societies Summer Show
at Ditton Community Centre. The KFHS shows are always of a high standard and
several of our DA members exhibit their flowers, fruit, and vegetables. This year,
in the vegetable section, it was Peter Ellis who won best in show for his entry in Class 3, ‘Kitchen Garden.’ As mentioned above, the NVS Southern Branch Championships were held at the New Forest Show in July and congratulations go to Chris Spree for his winning dish of Red Dragon tomatoes.
By the time you read this report we would have had our Annual Show at Wingham Village Hall in September. Show results will be reported in the next issue of SV.
The Kent DA meetings are held at Bridge Village Hall, CT4 5JZ on the second Wednesday of each month from March to
October (except July). Meetings commence at 7:30pm and are open to all. Details for
all meetings and events are posted on the NVS website.
For more information about the Kent
DA please contact Chris Passey on 01732 352707 or email chris.passey52@gmail.com Chris Passey
Surrey DA
The Surrey DA have had a quite summer with a visit to Tozer Seeds and members harvesting the fruits of their labour.
I have been providing my
family with fresh vegetables and the freezer is being filled with assorted, beans, peas etc. Chutney is being made and a special jar of Christmas chutney being made for our annual family competition.
Brian Arm and Paul
Yeoman exhibited at the
SB Championships held in conjunction with the New Forest Show and came away with a number of red cards. Paul winning the classes for peas and long carrots and Brian winning the small, fruited tomato class on
the NFS Openside show which was voted by the judges as Best Exhibit in Show.
We are looking forward to starting our regular meetings in September with a talk on peat free Composts.
Keith Hine, Chairman
WE NEED YOU
The Surrey DA is thriving with over 100 members, at next year’s AGM in February five members of the committee will be standing down after many years’ service.
We need members to come forward and run the DA or unfortunately it will close. The current committee have booked 6 meeting dates for 2024 and the room bookings have been paid.
Speakers are being booked and we will have a full programme with meetings held in East Horsley Village Hall. To run the DA we require Chairman, Treasurer, and committee members.
The DA is in a position where it could run for 3 years without any further fund raising so there is no pressure to run fund raising events in the first year. If you are interested in helping to keep the DA going, please contact any Surrey DA committee member.
Keith Hine
keith_hine@hotmail.com
This is a common problem in many societies which is why the numbers are declining, so come on Surrey DA members volunteer and keep it going. It can be very satisfying and good for your mental health as well as helping to keep you active which helps to prolong your life!
Simply Vegetables 63