Page 20 - Simply Vegetables Summer 2023

Fun Carrot Competition
GREAME LA MARQUAND FNVS
This was always a children’s event and it turned out to be one of our best yet, with over ninety children and a few adults entering our annual fun carrot competition
Hence our fun carrot competition is also a starting point for the very young who can be taught from an early age how to grow “let’s say” carrots from tiny seeds and be helped along with a written leaflet with growing instructions which can be read out by Mum or Dad on how to manage the seeds through to maturity into full grown carrots and furthermore win a prize. This was an essential part of our work shop in demonstrating how to sow 4 seeds into 8 indentations in a 15 litre pot and manage this project through to maturity.
Saying that, one of the most exciting parts of this project for the children must surely be pulling up all the carrots when they are ready for harvesting and placing them one by one in a row over the table and choosing the best three for the show,
Graeme sowing carrots
and because this competition has become so popular, that is why we have added another prize for the funniest looking single carrot, this at least keeps the children interested in growing vegetables .
It was also good to see Captain Richard Nunn from the Salvation Army once again entering the competitions which for them is part of their gardening project to grow carrots for the competition. This project also includes working with adults with additional learning needs which give them the confidence and skills to have fun
On another note we have introduced another competition which is free for youngsters aged sixteen years and under. One is to grow three peas in a 4-inch (10cm) pot through to maturity and enter them in the RJA & HS early summer show. This competition is being held in conjunction with the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society for showing in June .
On the 19th of April I will be standing
Mark Day
Morning start
down as chair after 12 happy years, and will be handing over to Andrew Green MBE who is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable gardener with lots of good ideas on growing vegetables. I’m sure Andrew will do a sterling job .
I have been asked to stay on the committee which I shall do and look forward to helping out in every way that I possibly can.
My thanks to my committee for their unstinting support and help .
Also a huge thank you to the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society for their tremendous help to our society in every way over the years by facilitating our committee and for putting up with me.
This year I sowed my first carrots on the 24th of February, the two varieties that I grew were ‘Early Nantes’ and ‘Gold Nugget.’ They were grown in one of my recycled cloches which has its own lid made from an ancient shower door which closes and opens whenever I need for watering and harvesting. This system is extremely handy as I can semi regulate the rain, heat and wind.
The same applies with my second recycled cloche where I am growing four different varieties of salads.
Left to right Mizuna leaves, curly green salad which is a heirloom, variety Iceberg & moon red.
Richard Nunn
The Committee
Waiting to be shown how to sow carrots!
Recycled cloche
20 Simply Vegetables