Page 8 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2021

Well it’s been an interesting year so far, at the time of writing these comments we are still in lockdown but things are looking up now the vaccination programme is making good progress. Considering how much time I have spent at home in the last 12 months I am still keeping busy and my to do list seems to be growing (even better than the veg!) although I have completed a number of jobs I have been meaning to do for years.
I am sure by now most of you are aware that the NVS has a new website which is well worth a look if you have not already, it has a very modern look. it is for members as well as public use and if you say what you would like to see on it I am sure it will be considered. The society owes Fiona Shenfield and Ian Stocks a great debt
and our thanks for all the work they did to achieve the website we now have which will be a great asset.
Grow your own food is still trending and looks like it will for a while yet, as a society we should be encouraging this and getting involved where we can. Once the major shows start to return, which hopefully they will this summer, our displays should try to promote GYO as well as the NVS. Not just on the basis of healthy food but reduced food miles, good exercise both physically and mentally, and as a way to reduce food poverty which appears to be a bigger problem than first thought. It is good to see people like Marcus Rashford getting involved which gets good publicity on the topic and certainly makes our politicians do something!
I see in the Branch news that some of you are keeping in contact by zoom or similar methods which is good. If you can encourage D.A’s to keep members involved
we shall be in a better position once the Covid pandemic has evolved and we start to return to normal.
We have a wide range of articles in this magazine which I hope you find something of interest, if not let me know and I will see what I can do. Barry Newman has been doing some reading over the winter (a far better use of your time than watching T.V!) and has found an old book on growing and showing potatoes. It is a very interesting article and shows how judging has changed over the years. Barry has also updated
the cultivars that are worth growing for exhibition, these cultivars will be of interest to all members as if they are good enough for exhibition they are likely to produce good crops and be worth growing to eat.
Emily Plumb completes her series on the vegetables she sowed last July and the crops that she has harvested
over winter; it shows that late
sowing if you have the space is worth doing, so don’t waste that ground. Emily also continues her series on It’s Sow Simple on how to grow vegetables for members who are new to growing.
From the Kitchen has
some recipes for what to do with the produce you have grown, if you keep your back issues of Simply Vegetables you should by now have a good collection of recipes
for using vegetables. If any of you have
good recipes I would be very pleased to receive them as cooking is not one of my strong points despite having a mother and grandmother who were excellent cooks. I got too used to the food being on the plate cooked and ready to eat!
I was very pleased to receive an article from Geoff Blowers on how he is adapting to growing following a severe accident, it is well worth a read and an inspiration to all of us as well as an example to older members to keep growing.
Talking of older members, there are two articles from members who are well past retirement age and interestingly both are trying to encourage us to keep digging and even deep digging; is this the secret to a long and active life? Jim Symonds sets out how to do double digging and trenching which as I comment in the article is hard work and time consuming but I think is worthwhile every few years. Roger Clements looks at soil composition and improving it
by double digging, we have the benefit of two gardeners with many years’ experience speaking here. I will be happy to include
Kelvin’s Comments
...make use of the space you have, you are paying rates or rent on it!
an article on no-digging if I receive one.
Gerry Edwards continues his regular articles on fruit growing covering the growing of strawberries using the table top system which many commercial growers now
use especially for the early crops in polytunnels. Have
a read of the article and see about giving
it a go, you could set the tables system up anywhere as soil is not required. It could also be used as part of a vertical growing system or on your patio, along your drive, in your polytunnel or with lights in your garage, make use of the space you have, you are paying rates or rent on it!
Graeme Le Marquand continues to keep Jersey D.A to the forefront, it’s amazing what can be achieved with enthusiastic leadership; he has a short report on the Jersey National Trust show and one also on how he grows his Jersey Royals early potatoes.
For those of you who wish to grow top quality leeks John Soulsby has penned an article on leek growing and a bit of history on the breeding of the champion exhibition leeks. These are the culmination of many years work by the breeders. Continuing the exhibition growing Ron Nutall has written about growing his potato crop this year and some changes he is making.
I have mentioned in previous comments about an article on drying fruit and vegetables and Adrian Baggaley has answered this call with an article on drying and preserving pomes. If you have a surplus / glut of crops drying is an option as the produce can be stored for a long time and can often be eaten as snacks; an expensive
8 Simply Vegetables
KELVIN MASON, NATIONAL MAGAZINE EDITOR