Page 46 - Simply Veg Issue 1 2016

Scottish Branch
Chairman’s thoughts
Firstly I hope everyone has had a wonderful Festive Season and you are now looking forward to 2016. 2015 was a busy year for Scottish Branch, particularly with the Nationals in Dundee, so I am personally looking forward to a rest and just showing at Wales this year.
Our Seminar in November was again a resounding success and my thanks go to all of our members involved in the organisation and running of it - without you there would be no Seminar.
Jim Williams our Scottish Branch Sub-Editor intimated at the last Committee Meeting that he was standing down from this post at
the AGM. Jim has been in this role for a long number of years so my thanks go to him for the great job he has done. However we do need to have someone replace Jim so if you are interested in doing this job for the Branch please give myself or Jim a call or email - even if you just want to nd out what the role entails.
This year we are bringing out a couple of initiatives in Scottish Branch. Starting in February we are introducing an electronic newsletter that will be circulated to members by email 4 times a year in between the SV magazine dates. This will be used to try and keep members in Scotland a bit more up to date with what is happening, and also can be used by an individual member or Society to let the rest of the membership know what they are up to. Although Jean our Membership Registrar has a lot of email addresses if you want to be added to the list please just forward me your email address (to ian.stocks@blueyonder.co.uk). We are also working on a series of booklets on growing exhibition vegetables. These booklets will be on individual vegetables and will be written by some
of the top growers e.g. Alistair Gray on Leeks, Ian Simpson on Stump Carrots, Jim Pearson on Cauli owers, Joe Proudlock on Potatoes ,Jim Gradie on Peas and myself on Long Carrots. Hopefully these will prove to be a success, and one which we can further develop in the future.
I am also excited about some of the work we are doing in partnership with Premier Hydroponics in Edinburgh which is the subject of a separate article. More and more I am convinced that the way forward may lie in
the area of Controlled Environment Growing, particularly in the part of returning back to the basics with regards soil and plant management. I don`t think we have all the answers despite the 50 odd years the Society has been going, and in the same vein neither do our partners in using a Controlled Environment. However we both can bene t from each other’s knowledge which ultimately will give us greater knowledge and choices to make growing vegetables even more rewarding.
Best wishes for the coming year and I hope to see most members at various events throughout the year.
Ian
Best in show from Jim Pearson
2015 Scottish Branch Championships results
Class
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Collection
Mini Collection Cauli owers
Carrots, stump rooted Tomatoes
Onion sets Shallots
Potatoes, coloured Celery
Parsnips
Three vegetables
Calum Little
John Currie
Jean Thomson
Jim Williams
David Munro
George Scott
Eric Craik
Alistair Gray
Joe Proudlock
Eric Craik
Niall Currie
Jim Mercer
Joe Proudlock
Tom Hardwick
Jim Gradie
Joe Proudlock
George Scott George Cumming
Hugh McLeod David Munro
Alistair Gray
Niall Currie
Eric Craik
Neil Muirhead
Hugh McLeod
Alistair Gray
James Pearson
Leeks, pot
Allan Manning
George Scott
Graham Taylor
James Pearson
Alistair Gray
Jackie Davidson
Peas
James Pearson
Calum Little
Jim Gradie
Neil Muirhead
James Pearson
Jim Veitch
Beetroot, globe
Niall Currie
Eric Craik
Neil Muirhead
Neil Muirhead
Jim Gradie
George Scott
Onions, Lge exhibition
Alistair Gray
Graham Taylor
Neil Muirhead
Ian Simpson
Jim Gradie
Jackie Davidson
Onions, <250g
Niall Currie
Jim Gradie
Alistair Gray
James Pearson
Fiona Shen eld
Jim Gradie
Potatoes, white
Alistair Gray
Jim Williams
Joe Proudlock
Alistair Gray
Jim Williams
Jim Gradie
Leeks, blanch
Neil Muirhead
Alistair Gray
Eric Craik
Jim Williams
James Pearson
Frank Taylor
Beetroot, long
James Pearson
Robert Lind
Calum Little
Ian Simpson
Allan Manning
Joe Proudlock
Carrots, long
Ian Simpson
Joe Proudlock
Alistair Gray
Neil Muirhead
46 simplyvegetables