Page 37 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2020/21

As there has not been any shows
this year the picture below shows
a display I put on at the front of my house during the local Stoke Golding Village Scarecrow festival (August Bank Holiday weekend).
It was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. The interest from visitors/passers-by
was tremendous. Questions included
‘are they real? How do you grow carrots that straight? Why are the skins on the potatoes so good? And there was much surprise that this can be grown in a small veg plot at home.
I also had a bowl of ‘Apero’ and ‘Mimi’ toms for interested children to taste.
The arm on the right is the arm of the scarecrow (theme was key workers in this case veg/food producers)
Regards,
Phil Burgess
Letter from Roger Clement of the Midland Branch
LETTER ONE
Dear Editor,
I have 150m2 allotment in North Bristol that has a Southerly aspect determined form the lowest point. From the East there is sun for most of the day resulting in a Mediterranean micro-climate but there is a constant easterly wind. The soil is dark brown, sandy and nitrogen leaches out and has to be replaced; chicken pellets are apparently excellent for this problem.
My neighbouring plot is for those with learning difficulties and youngsters with special needs and their carers. There is a concrete base and raised beds of brick or wood to 1 metre height with galvanised rails to support people with balancing difficulties. A problem is keeping the soil watered as it is difficult lifting full cans of water to this height. There is a hosepipe ban on the allotments.
My friend Bernard (a former sapper, I was in the Welsh Guards) and we sit in my shed having a cup of tea discussing war stories. He is disabled and gardens from a mobility scooter, he buys his plants from D.T.Brown and gives me some in exchange for some weeding and watering. Bernard is thinking about joining the NVS. (Do what you can to encourage him – Ed).
There is largely no knowledge of the
NVS in North East Bristol although there was another member in the area. Perhaps information sheets could be distributed on allotment sites and perhaps local radio to raise awareness. Could the trustees look at what can be done to attract new members in the area so that a D.A could be formed.
Garden joke: a young lady went to the doctors about a pain in her legs. The doctor said “hop on to that chair” he made some quick slashes with his scalpel. She said “what have you done the pain has gone” and the doctor replied I have taken 50cm of the top of your wellies”.
LETTER TWO
Dear Editor,
I congratulate Mr Snowden on his making life easier for the mature gardener’s
article in the last magazine. This article could not have been more appropriate considering my experience, I am now 85.5 (the RHS requires metric!) and have a 150m2 allotment. Recently I have lifted upright a small shed, loaded 4 tonnes of municipal compost and barrowed it up hill to my plot. I hope this does not read as
a comment on my fitness but a report of my experience as I have recently received different medical advice. One that I should not be taxing myself at your age, the other
if you feel you can do it, then do it. Gardening, in many doctors views
should be on prescription as it involves many forms of exercise including cycling or walking to the allotments. For some a bus pass may be useful although these are not available for everyone. Try to do nothing for a while say 4 or 5 minutes to relax and listen to the birds singing. Have a mug of tea very hour whilst you rest.
Our garden shop has a kneeler which can be borrowed for tasks that require a lot of bending or kneeling. Other possible remedies have included using no-dig also apparently digging can damage the soil structure and animal life in the soil. Watering with two half can rather than one full one. Using lighter tools and fewer of them. It is important to dress for the weather regardless of the time of year. A brew up in the shed is relaxing and gives time to think of what to do next.
Dig a trench down to the water table, drop your smart phone in and backfill! (One way of getting away from social media! – Ed)
Should allotment sites have a defibrillator? Apparently there is a 30% chance if it being required by someone on the site.
Roger Clement
Simply Vegetables 37