Page 52 - Simply Veg Issue 3 2019

Northern Branch
Lancashire DA
Back in March our Chair David Metcalfe asked if anyone could help with an event we’d been invited to – at a school in Chorley, Andrew’s invited us, something to do with growing. I booked a day off work to help David, joined by Road Show Flight Captain Bob Mason (Flight Captain II Paul Goodman was laid up), with Show Roadie Gavin Crossley helping too. I got together some pots, my potting tray, compost and a range of easy edibles to grow and off we went.
Well what a blinder NVS Member Andrew Clark, Deputy Head of St James’ CE Primary School in Chorley played! Cracking event – Let’s Get Growing 2019 - to which 11 local schools were invited and a host of Societies and other organisations. It was like being
in the Groups and Societies Marquee at Chorley and Southport Shows.
The room was buzzing with what seemed like hundreds of children in their little school groups, going around the room to each stall to plant something – strawberries, begonia, sweet peas, seed or learn about where food comes from. They were like little sponges, soaking up what they were being told and loved getting their hands dirty planting seeds. We also gave out onion sets, seed potatoes and little goodie bags. It was great to hear so many of the schools had growing gardens and gardening clubs. I hope between us we all sparked a lifelong interest in growing for some of the children. We look forward to doing the same again next year Andrew Clark. Well done Sir!
The DA Talks are now at an end for the season. We had some excellent speakers
Andrew Clark, Deputy Head and some of the Attendees
NVS members, Cath Holmes, David Metcalfe, and Bob Mason (all in green) manning the NVS stall at the “Lets Get Growing 2019” school event.
and themes through the 2018/19 season. Following Clive Pearson in January we were joined by fellow NVS Member and Northern Branch Chair Adrian Read, who spoke about growing onions for exhibition and gave us
a behind the scenes insight to the nursery he works at. March saw John Bebbington and his wife Coral giving a month by month insight into growing on their allotment in the Crewe area. And great to see their grandson so interested and involved with growing too. The season was rounded off by John Smiles which was a combination of the rhubarb and strawberry farm he works at and his home growing/showing year.
Lets get Growing 2019, sponsors and Groups involved
We thank all the speakers who have entertained and educated the DA, some traveling quite a distance to do so. Without their support and the folk who attend the meetings, I’m sure the DA wouldn’t be as strong as it is. We have more talks lined up to start in October 2019 – details to follow.
Update from the last article on my growing – chillies, peppers and aubergines doing well, a couple of loofah germinated
as did snake gourd and cucumber but they’re all mixed up so that’s going to be a surprise until fruiting, achocha is going mad, cucamelon and tomatoes are romping on but a bit behind, peas and beans need to go
One of the Trade display stand Judges at Harrogate
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