WAGS NEWS
October 2009
Chairman's Piece
Looking back at last year’s report at this time, we had been having quite a spell of inclement weather which affected trade somewhat. This year we are holding our own, but only just.
With the Autumn looming fast we can now turn our thoughts to taking cuttings and overwintering those sensitive plants.
If you are not finding what you need at the Store, please let Colin or me know what we need to do to get it right for you.
On the up side, the Band Concert was a roaring success. The weather was warm and sunny and a record number of people enjoyed an afternoon listening to Goring & Streatley Concert Band play a wide and varied repertoire.
We have one more event this year, a trip to Wisley for their Apple Tasting Weekend on Sunday 18th October. Let Toni know if you want a seat or two on the coach.
The 2010 Membership Cards will be available shortly. Look out for the Dobies catalogues due out in October and get your seed orders in early so that you get the maximum discount.
We are always looking for some young blood to join the committee. Last year we filled all but one of our vacancies, that of Assistant Store Manager. In February we will be looking for a new Catering Officer. We can also co-opt new committee members at any time. If you would like to come and help us with one of these positions or want to know more, please call or e?mail me.
Bernard Novell
Autumn Show – 12 September
Again we were blessed with fine and sunny weather, though I think a bit more breeze than usual. Despite last year’s weather being poor and this year a lot better the Show was not as well attended in all respects, due we think to the number of other attractions going on locally.
The Show Halls were a bit slow to get going and the figures show why: there were 40 (58 last year) entrants and 298 (402 last year) entries – a decline of 31% and 26% respectively.
We welcomed our new NVS Judge, Jim Duckham. He was disappointed with the low number of exhibits in the vegetable classes overall; however, it was good to see some competition in the Novice Top Gardener and collections classes. Fruit was similarly light on entries, but in the traditional Dahlia and Chrysanthemum classes there were much higher quality blooms than last year.
In the Craft classes, there was a proliferation of needlepoint pictures which took our judges some time to decide on a winner.
There was the usual disappointment of a lack of entries in the Children’s classes, most of which had only one or two exhibits, some none at all; this despite making major changes to the schedule, introducing a points system and adding book tokens as prizes. We hope to improve numbers next year by forging better links with some of the local schools.
As the results came in it was neck and neck between Tom Buckingham and Jean Teles with Jean finally emerging as the clear leader in the race for the coveted RHS Banksian Medal. However, under RHS rules, one person cannot win this medal in three consecutive years and so it was awarded to Tom. Jean also collected eight trophies. Well done Jean!
We are grateful to the Mayor of Wallingford, Dee Cripps, who presented the trophies to the winners. You will find a full list of the trophy winners in the centre pages of the printed newsletter, or available to view or download here (in Adobe PDF format).
My thanks to the ‘team’ who set up and managed the entries system, fetched and carried tables and equipment, put together and dismantled the halls, judged the exhibits, stewarded the halls, pulled us through the trials and queries, fed the masses, and generally made sure everyone enjoyed the day.
Bernard Novell Show Secretary
Catering
Grateful thanks to the loyal and ever-willing band of helpers who worked tirelessly at both the Band Concert and the Autumn Show. How would I ever manage without you? Not forgetting the cake makers, who produced some excellent cakes. At the Band Concert the cakes sold out and we could have done with a few more (mental note for next year!). However, this was not the case at the Autumn Show and you made a splendid effort. Thank you!Barbara Caistor
Wags Store
The time has come again when the Spring bulbs are in store. We have seeds on sale at 65pence per packet and this includes Aquadulcie broad bean seed. The Dobies Seed Catalogue will be in the store from late September, so you can get your seed orders in early. There is 35% discount on seeds and 10% on plants ordered before Christmas. Afterwards, the discount is 10% on all orders. If you require a full sack of potato seed please let me know so that I can include it in the order to be sent in the next few weeks.
We are well stocked with composts for use in your greenhouse, hanging baskets and tubs. We also sell fertilizers by the kilogram and have liquid fertilizers and tomato feeds. Please come and have a look around the store—I or one of the helpers will be pleased to show you around and perhaps you will see how interesting it all is and offer to give some of your time helping out.
I am still looking for a Deputy Store Manager and also people to help out on odd Saturdays during the year; please contact me at the Store or on 01491 837648.
Christmas / New Year the Store will be closed 12 December 2009 and re-opens 9 January 2010.
Colin Timmins Store Manager
Band Concert
This year the WAGS 30th Band Concert held in the Castle Gardens raised funds for local charity Footsteps. Rounded up by funds from the Store charity box, a donation of £300 is being made on behalf of WAGS. Thanks to everyone for your support.
Demise of a Swimming Pool
I had an outdoor swimming pool built some 21 years ago. In view of the previous two bad summers and escalating running and refurbishment costs, I decided in October to have the pool filled in. Fortunately I had read a few years ago Mel Bartholomew's book on “All New Square Foot Gardening”* and purchased a copy at that time. The clearance of the site took 10 days and the area was replaced with approximately 80 tons of top soil. Whilst this was happening I made the raised beds and an assortment of wooden frames covered in either Wondermesh or wire netting.
Within three months a greenhouse was erected and the raised beds in place. As a complete novice, I topped up all the beds with ample amounts of horse manure. It was only later that I read that this will seriously impact on the quality of some vegetables!! In this respect I have produced a nice crop of forked carrots. I have certainly appreciated the guidance from Albert and Colin at the WAGS Store—indeed all the assistants at the shop are very helpful. I was also very grateful to Albert for his tip about covering the cauliflower heads with the outer leaves and also ensuring that runner beans have plenty of water.
To summarise, my wife and I have been able to grow more than 20 different vegetables and some flowers. Apart from the carrots, the only other failure so far was the cucumbers, which I now know do not like to be transplanted! I have found that small raised beds are easier to weed and manage, although they do dry out that much more quickly in warm weather. Crop rotation is also simple to arrange and I have already planned the crops for 2010.
As to be expected, earlier this year it would have been brilliant to have a swimming pool… however, I have no regrets in making the switch to grow our own. This is a brief outline of my project. Hopefully next year's growing should be that much easier. With renewed thanks for all the guidance I have received during 2009.
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* Mel Bartholomew Square Foot Gardening – A New Way to Garden in Less Space with Less Work ISBN 978-1-5794-856-8 (PBk). www.squarefootgardening.com
Keith Robinson
WAGS Member, Benson
From Strength to Strength
Imagine our delight at Fir Tree Junior School, to find we had been awarded five prizes in the W.A.G.S. Autumn Show on Saturday 12th September. After a frenzied few days harvesting produce, as we realised how close the show was, it was fantastic to see this rewarded with both certificates and prize money!This latest triumph, vying against the established gardeners of Wallingford, is just another ‘feather in the cap’ of our school garden. In 2004, Fir Tree decided they wanted to tackle child health in a proactive way by changing school dinner providers (way before Jamie Oliver copied our idea!). With the help of Kit Taplin we transformed the menu we could offer, raising children’s awareness of a balanced diet and where their food came from. Our vegetable garden, first established in 2005 with the help of parents, volunteers from Sustainable Wallingford, and pushed forward by the enthusiasm and energy of Sam Settle, was originally a small concern, growing vegetables for the school kitchen. Since then it has been developed to offer learning opportunities to our pupils, who have been involved in the planting, tending and harvesting of the crops grown. The garden has gone from strength to strength, doubling in size, supporting the curriculum in science, geography, art and PHSE, as well as providing a base for our parent-child-nurturing group. The garden has become pivotal to the food cooked in the kitchen, and has the potential to provide 25% of the fruit and vegetables needed by our creative new cook Siva, who is a master at making meals that are tasty, wholesome and healthy.
We are so proud with what we have achieved with our garden at Fir Tree School; to have this recognised publicly in the local community is the ‘icing on the cake’.