I would like to start by thanking and congratulating the committee for the last three years for all their hard work in restarting and organising the Flower & Produce Show. It attracted nearly 500 entries this year and brought in quite a large number of visitors. Thanks are also due to all the judges. The judges for the alcohol section took the full two hours to sample all the entries and were still sober at the end!!.
It has been a very difficult year with a number of plot holders suffering from flooding. I have taken the matter up with the Town Council. The response was that hardly anyone has complained so they were unaware of the problems. More on this next time.
Judging for the best kept allotment was delayed this year due to the lack of a second judge. When I learnt that there was a problem I was able to recruit Dr Clare Johnson who works on the Gardeners World programme. Before that she was the agony aunt for Gardening Which. Clare has an allotment in Hemingford so I felt she was an ideal person for the job. She and Marney Hall were very diligent and spent at least 20 minutes on each plot. They saw a number of plots that they would have liked to judge but the tenants had not entered. In Huntingdon all plots are judged regardless. I am tempted to suggest that St Ives does the same. The judges are not looking for immaculate plots. Considerable emphasis is put on environmental matters. Composting, water saving and some bee friendly plants are all important.
The theme for next year’s Britain in Bloom is Herbs. St Ives in Bloom is planning to launch their campaign from our site next April with a seed give away and possibly more. More details in the next newsletter.
At the AGM Richard Weightman advised that HRAA members had spent £16k at Huntingdon Garden & Leisure over the last year. After adjusting for VAT the average discount per member was £13. In addition we are now members of the Marshalls Gardening Club thus qualifying for 30% discount on seeds. Please contact Jude Ongeri or the new membership secretary if you would like to take advantage of the scheme. Next year there may be further discount opportunities via our membership of the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardens.
The website of the above describes November as the time to clear away the debris and to dig, dig, dig. The writer obviously does not have an allotment on heavy clay soil. However, if the rain holds off for a bit it is a time to get manure or soil improver on to the plot. I avoided most of the flooding because when I took it on I was able to raise the level with two lorry loads of soil improver and quite a quantity of manure. Groundsman Roger Warboys is offering a trailer load of soil improver for £10.
Let’s hope that 2013 brings kinder weather.
Colin Saunderson
Chairman
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