4th July 2010

4th July 2010.

Dear All,


It has been a fairly busy week. On Monday morning some of us went to Eden, Cambridge to hear an American, Wayne Gruden talk about “Christianity and Politics”. In the afternoon the college visit was to Selwyn where they spend more time planting annual borders than any previous college we encountered.

Selwyn Gardens

In the evening we joined some of the U3A walkers for a meal at the Golden Ball at Boxworth where we had recently dined with the cousins.
On Tuesday I was surprisingly in charge of the NIAB Salads open day at Shippea Hill (I thought I was just helping but my colleague opted for a training course). In the evening the chapel cricket team were performing on Parkers Piece but I did not get there in time to play.

Salads in Fen flat fields

On Wednesday I patched the wicket and tidied the garden before attending our old NIAB director John MacLeod’s funeral in Over church. There was a huge turnout as he was very personable and kept involvement with several organisations including RHS after retirement. There were 5 eulogies at the service. Afterwards I was picked up by Rob Haward to drive down to Devon via Norton (one of their bases) to help his company Riverford Organics with some consultancy on vegetable varieties. They are the largest box scheme in the country with a turnover of £35m. They operate from 5 sites including Sacrewell near Peterborough with HQ at Buckfastleigh near Newton Abbot. Growing vegetables in Devon with steep fields and narrow lanes is a challenge, so is growing 40 different vegetable crops and maintaining continuity and diversity throughout the season. Highlight was eating in their Field Kitchen where they show off the quality of their produce. They currently have a similar operation touring the country feeding people in a yurt.


Rhubarb in not so flat Devon

The journey back on Friday afternoon was painful as there seemed to be an accident or traffic jam every 50 miles.
Yesterday I was speaking at a farm walk in Willingham where a Christian farmer opens his operation for inspection every year with a guest speaker, farm tour, rare breed inspection and BBQ. I was due to speak in a barn using Powerpoint and Kate had collected the chapel laptop as we were leading the Family Service today. When I arrived I had picked up the wrong laptop! - but fortunately it was close enough to zip home and swap.

Farm walk in Willingham

Kate’s cough is much better but has not completely disappeared.
Love

Mike & Kate