24th March 2019

Dear All,

Spring certainly seems to have arrived and the magnolias in the front have put on as yet a frost free show. Gardening is well ahead with main crop potatoes planted this week as well as onion modules, beetroot, salad onions and land cress. I have also dug the compost trenches for runner beans so well ahead.

Magnolia

Runner Bean Trench

Monday night was the annual chapel 10 pin bowling event at Pidley – as usual it was a full house with 24 bowling and another 6 there for a meal.

Tuesday was the final session of “Wicken Fen” in the form of a guided tour which brought it alive more than the usual self-guided tour when it is sometimes hard to spot anything.

Wicken Fen

I met up with Terry Rugg on Wednesday night to finalise Moldova plans. It has been a struggle to raise sufficient funds this year but the amount collected doubled in the last fortnight.

We were in the Fens for our Thursday walk starting at Little Downham, reaching the Bedford Level where the Ouse Washes were flooded and covered with water birds.

 Bank of the New Bedford Level

Ouse Washes

In the evening we were invited to Churchill College for a very interesting Red Cross fund raising lecture given by Prof. Sir David Baulcombe on the topic of “Reconciling Biotech and Organic Cropping”. It was very interesting covering a range of topics including: Genetic Regulation, GMs, Speed breeding, Growing Mixtures & Companion cropping. We were the guests of Rosemary Pollack a former walking colleague, and ex lawyer, who was involved with supporting and funding the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

The subject of the final “Biography” of the year was “Frank Kingdom Ward” a plant collector in the early twentieth century. He went on 25 expeditions to China, Burma and Tibet collecting hundreds of specimens including most famously the blue poppy.

Yesterday’s football was a top of the table clash with Orwell which to say the least was full blooded including 3 penalties and uniquely both goal keepers being sent off! Over won 3 v 2.

Love

Mike & Kate