13th October 2019

Dear All,

We started “Just Vegetating” teaching again on Monday. We have increased the size of the class as there was a long waiting list and nearly everyone turned up for “Carrots & Parsnips”. Kate followed this by attending “The Balkans” which I had also applied for but did not get in.

We replenished the tropical fish tank on Tuesday with more Neon and Glowlight Tetras and a few Guppies from Coton Garden Centre then raided the Fenwick’s allotment for some Delphiniums.

Wednesday was the Seed Company Open Days in Lincolnshire. I was accompanied by Lawrie and Howard from the walking group and managed to get round 7 of the 8 sites. It has been very wet in Lincs hence the talk of £3 cauliflowers and Christmas sprout shortages but the plots were not too bad. There was still a lot of influence on Broccoli that falls into florets with a single cut and varieties which produce small sideshoots to replace the labour intensive Chinese broccoli. There were also demonstrations of two mechanical harvesters to cover the anticipated shortage of harvesting labour. The Japanese company Sakata as ever went to town on the vegetable based decorations.

Seminis Mini Broccoli

Seminis – Multisideshoot Broccoli

Takii Ornamental cabbage

Hazera Mechanical Harvester

Clause Romanesco

Sakata  -Take me to your Breeder!

  

Sakata Display

Syngenta Baby Leaf array

 

Elsoms Carrot, Beetroot & Parsnip Display

Thursdays walk started at Graveley and took in Offord Darcy and Offord Cluny on the River Ouse. It was not the most scenic walk with large windblown stretches of Rape and stubble.

“Biographies” on Friday began with “Benjamin Franklin” who packed so much in his life that the presenter ran over time.  We entertained Grace & Arthur again in the afternoon part of which was spent harvesting squash from the allotment.

Yesterday we drove down to Hutton for Esther’s birthday lunch. Mary-Ann, Andy and family were up from Hove and Emma’s mother sister and family also attended so quite a houseful with much wedding talk and trying on of bridesmaids and page boy outfits.

Ben flew to Japan on Thursday arriving about the same time as Typhoon Hagibis! He and three mates were due to watch the England v France Rugby match which was of course, cancelled and were confined to their hotel for sometime by the hurricane and an earthquake, but have travelled to the far south today to watch Wales v Uruguay.

With love

Mike & Kate