Plotting in the village hall

Gardeners club chairmen: Don (right) hands over to Roger

Our village gardening club has now been going 4 years, about as long as we’ve lived here.

Joining the club was a way to get to know people in the village. Two years on the committee gave me a taste for getting involved in community activities. All this and I’m not really a gardener.

Even though I’ve got an allotment, when it comes to stuff you don’t eat I’m useless. Some plants, bushes and trees are familiar, but horticulture’s not my thing.

I still enjoy the gardeners club meetings. It’s a great way to catch up on gossip or just have a moan about things in general.

So, there was a good 20 minutes of plotting as the meeting broke up with the usual plotters. We’re (mostly) harmless.

Open gardens in Buckland Brewer

Our gardeners’ club held its first open gardens event yesterday. Reaction to the day has been great.

The club sold about 60 maps showing about a dozen gardens around the village. We had visitors from Torrington and other parts of the area. Lots of people congratulated the club on organising the event.

Half of the proceeds will go to help repair the church bellframe. The club’s not done too badly either.

Best news: there were but a few drops of rain after a reasonably sunny morning and early afternoon.

After a hectic morning of cleaning and work in the garden, we could only visit about half of the gardens. But, it was great to meet old friends and new and see what others do in their private space.

I’m pleased to share a few photos of the day.

Woof!

The star of the show: Jake, the border collie.

David Kennard, North Devon shepherd, spoke at our gardeners’ club tonight. Gardening connection? Jake apparently is a good digger.

Full house in the village hall.  A great night had by all.

Awesome!

Gone fishin’

Metaphorically, of course.

When I return, a full report on the summer that has gone (some say it never arrived).

In the meantime, a picture of Castle Hill, where the gardeners club had a pleasant evening.

Potatoes and (an)other thing(s)

A parcel was awaiting my return from work. That’s the spuds delivered then.

Now all I need to do is find trays for chitting and a nice dry, airy and light place to leave them. In this cold, damp and dark house that will be a challenge.

I’m too tired to go into the whole chitting debate. Apparently “garden guru” and”TV personality” Monty Don says that chitting – more or less encouraging your seed potatoes to sprout before planting – does little for crop yield.

Who am I to argue with a “guru”? Well, it becomes a moot point as I’m at least 3-4 weeks off of planting the seed potatoes. They’ll chit nicely.

I’m just back from the gardeners’ club committee meeting. There is one and one only nomination so far for the new committee. That’d be me then.

Not much luck on finding brave souls to drive forward into our second year. We have until next Thursday to find volunteers.

Meanwhile, it seems as though we’ve been acting unconstitutionally for the last couple of months.

With a committee member resignation we are down to three officers and two committee members. Checking the consitution this evening, we are supposed to have at least three committee members. Also, the AGM is supposed to be held in March and not February.

Sack the committee!

Committee meeting – tomorrow

Tomorrow sees an important meeting of the Buckland Brewer Gardeners’ Club.

Our first Annual General Meeting is scheduled for 21 February. It might be our last.

The driving force behind the club, the chairman and secretary, have announced their intention to step down for one reason or another. In fact, they both said at the beginning of the club last February that they would give it a year: set up the club and leave it to others to drive forward.

At the inaugural meeting I put my hand up to volunteer. It was simply an attempt to get to know people in the village. It’s helped and I now feel – perhaps for the first time in my life – part of a community. As a committee member I’ve done my bit. I set up a crude website (which is very lonely, by the way); come up with a few ideas; snapped some photos at the “Fun Evening”.

So far it looks like there’s no new blood to take up the reins.

Would be a shame to see it fail.  But, I’m on a promise not to volunteer to do more than I already do.