The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
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The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter Autumn 2014
From the chairman And so passes another summer. I trust you have filled your boots, bellies, pantries and freezers with the spoils of war. Well, it does sometimes feel like that, doesn’t it? I still have plenty to come, but I’m not sad at the season’s passing. As Samuel Butler said: “Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.” With apples to pick and spuds in the ground, not to mention some blackberries, tomatoes and quinces as I write this at the start of September, there is much to look forward to. Autumn is my favourite season and should be enjoyed as “the year’s last, loveliest smile” as William Cullen Bryant put it. So, put on your wellies, but also a happy face as you consider all you have achieved ... and all that you might do next year. This is a momentous year for SKGAS for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we are changing our rental year. I don’t know how many decades we have renewed in January, but it’s moving to October. I know this will catch some out, but by moving the date, we can let empty plots sooner to allow those members to prepare for the growing season. The other reason is that we have had to abandon any hopes of putting on a festival this year. The festival is a fantastic event that binds not only our membership, but cements our position in the community. It’s great PR and gives us a high profile among those who influence policy on how allotment land may be used in the future.
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Churchill’s words, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few” could easily be applied to the handful of people who usually run the festival. But with so few offering to support the festival – even for an hour – something had to give and it was the event. I never cease to be amazed at how many of our members enjoy attending the festival, but don’t offer any help. After all, it’s not Goodmayes’s festival, but SKGAS’s and that includes everybody. If you will miss the festival this year, why not drop me a line and tell me what you would be prepared to do to help ensure we have one next year? You can reach me at psafloyd@yahoo.com or contact another committee member. There is, however, one thing all our members can do this year and that is attend the Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning being held at Goodmayes on Sunday 28 September from 1130. There will be refreshments, cake and a raffle and if you’d like to donate anything for the stall – cake, jam, chutney, etc or a prize for the raffle – let me know and I’ll pass it on to the organiser. Two years ago, we raised the most in the region – more than £400 – and last year, we beat that figure. I look forward to seeing you there. Spending lots of money, of course. Pádraig Floyd Chair, Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society
The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Polytunnels at Benton Road
Earlier this year, the Society installed a polytunnel at Benton Road, with a view to further additions. Each tunnel would be rented by two existing society members having half the space each, encouraging the collegiate nature of allotmenting. Polytunnels can lengthen the growing season, increase crops and allow tender crops to be cultivated. Many thanks to Chris Goreham and Pรกdraig Floyd who came up with the idea, and to the members who helped with ground clearance and installation. If you would like a polytunnel space please contact Chris or Pรกdraig.
Brian Jeffries, Steve, and Fernando Rodrigues admire their handiwork.
Coach outing to West Dean On Saturday 21st June, a coachload of allotment society members and friends visited the gardens at West Dean. On a lovely sunny day the walled fruit garden, Victorian glasshouses and large kitchen gardens were of particular interest among many other gardenrelated attractions and areas to walk around. There was also an impressive craft fair (with some eye-watering prices) on the day of our visit. Many thanks to John and Pat Barber for once again organising the day out with their usual attention to detail.
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The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Competition results 2014 Alderman Clark Cup 2014 (best allotment) Plot 63BR 86 BR 74 BR 31 BR 23 VLS 5a VLS 88 Gm 68, 69 Gm 58a Gm 40 Gm 16a, 15b, 32 VLS 21 VLS 27 VLS 11 WRN 80 Gm 1 VLN 133a, 134a Gm 3b VLS 81 Gm 5b VLS 95b Gm 74a Gm 132b Gm
Name Score (0ut of 100) Michael & Janina Zacharia (winner) 89 Sandra Noronha (joint 2nd) 85 Karnail Banwait (joint 2nd) 85 Swarn Doal (highly commended) 84 Bernard & Joan Crowe (highly commended) 81 Sue Catterick (highly commended) 80 Oscar Marvel (highly commended) 80 John Mackin (highly commended) 80 Sheila Nisbet (highly commended) 80 John & Madonna Lang 78 Roger Backhouse 77 Herbert Pursue 77 Peter Southern 76 Stefan Woodward 75 John Jeremiah 71 Avtar Heer 70 Jed Lee 70 John Yu 69 Eleanor Murphy 69 Lisa Hearson 68 Zak Bickhan 68 Cathy Edwards 66 Denise Knapp 52
Chatting Cup 2014 (new starter) Plot 54BR 161 Gm 15a WRS 83a BR
Name St Elmo Licorish (winner) Christine Lawrence Trevor Stephens Ali
Score (0ut of 100) 65 64 63 52
Alan Hooker Memorial Trophy 2014 Judged by Mrs Cherry Hooker in August, this category, with no need for entry forms, is less precriptive than our other competitions. It is awarded for the tidiest, most attractive plot with the only stipulation being that it must feature flowers. Winner: Swarn Doal (31 BR), 2nd: Jo and Herbie Pursue (21 VLS), 3rd: Sheila Nisbet (58a Gm). Plots were judged on Monday 14th July (slightly later than planned due to bad weather the previous week). Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all those who entered. Special thanks to Malcolm Kennedy for judging and to Chris Goreham for chauffeuring. Cups and certificates will be presented at the AGM in early 2015. It would be great to see you there.
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The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Book review Margaret Willes The gardens of the British working class Yale University Press. 2014. £25. ISBN 978030018747 Most garden history is about the grand parks, and gardens of the rich, famous, great and good. All very well but ignoring what most people did in their garden patches. They were little photographed and never appeared in Country Life.
Margaret Willes has finally put matters right with an excellent account of the way working class gardens developed. She shows it is far more than allotments, important though they are. The window boxes of Spitalfields weavers, competitive growing by artisans, cottage gardens and specialist flower clubs started by ordinary working people are all part of the remarkable story involving considerable research.
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Especially interesting is the work many did to develop flowers, often skilled in breeding flowers with desired characteristics, and the ideas they began later adopted by their “betters” but never acknowledged. Local authorities played a part too in encouraging gardening, especially in London, where a gardening movement was active early in East London. An excellent book. Roger Backhouse
The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Annual Macmillan Coffee and Cake Morning and Produce Sale Sunday 28th September 2014, 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 pm, at Goodmayes Lane. This fund-raising event for Macmillan has been popular over the last two years and provides an enjoyable social occasion for a worthy cause. All members and their friends are welcome to attend. Once again, Marian Hogg will be co-ordinating this. All offers of help to erect gazebos, set tables up etc., gratefully received.
• Come along and support this great charity, buy and eat cake enjoyed with a cup of tea, coffee, juice and a natter! • Donate a cake or biscuits for sale! • Cake and Coffee related competitions with prize! • Raffle! • Throw a damp sponge at a loved one in the stocks! (weather permitting) • Allotment produce sale! • Pumpkin competition!
Trading Hut news Both trading huts, at Goodmayes and Vicarage Lane, will be open again for business on Sunday 21 September at the usual time, 9.30 to 12.00, and every week after until 26 October. During that period Autumn onion sets (white and red) and garlic will be on sale. In addition, in response to members’ requests we are procuring a range of spring bulbs from Woodford Horticultural Society – all at competitive prices. In that period Tuckers seed catalogues will be available in the huts, so anyone requiring particular seeds or potato varieties is asked to give their requests to Paul Dye or Peter Trimby. The usual comprehensive range of seeds, seed potatoes and onion sets will be available
on a first-come, first-served basis when the trading huts open again in February. In the winter months, from November to January when the huts will be closed, strimmers, mowing machines and cultivators may be hired by arrangement – details from the huts. From Sunday 1 February, through 26 July, our friendly volunteers will be there to assist you, either in purchasing from a range of reasonably priced goods, or even offering advice! Happy gardening, and lets hope for ‘normal weather’! Paul Dye (Trading Secretary)
Important - new plot rental payment date In January 2014 members were charged only three-quarters of the normal rental payment and membership fee, to cover the period until the end of September 2014. From 1st October 2014 the Society will permanently switch to an annual rental period that runs from 1st October to 30th September, so please be ready to pay for a full year’s allotmenting this October. 5
The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Society business Viewing the newsletter online This newsletter, along with the previous six editions, is available to view on-screen in colour at www.issuu.com/skgas We would like as many members as possible to view future newsletters online to save printing and postage costs which have again increased recently. If we do not have your email, or if you have recently changed your email address, please send your details to e.s.oliver@hotmail.co.uk
Wards Road north site steward needed The Wards Road north site has been without a steward for some time. If anyone who has a plot there would like to volunteer for the job please get in touch with Pádraig Floyd (psafloyd@yahoo.com) or Ed Oliver (e.s.oliver@hotmail.co.uk). It needn’t be an onerous task, which can range from keeping an eye on things and reporting problems to the committee, to getting hands-on with site development projects if you have time and inclination to be further involved.
Bonfires If you do have a fire once the ban is over at the end of September, please take care to avoid making excessive smoke, which can be a nuisance at any time of year. Ensure all material is dry and please don’t burn any plastic or rubber.
Change of payment date for plot rentals At the 2013 Annual General Meeting it was agreed that the payment date for plots should change from January to October. This will allow empty plots to be let during the autumn, giving new members much longer to dig, in readiness for spring planting. With the current system, plots
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are not often available until March. As relet plots are often grassy and overgrown it can be a struggle for new starters to clear enough space to grow anything, leading to disillusionment. Many other allotment societies already use this payment date. In January 2014 members were charged only three-quarters of the normal rental payment and membership fee, to cover the period until the end of September 2014. From 1st October 2014 the Society will permanently switch to an annual rental period that runs from 1st October to 30th September, so please be ready to pay for a full year’s allotmenting this October.
Use of our sites Please note that our lease from the council allows for quiet enjoyment of plots and we are restricted to using the facility during the hours of daylight.
Thanks Many thanks to Chris Goreham for repairing the toilets at Benton Road and Mafeking Avenue. Also to John Mackin for cementing repairs to the Goodmayes Lane hut, which no longer leaks around the base when it rains! Thank you to all who helped arrange a surprise celebration at Vicarage Lane South for Barney O’Neill’s 80th birthday – confirming the ‘Society’ element of the allotment society is alive and kicking!
Japanese Knotweed Outcrops of this invasive weed at our Wards Road sites were sprayed on 3rd May. We are keeping an eye on the problem and hope that further spraying will kill it off. Many thanks to Matthew Oliver for carrying out the work. Thanks also to Stefan Woodward and Josephine Pettersen who cut down a separate outbreak at Wards Road North, injecting weedkiller down the hollow stems of the plant.
The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
Society business (continued) Woodchip surplus
A large quantity of woodchip has accumulated at Goodmayes Lane. Members from all sites are welcome to collect supplies any Sunday morning when the Goodmayes site is open.
Site security
Unfortunately this year has not been free of break-ins, as members sheds and the trading hut at Goodmayes have been targeted. All members can help to deter thieves and vandals by ensuring gates to all sites are kept locked after you have entered your site and again when you leave.
Manure
Thanks to some detective work by Roger Backhouse, a phone number has been
obtained for the company that has taken over the manure clearing contract at Beckton stables. Hopefully, some of our sites may once again be included for manure delivery.
Congratulations
Roger Backhouse has had articles published in the July issue of Kitchen Garden magazine (‘One man went to hoe’, about weeds and weed control) and the autumn issue of Allotment & Leisure Gardener, the magazine of the National Allotment Society (Issue 3 2014) – a well-illustrated report on the recent water installation at Vicarage Lane South. A small number of copies of ALG are usually available at the trading huts, as the Society receives them as part of its subscription to the National Society.
Seasonal eating from the plot: Cock-a-Leekie soup A plain and simple recipe for Cock-a-Leekie, the classic Scottish soup – slow-cooked, wholesome and easy to make. For a twist on this recipe, you could use pearl barley instead of rice. For a quicker version, use left-over cooked chicken in some chicken stock. Ingredients (Serves: 8) • 1 whole chicken with giblets • 2 bay leaves • 500 grams leeks, chopped, white and green parts separated • 2 large carrots • 2.5 litres water • 30 grams rice • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Method Prep: 30min, Cook: 4hr, Ready in: 4hr30min
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Place the chicken, bay leaves, the green parts of the leeks and water in a large stock pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove chicken, giblets and bay leaves from the pot. Skim fat from the surface of the stock.
Add rice, white part of the leeks, thinly sliced carrots, salt and pepper to the stock. Simmer vigorously for 15 minutes, until rice is tender. Meanwhile, shred desired amount of chicken meat and add to the pot. Reserve any remaining chicken for another use. Simmer a further 5 minutes to ensure the chicken is warmed through before serving.
The Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Society newsletter
New in the trading huts – Slug Gone wool pellets This means that weeds have difficulty germinating on the surface and frequency of watering is cut down due to reduced evaporation. As an organic material, Slug Gone contains naturally occurring slow release nutrients, and when dug into the soil after use it will help feed plants and improve moisture retention. It is a biodegradable protein fibre which releases nitrogen, potassium, sulphur and other trace elements essential for plant growth.
Our trading huts are now stocking Slug Gone wool pellets. These are a natural, organic way to keep slugs and snails away from plants. The pellets form a highly effective textured barrier. They are made from wool taken from the ‘back end’ of the sheep, so they do have a sheepy smell but fortunately it is not unpleasant! Suitable for organic gardens and allotments, Slug Gone pellets are ideal for using around fruit, flowers and vegetables, and are perfect for use in tubs and baskets.
Dry pellets as they come out of the packet.
To use: Simply lay the pellets on the compost around the stems of plants, and water. Once wetted, the pellets “self-felt” to form a continuous mat around the stems. The minute fibres in the mat are an irritant to slugs and snails, and the mat also absorbs moisture from the slug’s foot, making it extremely difficult for them to travel. For best results apply Slug Gone in a 10cm (4 inch) wide band around the base of the plant. The wool pellet mat is also excellent at keeping the surface of pots dry, but retaining the moisture beneath.
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Dampened pellets round a young plant forming a woolly barrier, irritating to slugs and snails.