03/12/2024
Review of the Year Part 2
Right in the middle of the year now and the Devon County Show, a 3-day affair and lots of people around. We put a lovely 3m wall display together near one of the entrances to the Marquee. Steve from CDS (the first time we see him in the year) plants was particularly taken with a Lemon Lime mini we had on the display which we had managed to make exceedingly vibrant and in your face. Michael Caines stopped to talk in his capacity as president of the Devon County Show. Charming gentleman, but he was most concerned with the gap at the front. I re-assured him that this would be filled with clay pots and bowls, and we were still in build mode. Got a Gold, whey hey.
The following weekend it was the Tavistock Garden Show, held in the Pannier Market. Unfortunately, was delayed as poor Tegan was ill. It turned out that Tom the duty officer for the market had been calling back home whilst I was travelling down panicking that we wouldn’t be there to make a display. Yes, admittedly a little late, but we knuckled down, got the display put together and as the customers came in, was busy putting our sales tables together at the same time as dealing with the public. Busy time, but an enjoyable one, and the people were so nice. Managed to purchase a piece for our Alice themed display at Taunton and Malvern.
End of the month and another busy one, the Royal Bath and West, a big show. Nigel works hard putting this all together, and he also has to put his own Carnivorous plant display together, but still manages to look after us all. Loads of other traders we know here, all lovely people. This time we had a lovely Hosta Golden Gate, a gold variety that we had managed to make REALLY gold. David Domoney was the guest speaker, and he stopped by and we had a quick chat, last year when I was talking to him he said I reminded him his old tutor at college! Oh, got a Gold again.
Into June now and the first big farming job. Our local farming friend cut the 5-acre field for silage (excluding the enclosed areas) this year, last year she put her sheep on both fields to graze them down and help with management, but because of the wet winter we decided to crop the fields this year. All in all it took 3 days to cut, turn, bale and wrap. She managed to get 37 big round bales off the field.
After the silage, topped, and chain harrowed the field to clean it up. I then prepped a small area to attempt an over sowing of meadow flowers, clover and some improvers. Admittedly it is the wrong time of year to do this, but with the weather we have had it was the only time to try this out.
Off to Hellens Garden Festival in Herefordshire. This is quite a different show, but lovely vibes with over 90 plants, food, craft and music elements throughout the site. Lots of children, families and groups of people. Loads of space to mill about and things to do. We made a few new friends here, which we always try to help and encourage. Another Tom, from Tom’s Yard and several others. The Scouts do a great job assisting and guiding the track at this one.
End of June and attending the Axe Vale Show as South Hele Cross Farm, not too many exhibitors at this one, but we put a one table display together and got on great guns with our neighbors.
The last event for June was the Devon Hardy Plants society plant fair at Burrow Farm. I must confess I wasn’t feeling too great at this one, not sure why, but managed to wake up halfway through and put a smile on. Luckily Tegan was there for this one. The weather wasn’t too bad, and we were next Tom from Piccolo plants. Later in the day Giulia brought their little one with her, and Sid came too!
Into July and attended the July AGM for the Hosta and Hemerocallis Society AGM at Broadward Hall and Gardens in Shropshire. Caro delivered a wonderful presentation about her collection of Hermerocallis, and the restoration of their walled garden. We were then allowed to envelop ourselves in her fabulous collection in the walled garden.
Middle of July and off to the Devon Plant Heritage sale at the South Molton Panier market. Jonathan, Janet and Gary worked hard at looking after us all. It was really nice in the cool market and people were coming through at quite a rate of knots.
Big thing for this year, we made small bales of hay in the 3.5-acre field. Now this may not sound like much, but we made hay the old-fashioned way, which takes more effort and more time than the modern big bale method, and it is the first time I have been involved in hay making for 30 years, Crickey doesn’t time fly when you’re not looking. It turned out that Ashley and Ruben were so excited to be making small bale hay, it’s a lot of work, but the excitement is a bit like waiting for Christmas, can’t explain it to somebody that has not been involved. Making hay is a lot of work, but there is something about bringing in the harvest you don’t get any more with modern big bale hay.
After cutting Ashley turned the hay 15 times over about 5 days, which really cleans a field up really nicely, we brought in a local contractor to bale it, whilst Ashley was rowing up. I started stacking in the field in preparation for carting the bales into the barn. All told we made much more than I anticipated and got 410 bales of hay. We finished baling by about 5pm, and Ashley managed to bring a large although tall trailer, and we started carting the bales back to the barn. The biggest danger in bringing hay into a barn is fire. When I was growing up, we always heard of a barn fire when we were doing hay. This is caused by the drying of the bales, which generates heat, the wetter the bales the more heat. This is why when I was growing up, we always put them into small stacks in the field to ensure that if we got a shower, they were less likely to get wet, and whilst collecting you only had to go to fewer stops. The first round ended with me on the trailer and Ashley and Belinda throwing up to me and Ruben driving in the field, the second was with Belinda and I jointly throwing up to Ashley. I left them at about 10.30pm, with one last load to go and they went on to finish after midnight. We kept a few bales for ourselves, and Belinda got the bulk of them in her barn. The end of another season.
End of July off to Chennies Manor House, Buckinghamshire. Janet had insisted we leave early, in the end we could have left a little later. Lovely venue, and we set up next to the local bee keeping group. Great day, with the Lady of Manor purchasing a big Empress Wu in a 4L pot, which she handed to her assistant. You could see them walking from across the whole site, lovely. We met some fellow Hosta growers, and we got on really well with the boys. We even had several customers that had seen us at the Royal Bath and West who insisted on trying to introduce everyone to our Hostas. Another memorable moment was we got mobbed by a lovely group of ladies from Ireland who went through every hosta on the tables, asking loads of questions.
