Volume 19 Part 1 £3.99 N 50 Years and Still Growing the quarterly magazine of the National Vegetable Society WINTER 2012 Truffles PAGE 27 Young Grower PAGE 12 Soil facts PAGE 36 simply sponsored by grow2eat.com savings, benefits and discounts Membership renewal forms enclosed simply vegetables The Quarterly Magazine of the National Vegetable Society Volume 19 Part 1 January 2013 Charity registered 1088979 Articles, notices, meetings etc relative to National National your Branch and DA should be sent to the President Chairman sub-editors below.…53 years Medwyn Williams MBE Barry Newman FNVS Scottish Branch AHRHS FNVS 01403 711598 01248 714851 e-mail: Sub-Editor:and still growing e-mail: [email protected] Jim Williams FNVS [email protected] 01875 320644 or medwynsofanglesey.co.uk e-mail: [email protected] Northern Branch Sub-Editor: Tony Featherstone FNVS the team 01482 631110 15th-17th March 2013 | Stoneleigh Park e-mail: National Vice Chairman Membership Registrar [email protected] David Allison FNVS Branches 01943 862106 Neil Hope FNVS Midland Branch e-mail: 01932 844183 [email protected] [email protected] Sub-Editor: ASK THE EXPERT General Secretary Mrs June Davies FNVS David Thornton Msc FNVS Keith Abel FNVS 01531 822750 07778 622628 Chairman, Northern Branch e-mail: e-mail: 01964 552307 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] INSPIRATION Southern Branch Assistant Secretary Mark Hall FNVS John Croot FNVS Sub-Editor: ‘HAVE A GO’ SESSIONS 07768 290122 Secretary Northern Branch David Wall FNVS 01773 834213 01747 854108 [email protected] e-mail: Treasurer [email protected] DEMONSTRATIONS Derek Aldred, FNVS Colin Lewis FNVS 01373 836414 Chairman, Welsh Branch Welsh Branch e-mail: [email protected] 01267 236586 Sub-Editor: Mob: 07880 504344 Mary Thomas FNVS SHOPPING [email protected] Web Manager 01691 780420 Ian Stocks FNVS Mary Thomas FNVS e-mail: 01324 821274 Secretary, Welsh Branch [email protected] e-mail: 01691 780420 [email protected] [email protected] NVS Ireland DVD Distribution Editor: Call or book online Executive John Branham, FNVS Michael Gordon Gordon Francis FNVS Chairman Midland Branch 0844 338 8001 | www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk Southern Branch Chairman 086871 3359 01296 681307 e-mail: 01622 710486 [email protected] For groups of 10 or more call 0800 358 0058 e-mail; [email protected] [email protected] Chairman of the Judges Sandra Hall, FNVS and finally, myself… Examination Board Secretary, Midland Branch National Jim Williams FNVS 01952 541396 EXCLUSIVE NVS MEMBERS TICKET OFFER! 01875 320644 Magazine Editor e-mail; [email protected] David Allison FNVS A FURTHER 10% OFF EARLY BIRD RATE. JUST QUOTE NVS13* Also Chairman and Newsletter editor of the Scottish 18 Sandholme Drive, Branch Burley-In-Wharfedale, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, Our sponsors and supporters LS29 7RQ 01943 862106 e-mail; [email protected] …to whom all articles for inclusion in the magazine should be sent. * No limit to tickets bought per person through this offer. Adult ticket price using offer £10.80. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with another offer or promotion. simplyvegetables 3 Kitchen Garden and the National Vegetable Society – contents together helping the nation to grow better vegetables The Team Movers and Shakers in the NVS .............................................................................................................. 3 Chairman’s Thoughts ............................................................................................................................................. 5 chairman’s thoughts Editor’s Ramblings A bit of everything ..................................................................................................................... 6 DVD Library ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Barry Newman FNVS Membership Applications and Renewals................................................................................................................ 9 Recipe page ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 Editor’s Postbag Your chance to have your say on any matters horticultural ............................................................ 12 NVS Member Survey, summary of findings .......................................................................................................... 15 Firstly may I wish all of you a happy new year and in the formal sense with fixed meetings but one that BOOK REVIEW: Composting with Worms ........................................................................................................... 16 let’s hope for a little less inclement weather for the communicates by email, messaging and telephone. I forthcoming season. News from the Executive ..................................................................................................................................... 18 look forward to receiving their advice in due course Having said that, I’m beginning to think us growers are Whilst commenting on new initiatives can I mention Jersey Black Butter ............................................................................................................................................. 19 6 a bit like farmers, nothing’s ever right but somehow we the work of Claire Hart has been carrying out for us. Jobs for the coming months in the Kitchen Garden ............................................................................................. 20 manage to come through in the end. I think particularly You will see in this edition of SV results of the survey Diary date 2013 ................................................................................................................................................... 21 of the disastrous start to the season last year when carried out by Claire. Whilst of a general nature at Getting Started on the Allotment Part 4 ............................................................................................................... 22 ground was flooded and shows cancelled, yet everyone this stage, it is information we have previously been Growing Truffles Commercially in the UK .............................................................................................................. 26 seemed to grow and show some of the best vegetables without but it will now allow us to concentrate on Gardening at St Paul’s Primary School, Walkden, Manchester Part 2 .................................................................. 28 I’ve seen in my twenty years with the Society. target areas where member’s expectations are not Last year in my first piece for SV I said I was being met. Equally important is the public relations Apples Around the British Isles – A Brief Tour ....................................................................................................... 30 anxious to visit all regions and make myself known. work Claire has been doing, the major part of which Peat free compost trial ......................................................................................................................................... 33 I am pleased to say I completed the ‘grand tour’ in is raising our profile in the gardening press and with Medwyn Williams’ 2012 Masterclass Weekend at Llanberis ................................................................................. 34 November with a visit to the annual Scottish Branch the media in general. I have personally been asked to Our precious SOIL with some help from history ................................................................................................... 36 seminar at Penicuick, Edinburgh. A long way, but very contribute to several titles and I know colleagues have Sowing the seeds to a greener generation ........................................................................................................... 39 12 much worth it to be part of such a well organised as well. It is important that we take every opportunity Squeezing vegetables into a small space ............................................................................................................. 40 event and meet so many enthusiastic members. I to promote the NVS and make sure we are seen as thought I had travelled a fair distance from the south the leading authority in the growing of vegetables. The Budget Garden, part one .............................................................................................................................. 41 coast to Edinburgh, but you only begin to appreciate The major disappointment continues to be the slow The road to showing vegetables. Part 1 ............................................................................................................... 42 time and distance when introduced to a colleague progresses in attracting new members, despite the “ I have Are we doing all we can recruit new members? ................................................................................................... 43 from the Western Isles who had taken a day to get continuing “Grow Your Own” boom. Again, your ideas The Scotts Abroad .............................................................................................................................................