It's Show Time!

At last there is a show dedicated to Grow Your Owners.  It was, as they say, a Grand Day Out at the first ever Edible Garden Show, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire (18-20th March).

There was a real buzz about the place and not just because of an interesting introduction to beekeeping.  We met a man who can talk to chickens and there were rare breed pigs to drool over.  I loved the Tamworths and Gloucestershire Old Spots.  The fancy hens were fancier than fancy, with plumes in every imaginable colour, including blue.  The Experts in the theatre were not pretending to be experts and we particularly enjoyed the presentation about caring for chickens.  ( Reassuringly, we are on the right lines although the talk has chivied us into moving our own hens to new 'pasture' after the winter and to get them wormed asap.) 

There was information and guidance about every aspect of growing fruit and veg and it was great to see so many people interested in where their food comes from and how it is grown.  There was real energy and enthusiasm wherever we went.  The organisers chose an ideal time of year for the show, just when the sap is rising and yes, I am talking about the gardeners!  We all start getting over excited in the spring.  There are so many good things to come from our plots - well hopefully!

Of course the credit card took a bashing. There was a plant pot for every occasion (and occasions I hadn't thought of) and all kinds of quirky gardening paraphanalia which was desperately crying out to taken to a garden shed (and probably never used!).  Doc bought some sensible muck boots because they work really well and we couldn't miss the opportunity to pick up 3 bags of organic peat-free vegetable compost for a tenner. We wish we had bought 6 now.

The only downside was that there was a limited choice of places to eat and drink and we couldn't find a place to sit down. However, we managed to keep ourselves going with a good hog roast in a bun, washed down with some local cider. 

It was not a huge event like an RHS show but the admission ticket price reflected this and the parking was free.  We were so surprised at this we actually looked for someone to pay!  With a bit of encouragement I think this Show will grow and grow.....  We are definitely going again next year.

The Panel pose for a 'Red Nose Day' pic



The highlight for us was attending a recording of BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time.  I wrote out a question for each of us and Doc's was selected.  He had to go and sit at the front with the other questioners and he spoke very confidently into the microphone. 

Doc asked:  "We have asparagus growing under an old apple tree.  Have any of the panel experienced success where according to expert advice, there should have been failure?"  Bob said he once tried growing coffee but everyone said it would fail.  However, he did succeed, the only trouble was that the resultant brew was disgusting!  Anne Swithinbank said she tried sowing parsley seed in an unheated greenhouse in the middle of this last arctic winter - and it germinated .  Pippa Greenwood said she breaks the rules all the time and that you win some, you lose some.  Anyway, it was good see how the programme is put together.  Eric Robson is a great presenter - though he told us all a joke, so good, we have forgotten it already!

When we got home, there were the hens to see to and the seedlings to check, even a spot of watering.  A gardener can't take much time off in the spring but we were glad we had a day out.  Sometimes, you really need to stop working for a while and just celebrate the miracle of growing food and how wonderful it is.