news - Ashford Allotments

Produce Stall at the Summer Show

20/8/2014

Don't forget we are having a produce stall at the Summer Show, so whether you're coming in the morning to take part, or in the afternoon to admire, do bring your surplus produce to help us raise a few quid towards costs.

As you'll have seen earlier this month, the produce stall at the Pilgrim's Hospice raised a good amount. We don't expect quite so many people at the Summer Show (we haven't got a minibus laid on or anything like that) but all money raised will be very useful, so please do take a few minutes to walk over your plot and scoop up your surplus of whatever you have a lot of. All contributions incredibly welcome!

Results of the 'Best Plot' competition, plus all the photos we could get, are now there for you to see. Certificates will be awarded, plus the vintage silver cup for Best Plot, at the Summer Show on Saturday.

Nearly-new, old, secondhand and vintage gardening books wanted for the 23rd August

2/8/2014

At this year's summer show on 23rd August, there will be a secondhand gardening book stall to raise money. So we urgently want your unwanted garden and gardening books! they do not need to be specifically fruit and veg - all gardening books are welcome, also books on related subjects such as country crafts, cooking with vegetables, jams and preserves and so on. We are advertising it as vintage, secondhand and antiquarian, so do not worry if your books are past the first flush of youth or are even older than you are!

Books can be brought to the Trading Store on the 9th of August, or can be brought along to the show on the day. If you have books and can't deliver them on either of those two dates, get in touch and we'll arrange something.

Appledore Village Flower show

24/7/2014

Super displays of fruit and vegetables at Appledore Village Flower Show, including this spectacular collection of vegetables from Graham Selmes (right). The black cloths do set them off so well. A beautifully-put-on show and one that really sets a standard for us.

A date for your diary!

23/7/2014

Aldington & Bonnington Gardening Society
Autumn Show

We're told this is one of the best shows around and well worth the effort of a short drive or bus ride to Aldington!

Aldington Village Hall
Saturday 6th September
Doors open at 1.00pm with prize giving at 3.30pm. There are no open classes but visitors are very welcome. No entry charge. Raffle and light refreshments. Sales table with surplus produce - vegetables, fruit, flowers and plants.

Ashford Beekeepers Association hold their annual Honey Show in the adjacent hall, so altogether an interesting afternoon.

You too can show!

19/7/2014

Even if you've never shown before, or have never even been to a flower show, this year you can join in the fun. Our standards are never intimidatingly high, and beginners often win. There's just a month to go till our Summer Show, so keep an eye on your produce and think what might be OK to bring along. We don't expect perfection, or anything like it. What we want is lots and lots of people competing.

So go and mark August 23rd on your calendar NOW, and be ready to come along and join in the fun. There are lots of prizes to be won, after all.

Click here to go to our tips for having fun at the show.

Don't miss Stone Fete!

30/6/2014

Stone-cum-Ebony Flower Show and Fete is one of the highlights of the country year, and a fine, traditional village flower show. For an charming afternoon of old-style jollity, mark Saturday 19th July 2014 at 1.30pm on your calendar!

Now, the flower show has an 'Open' class - in other words, anyone can enter. It doesn't matter that you live in Ashford, your exhibits will be welcome. Several of the Ashford Allotmenteers have entered over the years, winning coveted rosettes, as well as cups and shields.

The show schedule is uploaded below for you to see. If you would like a copy emailed to you, just drop us a line at ashfordallotments@yahoo.co.uk and we'll send it.

If you don't fancy competing, just load up the family and come along for a super old-fashioned afternoon out. As well as the flower show, there are (I quote from the poster) a Fun Dog Show, Garden Railway Exhibit, Ark Animal Encounters, Coconut Shy - BBQ - Tombola -: Games - Tea Tent - Plants; Family Races - Produce Marquee; Beer Tent - History Display Plus lots more. Entry by programme 50p

Plots numbers appearing now

27/6/2014

Well, here is a very imaginative plot number sent in by Debbie - the number 31 is on both the CD earrings and the clogs.

Send us a photo of your own plot number or of one you think is particularly good, to
ashfordallotments@yahoo.co.uk

Lots of allotmenteers have responded to the call to number their plots, with imaginations running riot and plots now much easier to locate. Below are just a few to amuse and inspire you. If you haven't already numbered your plot, don't be shy - sort a little something out, even if it's just a number scrawled on your shed!

Don't forget, there's a prize to be won
for the 'most creative'
to be awarded at the Summer Show

The wacky . . .

The just plain potty . . .

The very polite . . .

The cheeky . . .

The no-nonsense . . .

The artistic . . .

The wilfully obscure . . .

The utterly charming . . .

. . and the 'Can't miss it'!

Send in a photo of your plot number, or one you've seen and particularly like, to ashfordallotments@yahoo.co.uk

Bring and buy day a success

21/6/2014

Today's 'Grand Allotment Bring and Buy' (that "Grand" was meant to be ironic, by the way) has been judged a success, with lots of tools and kit - both vintage and new - finding new homes where it was needed. Plants of tomatoes, kohl rabi, celeriac, cayenne pepper, kale, courgettes, summer and butternut squash and four huge, beautiful 'Marketmore' cucumbers were brought in and have now found good homes.

Donations of gardening books were outstanding, with some really super brand new books alongside more vintage titles. While a lot have sold, there is still a wide choice of titles which will be available the next time the Trading Store is open.

There will also be a book stall at the Summer Show, so please turn out all your surplus gardening books and bring them to the Trading Store so we can keep the ball rolling.

The money raised will go towards show expenses - it will be very good to start organising the Show with a petty cash kitty to call on, rather than asking individual helpers to lend the Society money!

A big thank you to all those who donated stuff, all those who turned up and bought, and the volunteers who helped keep everything running smoothly when we were so busy!

Gardening Bring & Buy

29/5/2014

Ashford Allotment Society will be running a GARDENING BRING AND BUY at the Trading Store on 21st June, during the normal opening hours of 10am to 2pm. It’s like a jumble sale, but for all allotment-related stuff!!!

This is a splendid chance to find good homes for surplus tools, seed trays, cloches, mini-greenhouses, small square propagating pots, really large pots, heaters, propagators, nice plants, gardening books, and so on. Spare plants will also be welcome. Come along, bring your surplus stuff and pick up a bargain!

Please bring your donations to the Trading Store either on May 31st or June 7th during normal opening hours, or on the day itself, as early as possible. ALL THE MONEY RAISED WILL GO TO EXPENSES FOR OUR SUPER SUMMER SHOW.

Please bring things people can use, which they will be prepared to pay small sums for. We know you've got more sense than to bring stuff which is only fit for the dump!

Plot number competition

20/5/2014

Every year the Ashford Allotment Society runs a competition for Best Plot. There are certificates for Best Plot on each site, Best Newcomer, and (a first this year) a vintage cup awarded each year from now on to the allotmenteer with the best plot in the Society.

And each year, the judges struggle to work out which plot is which. Sometimes they get it wrong, which is embarassing!!! A few plots have numbers on them - either on a stake, or painted on a shed - but not nearly enough to make things clear.

THIS YEAR allotmenteers are being asked to put their number on their plot somewhere. And to encourage you, there will be a prize for the most imaginative and creative plot number! But if you're not feeling creative, number your plot anyway, it will make you immensely popular with everyone - from judges to newcomers trying to identify their new plot - and will take so little effort! A plot number will count towarsd your chances of winning Best Plot or Best Newcomer, too!

THAT'S TWO CHANCES OF WINNING A PRIZE
AT THE SUMMER SHOW (ALONG WITH THE PHOTOGRAPH COMPETITION), THAT DON'T EVEN ASK YOU TO BE ABLE TO GROW A SINGLE THING!