Tuesday, February 12, 2013

March Meeting


Our meeting on Wednesday 20th March 2013 welcomed Lucy Jones speaking on the topic:

"Weeds as Medicines" 

Sometimes I receive some positive comments about a speaker as people are leaving the meeting, but I have rarely had so much positive feedback, including emails, and even a request to see if Lucy could do a Part II, as I've had after last night's meeting.

Lucy spoke with great enthusiasm, openness and from an apparent great depth and breadth of knowledge. I felt quite mean having to draw the discussions to an end, it seemed possible we could have still been there at midnight.

Not only did we have a swift overview of some of the Tibetan and western training she has undergone, and a glimpse of a "Roman" cream she made to take to an "Ancient Archery" session, but we also learned not to be quite so quick to condemn everything we regard as weeds to the compost bins.

When the hedge flails haven't got there first, Lucy gathers Viburnum opulus or Cramp Bark to strip off the bark. The leaves and roots of Dandelions are not to be ignored, neither should nettles. Cleavers shouldn't just be something to annoy us dog walkers (or our dogs), chickweed is to be welcomed and the yarrow, of everything else she told us about, we were warned not to forget, as its ability to stem bleeding could prove life-saving.

Thank you Lucy.

You can follow Lucy on Twitter @myrobalanclinic and here: Lucy's blog

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Potato Day 2013, Drimpton


Saturday 9th February woke to a cold drizzle, yet that didn't deter people from near (Drimpton, Greenham, Winsham, Marshwood, Hewish, Crewkerne) and far (Weymouth, North Perrott, Colyford, Cerne Abbas and Verwood) from visiting our 6th annual Potato Day. 

It's not all about potatoes, even though there were more than 80 varieties to pick from in Pennard's colour coded tubs. There were heritage seeds, onions, fruit bushes, rhubarb, asparagus, garlic, apple trees and more. Not to mention, though I shall - some delicious food: cakes, soup, baked potatoes, mini shepherd pies and more cake. On the stage there was fun for anyone who didn't mind a bit of paint on the fingers, creating flowers for the panto scenery using potato printing.

Drimpton Potato Day, Heritage Seeds

Drimpton Potato Day, Colour coded tubs of seed potatoes


There were people, lots of us, pondering, selecting, chatting, advising, querying and generally setting up a buzz of enjoyment in the village hall.

Drimpton Potato Day, Potato Printing

Drimpton Potato Day, Butterfly
The next gathering of people alive with fun and excitement in the hall will hopefully include the cast and audience of the pantomime, being busily rehearsed right now, for performances on 23rd March. The potato prints created on 9th February will form part of the scenery for the panto.

We issued questionnaires to everyone who came yesterday, hopefully the answers will help us to keep improving Potato Day here in Drimpton and, with the help of Pennard Plants,  continue to make this a great day, made by gardeners for gardeners and anyone who loves the beauty of growing plants, creating art and sharing food and conversation.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Potato Day Saturday 9th February


Potato Day

Saturday 9th February
10:30 to 2:30


Drimpton Village Hall ( DT8 3RF )
For food, fun and advice

Welcome to our 6th Annual Potato Day, with Pennard Plants offering dozens of Seed Potato varieties for sale, by the tuber or in bags, with information on type, cultivation and disease resistance for each one. Our Potato Day is organised for gardeners, by gardeners; you will find plenty of help and information.

There will also be Heritage Vegetable seeds, a selection of Garlic, Onion and Shallot sets, plus herbs, fruit bushes, rhubarb and more. There will also be an opportunity to enter our popular Potato Growing competition, (classes for young people and adults – weigh-in on Show Day, Saturday 10th August)

There will of course be the renowned Drimpton food, with all day brunches, lunches and cakes, as well as warming drinks. As ever, the popular activities for young people will be here, so there's fun for everyone.

Don't let last year put you off
there are tasty blight-resistant varieties!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Potato Day Saturday 9th February




There will be all the usual fun, advice, potatoes, plants, seeds and delicious Drimpton Food

10.30 am to 2.30 pm
Drimpton Village Hall
DT8 3RF