Site updated October 28th 2018
Chairman : Tony Griffin. Secretary : Pam Weston. Treasurer: Phillip Higginson. Show Secretary Lesley Powell
A Potted History: At a meeting in the School Room, The Talaton Produce Association was formed in November 1949 for Talaton residents and holders of allotments. The annual membership was 2 shillings. Mrs Glover was elected secretary and Mr Eric Bambury Chairman and Treasurer. The Association's Golden Anniversary was celebrated in 1999 with a party and commemorated by the planting of a Golden Hornet Crab Apple Tree in the Church grounds by Mr Bert Maher, a founder member.
Membership
Membership Enquiries: Telephone Pam Weston 01404 822864
Annual Family Membership is £2 and entitles members to enter the Annual Produce Show, held the first Saturday in August, and to order seeds etc. from Dobies Catalogue in any quantity at a discount if ordered before Christmas.
Other attractions include a Garden Visit in the Summer, the committee runs stalls at the Village Day and Christmas How d'ye Do, a pumpkin competition and helps with refreshments at the village pantomime when there is one.
The Annual General Meeting is in November
New Committee re elected at the A.G.M. 15th November 2017
Chairman Mr Tony Griffin,
Secretary Mrs Pam Weston
Treasurer Mr Phillip Higginson,
Show Secretary Mrs Lesley Powell
Committee Members Mrs Nickie Bitschi, Mrs Rosie James, Mrs Kathy Gray, Mrs Peppi Shaw, Mr Terry Wright. Chris Harwood
Jim Buttress’
Tips for November
1. Plant tulip bulbs.
2. Plant new rhubarb crowns. Space them 39ins apart. Lift and split established plants. Only use outer edge of crown.
3. Ensure Brassicas are netted against pigeons. Cabbage White caterpillar damage is no longer a threat, so fleece is not necessary.
4. Prune deciduous trees and shrubs. Remove dead, diseased and damaged wood and to improve their shape if necessary.
5. Prune Acers now rather than late Spring, to avoid the risk of bleeding sap.
6. Sow broad beans in pots or trays. To overwinter in unheated greenhouse or frames. These can be planted out next March.
7. Garlic appreciates a spell of cold, frosty weather. If you garden on a sandy or free draining soil, it is possible to plant overwintering garlic. If not, plant in February.
8. Plant bare-root roses as they become available this month. Unpack mail order plants promptly and soak before planting if the roots are dry.
9. Clear out bird boxes of old nesting material, so that they may be used for winter roosts.
Protect containers from frost damage with bubble wrap and raise them on pot feet to help prevent water logging over winter
Still a few days left …..
Tips for October
1. Last month to plant Spring cabbage. Plant them close together (easier to cover to protect from frosts. Harvest every other cabbage as Spring greens, allowing the remaining plants to grow to full size.
2. Plant Spring flowering bulbs, except tulips, which should be planted in November to avoid the risk of tulip fire.
3. Reduce height of Lavatera, Buddleia and Sambucus by a third to avoid wind rock. Prune further in Spring.
4. Shred fallen leaves with a mower and add them to the compost heap for quicker decomposition.
5. Apply barrier glue or grease bands to apple and pear tree trunks to prevent winter moth climbing the trees.
6. Divide perennials such as Bergenia, hardy geraniums and phlox.
7. Cut down stems of asparagus and Jerusalem artichoke to just above ground level as their foliage yellows.
8. Move tender plants indoors to prevent frost damage, but first check plants for pests such as red spider mite.
9. If you have mature ivy in your garden, do not prune it between now and late winter as the flowers are a valuable source of late season nectar and the berries are loved by garden birds.
10. Scarify, spike and top dress the lawn. This is normally carried out in September, but with the exceptional weather, gardeners were advised to wait until this month.
Annual Produce Show 2018
A big thank you to everyone involved .
Nikki's Figs !
Annual Produce Show
2017
Talaton Produce Association Show 2017
Thank you to all who came along to the Parish Hall on Saturday 5 August to see the fruits of our members labour. There were also lots of vegetables and flowers to admire along with jams, interesting tipples and of course the baking. Thank you to all those who exhibited – congratulations to those that triumphed on the day and try again next year to those that did not fare quite as well.
We were particularly pleased that we had 9 children enter exhibits this year. Over all the classes and both sections (0 – 7 years and 8 – 16 years) we had 32 exhibits! Well done, the best we have had for a long time. The Judge was very impressed by the hard work that had gone into producing the fairy cakes, insects out of a wooden spoon, photograph frames, posies and vegetables. The potato heads were a great talking point. Our youngest entrant was 2 years and 11 months and we hope that he and the rest of our young gardeners continue to produce such entertaining exhibits over the next few years.
It has been a difficult year in the garden and we know that the weather we have had over the last few months did affect some of the classes with numbers down in the clematis, rose and tomato classes, to name a few. However this village knows it onions and there were plenty of other classes that were well subscribed.
The big surprise this year was that we had three men who all achieved the same high score. Our Chairman can not remember this happening before (and we did double check the scores). This means that Graham, Laurence and Terry will have to share the J W Wise Cup and have it grace their respective mantelpieces for 4 months each!
Thanks must be given to all those who work hard to put on the show and help on the day. There are too many to name but mention does need to be made of the members of The Village Shop for accepting the entry forms and handing out the bench cards, our Judges who turn out every year and of course to Rosie and her team who produce mouthwatering delicious cakes and refreshments for all who visit the show.
The winners this year were:
High Sheriff of Devon Champion Cup – Rosie James
J.W.Wise Cup – Gentlemen – Graham Spry/Laurence Wood/Terry Wright
Mrs E.R.Glover Cup – Ladies – Rosie James
Cyril Young Trophy for the Runner Up – Pam Weston
W.I Cup for highest points in section 5 – Rosie James
Palfrey Memorial Cup for best flower arrangement – Nickie Bitschi
Sir Jack Boles Memorial Trophy for the gentleman’s baking – Laurence Wood
Children’s Section:
Keith West Memorial Cup for highest points – Benjamin Gray
Acorn Cup – runner up ‘up to 7 years’ – Wilbur Shaw
Oak Cup – runner up ‘8- 16 years’ – Jonathan Gray
The public vote for the best arrangement of flowers in a wine glass was won by Ann Ellis, with Lucy Channon 2nd and runner up Nickie Bitschi.
We hope that all who entered or visited the Show enjoyed it and those that couldn’t make it will enter next year. Any adult resident in the village can join the Association and be eligible to enter all the classes in the show. Membership is per family and only £2 a year. Come and talk to us at our AGM on 15 November to find out more.
Finally, the Produce Stall made £144 at the Show !
Lesley Powell
Show Secretary
Photos of the Produce Show 2017 followed by photos of the Pumpkin Competition 2017
The Nerve Centre !
Pumpkin Competition 2017
There were 29 entries in our Pumpkin Competition last month. They made a brilliant display, the best ever. If you missed this lovely evening do look at the photos on our website. The carving gets more intricate and inventive every year and the entries harder to judge. Well done to everyone who entered and thank you for making this such a pleasant evening. Many thanks also to Maria for welcoming us again, for setting up the skittle alley so beautifully and for all the delicious cakes; and thank you to Lucy and Harry Channon for the judging.
1st Elizabeth Dinnis
2nd John Buxton
3rd Toby Kingdon
7 to 11yrs
1st Matilda Niven
2nd Samia
3rd ( gent with no name!)
12 to 16yrs
1st Amy, Rosabell & Xian
2nd Ollie Hunter
3rd Donald Trumpkin (We know who)
Adults
1st Becky Springall, 2nd Emma & Jordan Niven 3rd Lizzie Buxton
Nicole Dinnis’s wonderful owl pumpkin - highly commended, but like all owls was best in the dark.
Back to the garden, now winter has arrived there is still work to done, harvesting and tidying, dividing perennials to give them more space, pruning apple and pear trees …… and when its too wet, too cold or frozen why not sit down in a comfy chair in front of the fire and beginning planning for next year. Hopefully you came along to our AGM to pay your family subscription - still only £2 and collected your Dobies seed catalogue. If not you still have time to pay and collect a catalogue from Pam (822864) in time to get your 50% off seeds on orders before Christmas.
Don’t forget to feed the birds and leave water accessible for them. Hedgehogs are still active (2nd wk of Nov at time of writing) so would definitely appreciate the odd pile of leaves left in a sheltered part of your garden.
Happy gardening ……… and Happy New Year.
Entries for the Pumpkin Competition 2017
Annual Outing 2016 - Cotehele