Welcome to the SRT blog No. 100
13th May 2022 – Welcome to our blog post No. 100
Wow – this is the 100th edition of the blog, started back in April 2020 when we went into the first Covid lockdown. The Bakery at Hemel Food Garden got all creative and sticky to mark the occasion with a 100thchocolate and jam layered cake. A sticky business colouring the fondant icing and lots of decorating which was quite hard work actually.
Thanks team I’m sure it will taste as good as it looks!
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The irises are thinking about flowering – give them about 2 weeks and they will be popping open with wonderful colour in the perennial garden at Northchurch. Michael planting out courgettes. They are the first of the warm weather veg to make it out of the greenhouse.
Greg, Gillian and Catherine working on the A frame sign for the Farm shop. Hopefully it will attract more customers down to see what we have for sale.
The regular volunteer party were over to clear the kale from the polytunnel ready for the pumpkins – hopefully giant ones! They did a great job and we had 2 newbies to the team who were super.
Harvesting perennial outside kale in the rain with Les the volunteer and Sarah. The plants are enormous!
A very pale blue egg from a newly rescued chicken. Goodluck to the egg purchaser who gets this rather special egg.
Sam sneaking a nap partly hidden under the table in the bubble tunnel.
Busy making herb boxes last Tuesday.
The veg boxes are filling up with a great choice of veg freshly harvested. Simon, Zoe & Ellie.
Tending to an outside contract.
Work continues at the Northchurch Recreational Ground – mowing around the new beds, putting together more benches for the site and of course testing them to see that they are in the best position!
Earthing up the potatoes in the pots and weeding around the supports ready for the runner beans, possibly.
Wild flower, meadow signage now in place, after the April mow and grass gathering. It’s now ‘no mow May’ so we shall see what pops up.
At last – the Government lifted the mandatory housing measures for poultry on Monday 2 May 2022. So our chickens have been returned to the orchard…… think they were very happy to be back there.
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A busy couple of weeks for the team who have been to an event with the Sunnyside Market stall and the ‘Superb herbs’ sale at Hemel Food Garden last Saturday, plus all the activities and work in the week. The Sunnyside Market stall at the NGS open garden in Bedmond at Pie Corner on Sunday May 1st. Lots of plants, produce and Sunnyside jams were sold and it cleared up nicely for the opening at 2pm.
An anniversary marked – Mel gave a speech at the end of the day on May 4th, to thank everyone for 10 wonderful years at Sunnyside. Congratulations Mel.
The spinach leaves have grown really well since planting out the seedlings back in March. Marc with the first picking.
The tranquility area is looking fantastic and after a days work everyone leaves with the birds tweeting away in the background. Yes, very ‘tranquil’.
A great team effort prepping the herbs for the ‘Superb Herbs’ sale at Hemel Food Garden last weekend.
Sale time.
They also showcased our summer bedding in a set of hanging baskets that were then for sale.
The wood pizza oven was fired up for people to enjoy a homemade pizza, sitting out in the afternoon outside at the Sunnyside Up Café. After the poor morning weather wise it did warm up! The dough was prepared a couple of days before hand in the bakery. Heavy duty but fun.
A couple of days of rain (at last the gardeners say) meant teams were starting the crafts for the Jubilee celebrations in a few weeks time.
More pallets have gone up with Joe and James filling them with soil. Michael located the post. They are close to the Café so the lettuce that has now been planted here and is being picked by Tommo in the picture, could be served on a lunchtime plate.
There was a warm welcome to new chickens kindly donated by Milly and her Mum Jo. They are their much, loved pets but as they are moving home, they have had to rehome them, so the new chicken space is perfect. Jo and Milly were very happy with the new home for their chickens.
James & Jo carrying the chickens back to the coop for the evening
Great effort from Russell mowing, weeding, and tidying two Mencap gardens. Here are the before and after photos of one of the gardens.
Out on the recycling walk and stopping off to help open the lock – thanks gents!
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The Activity Centre dropped by to the Apex café last week and the new sign has gone up at the main entrance.
Oh and then a team from Hemel Food Garden popped in.
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The Activity Centre made a special lunch for Eid this Tuesday. Courtesy of Noreen, Sophia and Suru – Bengali chicken and chapatis.
Noreen also treated everyone to some lovely Eid ‘treats’
Michael H and Simon using the new battery powered tools.
A couple of shots from the market stall – last week (Sophia, Becca and Catherine) and this week Michael T, Alison and Mark.
Aisha, Noreen, Riz and Becca watering in the fruit area after the lack of rain the last month as the fruits are starting to develop.
Tony, Scott, Clare & Suru sowing seeds.
Lewis on an outside contract. Simon weeding the Bovingdon planters.
Mowing at the pre=school, part of parish work we do each week in Bovingdon
Lovely wisteria in bloom
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Have a great weekend….
…until next week.