Welcome to the SRT blog No. 119
7th Oct 2022 – Welcome to our blog post No.119
Click&Collect – we have some great news – you can now buy a select range of perennial plants online and collect from our Hemel Food Garden plant nursery later in the week. Take a look at the new online shop on the Peoples Fundraising website and do share with other plant lovers / gardeners that you know.
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Northchurch celebrated apple season & had nature crafts to do last weekend with their Dacorum Fun Palace open day on the Saturday. Lots of people came, the weather was good, and they were busy for the 4hours.
The team worked towards this during the week – HSBC corporate volunteers helped to prepare the site, the animals were moved for everyone to meet, apples were picked for the press and pumpkins and squashes put out on display and to sell.
Zoe & Roxy were spotted busy baking. Homemade ploughman’s including vegetarian scotch egg, were put together by the team and sold from the café.
Look how grown up the ducks are now – they have changed so much in a few months. The team have been busy preparing a new space for them now they are fully grown. A temporary pond is being dug whilst the big one is completed. And fencing prepared to go in… very much duck weather.
The veg boxes were harvested and sorted with the help of Jonny this week, here working on the onions. As we are in October now the harvest has taken on a more autumnal/wintery mix, including amazing celeriac and leeks from the Hemel Food Garden allotments.
The team were busy arranging the autumn shop display after the event. Plenty of squash & pumpkins still available.
The weekly tasks continue – volunteer Gloria, Daisy & Jonny were weeding to perfection around the spinach & chard in the polytunnel. They planted up some more seedlings as well. Members from West Herts College regularly volunteer and took perennial kale cuttings this week. The best way to grow these as seeds are hard to come by.
Bismillah & team were helping to transplant fruit cuttings into pots. These were propagated last year and will be sold next year – great planning in action. And another successful litter pick in Little Gaddesden this time – the team do get out and about!
Sunnyside Northchurch have been out locally in Berkhamsted & Northchurch, hiding Sunnyside ‘lucky stones’. If you find one, pop into the Northchurch cafe & farm shop & claim your free drink. Open Mon to Fri 10 to 3pm
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The Hemel Food Garden team were at Berkhamsted School this week leaf gathering, path weeding and edging. Henry did a great job doing his edging shears ‘training’. Perfect place to practice.
Harvesting at Hemel Food Garden – lots of lovely autumnal veggies.
The first click & collect perennial plant order was gathered and ready to be picked up.
Houseplants galore in the greenhouse – the propagation team have potted on a loads and they are for sale at the Sunnyside Up Farm shop – just pop into the greenhouse and choose the ones you would like to add to your collection.
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Some of the Activity Centre team visited the Sunnyside Church for a harvest festival service & celebration. They took some of the homegrown sunflowers which are still producing wonderful blooms. Look lovely in the church. Tim enjoyed having a little go on the keyboard.
Luka, Noreen & volunteer Lynn helping with a litter pick contract in Ley Hill yesterday.
Sophia, Michael & Kwasi preparing lunch
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Aisha, Shona, Michael & Lesley putting away the fruit nets.
The team were all working in the fruit area this week. BRE corporate volunteer team have been 3 times this summer to remove and replace the mypex there, so the team have now been able to carry out the autumn tasks. Including weeding, pruning, and tying in.
Riz, Becca & volunteer Ian tidying the Civic Centre planters on the High Street in Berkhamsted. The later, potting up plants.
Adhar & Sophia on the market stall this week – autumn pumpkins take center stage.
The team have been taking it in turns to learn knew craft skills – this time making scarves for the Christmas reindeers.
Annette with Fred the dog. He’s very obedient!
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Until October 31st there is a Plant Sale at Hemel Food Garden. Selected plants will be in a Sale area at the plant nursery and individually priced, whilst stocks last. October is still a good planting month – the soil is warm from the summer heat and with some rain now, perfect for plants.
Have a great weekend….
Random photo from Matt of a donkey!
….until next week.