CSAs together

Last Tuesday we had visitors from some Leicestershire CSA's and someone from the Soil Association came and gave ussome hints and shared info with us about tools, crop rotation, use of time etc.
I was pleased to hear that too much weeding is counterproductive! Soil preparation seems to be important(I knew that!)

Green children?

I visited Avondale Infants, one of the three primary schools near the Patch. I wanted to see their raised beds, which were put in by our volunteers three years ago.
They had used the beds and still had beans and beetroot growing.
The children had just harvested and cooked a crop of potatoes and by chance were eating them in the classroom when I arrived!
The school has also added an impressive mini-orchard with three sorts of fruit tree and four sorts of berries. The children are very enthusiastic.

Explorers

I have a photo of the spindle tree, not very impressive now but great in Autumn.
The planters look good, and the raised beds are full(watch this space.)

A group of young people, the Green Patch Explorers, are helping a lot with the poultry etc. on Saturdays.

Bee city and the spindle tree

The beehives stand in the north-east corner of the Patch in their own enclosure. After a hard time last year when they had to be given sugar to keep them going we hope that there are four colonies there now.

The tree which the botanist found in our hedgerow is the spindle tree(Euonymus europaeus) which is a native evergreen. People used to make spindles with it.At present it has symmetrical white flowers on it but later it will be a mass of red capsules and leaves.

It has been horribly hot this last week and anyone who has been on their allotment deserves a pat on the back!

Open evening

On Tuesday 16th of June we had our open evening. It was a fine evening luckily The paths were looking spick and span after a volunteer tidy-up. 35 people came along.

The Mayor came and she stayed an hour. In the Green Shed we had refreshments and a tombola
and some children won prizes by solving vegetable anagrams,
We sold a number of plants too, apart from all the produce sold at Grange school fair.

At 7 15 people gathered for a bee talk by Martin, complete with a model hive and young helper. Bees are making a comeback! In the last few weeks Martin has been called to several swarms, even on the wing of an aircraft, and has transferred three swarms into empty hives at the Green Patch. So we hope they feel at home.

All welcome!

Next Tuesday evening we are having a friends evening 6 30-8-30 when people can visit the Patch There will be a tombola and children's quiz, and a talk about bees. Oh, and refreshments of course!
A local naturalist has visited to look at our flora and fauna and has found an interesting tree in our hedgerow. More details when I get his report!

Rainbows and grass

A team of volunteers was busy the other evening and at the same time some Rainbows came to visit the Patch. They visited our wildflower meadow which is suddenly full of beautiful grasses, pricked out some seedlings and did a word puzzle. Some Scouts have also been tidying up, because we're having an open evening in two weeks.