Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: DaveM on December 01, 2005, 12:37:10
-
I went to the last two London Potato Days and highly recommend them.
Not sure how to post a website link but here goes http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays/
find your nearest one go and enjoy.
Cheers
Dave
-
:D Cool the link works...
Leans nonchalantly on his spade.. ;)
Dave
-
Thanks for that link DaveM, there is talk of a meet at Ryton (also listed as Coventry) on the public day, for anyone who is interested. I am currently uncertain if I will be there.
Derekthefox :D
-
anyone else going to the dulwich one in january?
-
Oh dear, none in Cheshire :'(
-
I hope to be going to Ryton ...January 29th I believe
Derek
-
Yes 29th Jan is correct.
-
Dohhhh....same day as my little girl's 3rd B'day party!! :(
-
There is a children's educational centre at Ryton, a cafe and a restaurant...just a thought ;)
Derek
-
Yes, I've been round Ryton, it is very good, there is lots to see for everyone, even in January, and something that I really appreciated, plenty of benches !!! The centre also has an excellent shop.
Derekthefox :D
-
Looks interesting, will try and get to the London one, thanks for the link.
-
Nah, we've taken the kids to Ryton, and as much as Mia loved the play kitchens in the kids section, all her 3 year old mates at a Wacky Warehouse with jelly, icecream etc just about has the edge. (I might get to go later though ;))
-
Yes Mothy, I can understand that.
And you get to have a pint at the same time ? ;D
Derekthefox :D
-
Went to Ryton last years. Got there before they opened and what me and friend laughed they were queing right round the carpark in the pouring rain!! We sat in the car enjoying the contents of our flasks smirking. Waited for them to open que disappeared and walked right in. There was a few blokes muttering about the amount of women that had turned up too when we were queing to pay. Lots of different sort of pots tho. Planted and kept plan of different types then dug em up and mixed them oops! So I don't know what was succesfulk and what wasn't.
-
I'll be going to the London one in Dulwich. I like the idea that you can buy by the tuber, so as a newbie, I can experiment with a good selection of varieties.
By the way, my plot is in Thornton Heath, Croydon.
-
I am hoping to go to Ryton Jan. 29th. Thanks for the info. on getting there before it opens. I was planning to get there early but I will plan to arrive just after it opens. Glad to hear they sell seed pots.. Do they have any to taste? Suppose not. M.
-
Derek, what a splendid idea.....thought never crossed my mind!! ;)
-
Yes, they think of everything at these Wacky Warehouses !!!
Derekthefox :D
-
Sadly I will miss you, as I'm a member I will be going on the 28th, I promise not to buy up all the best varieties (smirk) :P
-
I suppose if i was really smart, I could join, buy loads of great spuds on the saturday and still get to have a few...err go to my little angel's party, on the sunday! ;D
-
I will be going to the one in Shipley anybody else goingto this one? :)
-
DaveM,
Many thanks for mentioning the site.
To pick up on some of the points:
Running out of varieties is a problem at most potato days where the organiser's aim is to sell everything - but not at the Hampshire Day www.hhdra.org.uk/potatoday.htm (http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatoday.htm) where the stock moves from the day to Charlton Park Garden Centre in Wantage after the event - the object is to have enough stock to last till the end of Feb!
You don't have to queue outside (but there is no need to queue, see above). If you arrive early you'll be invited in to have a drink while you wait.
We also have beer - Hampshire Breweries have a stall
We have 143 distinct varieties on order (~20 of which are also available as organic seed) - we're still looking to make it 150!
That includes 12 unique (in the UK) Danish varieties and a French gourmet blue potato Vitelotte; we will also have a new German variety that the growers claim will crop in 60 days! - I'm just about to update the varieties list on the web.
And there's lots of other things going on, other plants, seeds, free seed potatoes for children ..... it's all on the website
Regards
Phil
-
I will be going to the one in Shipley anybody else goingto this one?
Bit of a scrum in previous years - I prefer to hide behind my computer and do it by mail order...
-
ok if you want to order a bag of tubers - not so useful if you want six of one, half a dozen of another variety to try ;)
-
Chrispea, I went to the Shipley one last year with a wishlist. It was advertised to start at 11am and as it was the first potato day I'd ever been to I arrived at 11.20am. Big mistake... I have never seen anything like it except Harrods sale on the TV! There was very little left by 20 mins after the start and I just had to buy what was left and got none of the varieties I'd planned to buy. If you go I'd say get there very early. This year I'm buying from AlanRomans if I can persuade enough people on our site to share the postage.
-
I'm buying from AlanRomans
I would go for one of the other suppliers such as Tuckers
Phil
-
Hmmm Vee, your description does not fill me with confidence. I detest crowds at any time, but the thought of attending an A4A meet at such a time fills me with horror. The inclination for me to attend on the 29th is rapidly diminishing ...
Derekthefox :D
-
Derek, you would have hated it then. It was so hot and crowded with everyone clutching carrier bags and grabbing what they could. Quite funny really.
Thanks Phil, I'll look at Tuckers as well.
-
I have pre-ordered 3 kgs of each of Duke of York and Maris Bard as first earlies, Ketrel and Maris Peer as 2nd Earlies and King Edward, Romano and Valor as maincrops, so I do not think I will have room for a potato fair this year.
-
Yes every time I think about it, I feel worse ...
This would be my worst nightmare .
Derekthefox :D
-
I think I will be giving the Hampshire one a go this year :) By the time I got to Royton on sunday afternoon at the beginning of this year, lots of varieties were sold out :(
-
Moggle,
We'd love to see you there, and one else from A4A, and have a chat
Phil
-
Is nobody trying Stonham barns on the 11th February?
-
Not only did we sit and laugh at every one from our car queing to get in, we also laughed at the people who couldn't get their car parked on the car park!! And yes varieties of pots had disappeared with no sign of any other's to come. It was quite a eye opener never stood so close to so many men for years. Thought I was quite intimate with a few. Not for the faint hearted then ;)
-
Last year and the year before we got to Ryton very early and waited in the car until enough folk had arrived to form a queue of about 20-25, then we joined it. By the time they opened doors, the queue was almost to the car park gate and cars were already being turned towards the reserve carpark.
We got to the marquee while it was still pretty much empty and were able to get a lot of what we wanted before too many folk got through the doors.
I would advise folk who've not been before to take a basket or something to carry the spuds about it, as when you've got half a dozen filled paper bags things can get dropped... and when the place is like sardines you can't pick them up again.
Definitely recommend going early!
moonbells
-
Replying to myself here... just looked at the Ryton variety list and they've dropped two of my favourites - bah - no Royal Kidney and (shock, horror) no Ratte!
<grumble> the only reason I really want to go is the Highland Burgundy red and Salad blue tubers that were on sale last time - we just ate the last of them as roasties for Christmas dinner and they were superbly crispy as well as being fun!
Looks like a busy weekend - at this rate I'll be going to the HHDRA day as well!
Phil - were you chaps planning on having the novelty colours?
moonbells
-
MB,
How dare you link anything as serious as potatoes with novelty.
We will have a blue (all through) French gourmet variety, Vitelotte. The growers, who I met in Holland last year claim that it sells at a premium rate in French markets because of its flavour.
See http://www.chefsimon.com/allblue.htm http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2004/12/seared_scallop_.html http://scally.typepad.com/cest_moi_qui_lai_fait/2004/10/ustrongchips_de.html (http://scally.typepad.com/cest_moi_qui_lai_fait/2004/10/ustrongchips_de.html) and http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2005/08/08/blue-vitelotte-potato-chips-with-cheddar-cheese/
We also will have (subject to delivery) Royal Kidney and Ratte. Full list of 143 varieties at www.hhdra.org.uk/potatoday.htm
For those in the South West I've just heard that there will be a Potato Day near Shepton Mallet on 5 Feb details at www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays (http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays)
Phil
PS a free Vitelotte will be in the post for giving me the opportunity for the blatant plug! ;D
We have a tonne of seed so anyone wanting bulk orders its £30 for 25kg + carriage!!!
-
Hi
I am new to this site (this is my first message) so I hope it appears correctly ::) I decided (having seen it on the HDRA site a few weeks back) to go to the Hampshire day, as this is only just South down the dreaded A34 from me.
Any hints or tips for this location? Any tips for a potato event newbee? I aim to buy between 3 and 9 tubers for 28 varieties (so as to see which I prefer!) I decided upon from the Alan Romans book and the list of varieties to be available... (plus a few others, e.g. vitelotte)
Phil - Is it essential to attend the Hampshire day on the Saturday, or will Sunday be fine? The website implies there will be plenty of each variety on BOTH days. Sunday would be easier for me, as I am supposed to be elsewhere on Saturday...
mat.
-
Hi mat (good name ???)
The Hampshire day is Phil's day and I have heard that it is the best potato day in the country. :) free potato for me I think ;D Don't know how to get there though.
Welcome to A4A.
-
MB,
How dare you link anything as serious as potatoes with novelty.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D only kidding. Serious? I have been on the blower today to Solanum to see if they are taking the red and blue ones to Ryton and they haven't got back to me... I tried other places too, had a grand tour of Scottish seed potato growers on the web then quietly gave up. They are fantastic old varieties and shouldn't be allowed to disappear quietly just cos they're the wrong shape of irregular for the blinking supermarkets!
<ooops sorry... calm down moonbells>
We will have a blue (all through) French gourmet variety, Vitelotte. The growers, who I met in Holland last year claim that it sells at a premium rate in French markets because of its flavour.
See http://www.chefsimon.com/allblue.htm http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2004/12/seared_scallop_.html http://scally.typepad.com/cest_moi_qui_lai_fait/2004/10/ustrongchips_de.html (http://scally.typepad.com/cest_moi_qui_lai_fait/2004/10/ustrongchips_de.html) and http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2005/08/08/blue-vitelotte-potato-chips-with-cheddar-cheese/
oooh, can I grow your spuds??? ;)
We also will have (subject to delivery) Royal Kidney and Ratte. Full list of 143 varieties at www.hhdra.org.uk/potatoday.htm
Already spotted that. I'm currently making headway into persuading my lottie mate to switch from Coventry to Whitchurch...
For those in the South West I've just heard that there will be a Potato Day near Shepton Mallet on 5 Feb details at www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays (http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays)
Phil
PS a free Vitelotte will be in the post for giving me the opportunity for the blatant plug! ;D
I think you just cheered me up no end. A blue potato that isn't a microplant that refuses to grow in my silly soil. (Can I collect?)
We have a tonne of seed so anyone wanting bulk orders its £30 for 25kg + carriage!!!
Blimey! :o (I don't grow *that* many!!!)
moonbells
-
Hi mat (good name ???)
it is actually my name - well, my initials... Apparently my mother never realised until I told her a year ago. I used to hate it; now I use it a lot as it has "grown on me" since it was given to me years back as part of an email username...
The Hampshire day is Phil's day and I have heard that it is the best potato day in the country. :) free potato for me I think ;D Don't know how to get there though.
Welcome to A4A.
Thanks, and I am sure Phil will be pleased to hear you say this ;D Whitchurch is straight down the A34, South of Newbury.
-
Mat.
Unlike the other Potato Days in the country the stock is bought to supply both the days and then 2 garden centres until then end of the season. So we don't tend to run out of stock - having said that, there is usually one variety that the fickle British public takes a shine to that we don't have quite enough of on the day. We restock overnight so there as much there on Sunday as on Saturday.
On finding us:
1. There's a map on the website.
2. The postcode is RG28 7JF so you can use Autotoute or Multimap website to pinpoint us
3. There'll be signs on the A34
Can I do more?
Moonbells - you can most certainly collect
Phil
-
Thanks Phil
I actually live about 5 miles from Charlton Park Garden Centre, but don't wish to go there and find they have run out of varieties I wish to try, for the sake of driving down the A34! Thanks for the info, I'll come along on the Sunday and find out what a Potato Event is really like ;D
mat
-
Mat,
They shouldn't run out but only the top 20 or so varieties are available in the Garden Centre as individual tubers the rest are in 2.5kg nets - see you at the end of the month
Phil
-
I have been to the hampshire potato day today, very good it was too, individual tubers were 14p or you could have 8 for £1.00.
Being new to this I didn't realise how many types there were !
Also went for lunch (as advertised on the entrance leaflet) at the local sports centre, lovely leek and potato soup.
We bought, Rocket, International Kidney, Lady Christl, Cara and another maincrop that I can't remember the name of. ???
Also got runner beans, peas and sugar snaps.
This is our first year with an allotment so feeling excited but also a bit nervous.
Have read loads on here so thanks for all the info. :)
-
Yep, I went too. I was very lucky, I managed to get almost all the varieties I had planned (BF15 and Royal kidney NA this yr) plus a few others and came back with 28 varieties in two sacks (door man told me I was too late for being Santa as I carried them out over my shoulder!) only bought a few of each variety, but it will allow me to savour the differences...
oh and I was so pleased to be able to get Edzell Blue, as I have borrowed my grandfathers wartime gardening book from my mother, and he had marked it as his number 1 choice to buy...
mat
-
I went along too and had a super time. Came back (via a garden centre on the way home ::)) with all bar one of the 21 varieties that I wanted (the Anya boxes were totally empty, but Sainsbury's sell them for eating so I have a plan B ;))
I liked the seed swap table too. If you weren't swapping you could make a donation for packets of seeds. There was lots from the Heritage seed library, plus many other seeds people had saved and brought along. So I came home with some unusual onion, tomato and bean seeds too (4 packets for £1).
All in all a big thumbs up from me. Thanks to Phil and everyone else involved in organising such a great day out! :D
-
Many thanks to those who came along, sorry I didn't get a chance to chat to you all - what with being busy with TV interviews etc ;)
Sorry about the short supply of some varieties this year - there were problems in storage which meant that several varieties are not available at all and we were very lucky to get some varieties at all (and those only by the individual bag - 300 tubers don't go very far between 1,600 eager buyers).
Special thanks to Moonbells, who wo(manned) the door for a long while!
The seed swap was new this year and we think it went well - unless anyone has any other ideas - or suggestions for improvements
Thanks again for your support
Phil
-
Anyone going to Stonham barns potato day? Feb 11, outside Stowmarket?
-
I posted this on another thread, but I think it's worth mentioning again.
There's a Potato Weekend on 18th & 19th February at Buckingham Nurseries, one of my all-time favourite plant places:
http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/newsletter.html#heading1
-
Thanks for posting that! I knew they sold seed potatoes loose, buy weight. And I even popped in there on the way home from the Whitchurch potato day, but didn't see any info about a potato event (although, in fairness, I was only really looking for seeds...)
-
Many thanks to those who came along, sorry I didn't get a chance to chat to you all - what with being busy with TV interviews etc ;)
Sorry about the short supply of some varieties this year - there were problems in storage which meant that several varieties are not available at all and we were very lucky to get some varieties at all (and those only by the individual bag - 300 tubers don't go very far between 1,600 eager buyers).
Special thanks to Moonbells, who wo(manned) the door for a long while!
...and extremely glad of three layers of fleece and a wool coat for sure!
1600? Blimey! Broke your last record by a fair bit, then! Piccy is Saturday midday. I really liked your colour-coding for 1st and 2nd earlies and maincrop. And the half pint of runner beans for £2 - I got 136 when I counted, as against the normal Sutton's price of £2.15 for 45... Folks who didn't go should note this was only about a third of the area - there were stalls and stuff at the other end of the hall..
(http://www.moonrose.demon.co.uk/gallery/Flowers/spudday.jpg)
I'm now trying to work out where to plant 72 tubers given only two beds are earmarked for spuds. Think I'll have to pinch half my proposed tomato bed back and put the toms somewhere else!
moonbells (gradually creeping back into the forum)
-
Hi All,
I went to Whitchurch on Saturday, with my 7 month pregent wife and mother....
Must say it was fantastic, the potato talk was really good and entertaining, and we left with loads of different spuds, seeds and wine.
We went to the pub over the road from the show too, and had a nice lunch (and some IPA for me!!!).
Really a great day, will go again next year.
Regards
Darren.
P.S. Would have loved some of the Copper tools, but a bit pricey for me....
-
Amazin,
Thanks for the info - I'll add Buckingham to www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays (http://www.hhdra.org.uk/potatodays) - I really want to make it the list of UK Potato Days
I've just heard of one in Northern Ireland on 25 & 26 Feb - details at http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/events/events.shtml#potato (http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/events/events.shtml#potato) It's being run by the Heritage and Environment Service with assistance from Garden Organic (HDRA as was) - they had an Apple Day last year and attracted 15,000 vsitors!
Phil
-
I think I'll pop over to the Bucks one ;D