Disapointed with Potato day in Nottingham

[RenishawPhil]

Went to a potato day yesterday (first time, had already got most of our stock) just to see what it was like and get something different.

They had lots of stuff but was actually quite disappointed.  We got there and the was a bit queue even before it opened, then when we got it it was like a scrum!

It was like boxing day at the sales!

Anyone else found this with these events?

[RenishawPhil]

[BarriedaleNick]

Yes!  It is always like that in London.  Last year there was a mssive queue and some of the oldies have very sharp elbows.  I leave it for an hour or two.  One year they had a BBC crew reporting which added to the choas!

[saddad]

It's always like that at Ryton too. Went to Chesterfield this time and having pre-ordered could avoid the worst of the scrums!
:)

[pumkinlover]

Do they do pre-orders Phil? that helps. This year we let pre-orders in before the event opened and that helped at Chesterfield.
There was a queue but as we were in precinct so at least warm and dry. I think there was a bit of crowd control to keep it sensible in the shop.
Was yours actually in Nottingham Phil as I advertised the Chesterfield one on here and Saddad and Goodlife came up to ours?

[RenishawPhil]

Do they do pre-orders Phil? that helps. This year we let pre-orders in before the event opened and that helped at Chesterfield.
There was a queue but as we were in precinct so at least warm and dry. I think there was a bit of crowd control to keep it sensible in the shop.
Was yours actually in Nottingham Phil as I advertised the Chesterfield one on here and Saddad and Goodlife came up to ours?

Don't know about pre orders. Yep it was In nottingham(sherwood). I only went as wanted a few tubers of something a little different.

[goodlife]

I didn't even know there was one in Nottingham ???
I think I would have still gone to Chesterfield..being closer to me and chance of meeting Pumpkinlover.. ::)..which wasn't to be.. ::) Loooong story.. ;D ;D
Lot of these sort of one day only things are elbow affairs..gardening related once not being exception. You should see how beekeepers do it when there is sale day in Wragby.. ;D ;D ;D
It was quite handy crowd control method from Chesterfield staff to go and offer potato tasters to the queue... ;) ;D

[betula]

I avoid these potato days.......shame but not worth it.

[kt.]

The one at Middlesborough today, seemed to have less than usual, with around 25 varieties, most of which we have in our lottie shop.  I still chose 6 tubers each of 4 varieties to try that our shop does not sell.

[Unwashed]

I always enjoy going to Witchurch.  It can be busy, but it wasn't too bac today, and anyways, that's all part of the fund.

[betula]

What fun?

standing in queues and choosing the odd stray spud from a near empty box :'(

[BarriedaleNick]

I missed my local potato day and now Im wondering where to get some.  Like Ktlawson I like to have a half a dozen each of four or five varieties and I dont want to order online particularly...  Must be another potato day in London??

Oh - I enjoy a potato day. Always a few familiar faces to have a banter with and a bargain or two to pick up.  It's become a tradition for a few of us on our site and my elbows can be as vigorous as the nest person.  Reminds me of the jumble sales my mum made me go to when I was a nipper..

[green lily]

Try your local farmers market! On Saturday I bought 3 tubers of 'salad blue'
[ 45p] to chit from the organic veg stall. ;)  They also had PFA. so you could find something quite interesting. Otherwise the biggest collection of all sorts i know is RVRogers near Pickering. Mind you they do the usual Kilo bags rather than selling loose like the veg stall

[cambourne7]

I can get a massive sack of local spuds for £5 so i am only going to be growing unusual types in my 3 potato sacks maybe just Anya which are our favourites :) Potato day at Stonham Barns near stow market is on the 11th Feb so i have till then to decide (list http://eapd.btck.co.uk/VarietiesList2012) i have 2 weeks to look at what my local farm shops and wilkinsons are selling.

Its a scrum for the 1st hour and ok its 12p-20p a tuber and £1.50 admission so i also need to decide if its worth it as its a good 20-30 min in the car as well to get to the potato day. Although the seed swap is on :)

[SueK]

Must admit, have only been to one which was at Saltaire two years ago, run by the West Yorkshire Organic Group.  It was really enjoyable, busy but not in your face and lots of practical advice when choosing - fantastic given the huge number of varieties on the day.  Had I not been snowed in last year I'd have gone again and this year we'll be trying one near Huddersfield.

[taurus]

Went to the one on the 21st Jan run by S.A.L.G.A in conjunction with Pennard Plants very good day.  You can order from Pennard on line or over the phone and collect on the day.  There were about 80 different kinds of potatoes.  Also bought lots of other things like onions, garlic,shallots and other bits.  The prices are good and so is the quality.  And their very Knowledgeable.  This the 3rd year and very please with what I've bought.
The community centre at Gorsehill is a good place to have it.  The only thing that makes me sad is that a lot of the people that go to this event don't come to the monthly meetings.  They are doing a few of these potato days over the next few months.

[galina]

I always enjoy going to Witchurch.  It can be busy, but it wasn't too bac today, and anyways, that's all part of the fund.

We went yesterday and although there were lots of people, it is far more civilised than Ryton.  Apparently Sunday is the quieter of the Hampshire potato days, but they put out half the potatoes on Saturday and half on Sunday.  The talk from Chris Bird from sparsholt college is a highlight too.  No Sarpo Kifli though  :(

[gavinjconway]

Yesterday I went to ours.. 10 minutes before the scheduled opening time and it was already like a scrum. I had a list so it was easier to go round the tables and select what I wanted.. this is important I found especially yesterday..

[sunloving]

In lancaster i went an hour after opening, made some mr and mrs potato at the craft stall bought my pfas 15p each (now chitting on the windowledge) and had a leisurly browse of the seed magazine and tool swap stalls and then booked in for a grafting day on the 15th March.

Apparently there was a scrum for the food at opening but they had every variety of spud left when i went.

Its lovely to meet other gardeners and what a releif not to be on washing up duty in the kitchen!

xx Sunloving

[Multiveg]

No wonder Ryton was quiet! Though we were lucky to get a space in the main carpark. Bit subdued than in previous years, and not that many in the potato tent. The queue for the till was very short too (with no space for a long one), but they did have the machine to allow you to pay by card (first year for it!). One year they had Alan Romans seeds but not this time (Saturday), and Solanum ? (the company supplying Waitrose, at the time) was there with Fortyfold and other heritage varieties, but they haven't been around for a couple of years at Ryton.

[compothefirst]

I was put off the one in Whitchurch when they doubled their entrance fee to £2 per person.  It's a shame because they have lots of varieties of potatoes and much more (shallots, peas, beans).  However, there are lots of varieties in garden centres and for the cost of the entrance fee to the potato day we bought a 2.5 kg bag of just what we wanted.