January 2021
2020 was indeed a challenge and a sad year for many.
However, we now look forward to Spring and in particular SOG’s annual Potato Day on 6th February.
We still face Covid 19 - related challenges and ask you to keep checking here for updates on the situation regards the day itself and collection of potatoes.
The main change is that you can now pre-order your potatoes by clicking here or on the Potato Day 2021 Ordering menu item and following the instructions.For detailed information on the varieties available, please click on the Potato Day 2021 menu item, or click here
Following the main sale day we will continue taking on-line orders throughout February and will arrange further collection days, but bear in mind that the choice of seed potatoes will diminish so we suggest purchasing sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile keep checking our Facebook page
Shropshire Organic Gardeners - SOGshttps://www.facebook.com/shroporganic/
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June 2020
2020 Chairman's message
Well
we are definitely in challenging times and bearing in mind the situation with Covid-19 we had to cancel our AGM on 8th April and the first outdoor visit in
May. Peter, chairman.
One of our members has started a Facebook just for members -- 'Soggies Surviving'.
Check our usual Facebook page. Shropshire Organic Gardeners - SOGs
Spring 2020 Newsletter page .
“If you missed the Potato Day in 2020 or perhaps you want to grow more in light of the current situation, Brighter Blooms (who supplies all the products to our potato day) still has stocks of seed potatoes, onions sets and Vegetable seeds. They have listed them all online so they can be delivered straight to your door.”
The website is:-
http://www.brighterblooms.co.uk
Just for information as well It looks like There are going to be some virtual Flower Shows:
Virtual Flower Show 25th & 26th April – Hosted by Dibleys, details on Facebook
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 19th-23rd May details to be found on the RHS website
Cancelled until further notice. Please check our Facebook page for more information.
April 1st - AGM + (if time) a short talk by Rachel
Strivens about Edible Culture, the peat, pesticide and plastic free
nursery and garden centre at Faversham, Kent.
Change of speaker for February.
Due to unforeseen circumstances with our booked speaker this month
being taken ill, we are grateful to John Scrace, plant pathologist, who
will be stepping in to talk about 'Bugs and slugs, spots
and rots!'
St Chad's church hall, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm
Our first meeting of the Winter programme was
November 6th - Tom The Appleman - a talk by Tom Adams on the changes he is making to his fruit tree nursery this year in Oswestry and about the rare heritage apple varieties he has found in recent years, which include the Gypsy King, Bringewood Pippin and Round Winter Nonesuch. A visit to the Nursery will follow in Summer 2020
Recently we received a thank you letter from Julie Price at Greenacres Farm Day Centre thanking us for the donation of potatoes last year. Here are two pictures from there.
Potato Day 2019 pictures. Save the date for this year. February 8th 2020
SOGS Elves as St Chads Christmas Tree event. open gallery for more pictures
FANTASTIC DISPLAY AT SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW.
We are a group of gardeners and smallholders, affiliated to Garden Organic (formerly HDRA), which is based at Ryton Gardens near Coventry. Many of us are individual members of Garden Organic and receive the excellent quarterly magazine, free advice and free entry to Ryton Gardens and RHS gardens. As a group member we benefit frm a larger discount on our seed order than for individual members.
Our Winter meetings are held in St Chad's church hall, Shrewsbury, usually on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm. Summer meetings from about May to October are usually at weekends and consist of visits to members' gardens, outings, practical workshops, demonstrations etc. We are regularly involved in putting on displays at Green Days and Shrewsbury Flower Show.
Subscription rates are £8 single; £10 couple at same address. Visitors £1 per meeting.
New Chairman: Rachel Strivens 01743 891607
Check our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/shroporganic/
Our Winter meetings are held in St Chad's church hall, Shrewsbury, usually on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm. Summer meetings from about May to October are usually at weekends and consist of visits to members' gardens, outings, practical workshops, demonstrations etc. We are regularly involved in putting on displays at Green Days and Shrewsbury Flower Show.
New Chairman: Rachel Strivens 01743 891607
Check our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/shroporganic/
See our Potato Page for more information on our latest Potato Fest
Setting up Shrewsbury Flower Show 2016
SOGS at Malcolm and Jude's garden, Avocet, near Shrewsbury. This opens for the National Garden Scheme.
Albrighton Moat Gardens Plant Sale Sunday May 8th
THIS CHARITY provides educational, recreational and leisure facilities for mentally, physically and sensory disabled users and SOGS were there to support this very worthwhile cause with plenty of home grown plants for sale.http://www.albrightontrust.org.uk/index.php?p=home
Part of the Moat above.
Suave Soggies, Janet and Carol, setting up and helping customers to decide and buy. (right and below)
Potato Day in full swing. Plenty of refreshments to keep everyone going.
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After passing his Chiploma, Spud succeeded in doing very well in his Bat-tubers degree and went on to do a Mashters. Having done so well, he was awarded a Scallop-chip for a Potatorate and was awarded a Professorchip.
He is now a full time Edu- tater, and is educating Frita.
"Where there is muck there is magic"
Around
a dozen of us went to Peter's Magic Workshop and painted everything in
sight. A witch magically appeared to fly around. The World War One
House from last year gradually transformed into Veggie Villa, ( no
Sweetie house for us!) Bill and Ben looking forward to the show, and
meeting our Celebrity Garden Gnome. Oh, and we also hope to have some
magic plants with the magic of SOGS.
See the pictures below.
See the pictures below.
Sue, Eric and Dave in Peter's magic workshop. It's going to be a very colourful stand
Come and see us in the Severn Marquee
Bill and Ben and a magic windmill. Look closely at the windmill. What is it made of? SOGS recycle everything!
25th Birthday Celebrations
Lots of lovely food, most of it home grown or home made plus the lovely compost bin cake made by Maggie Anderson.
Home made wine and food
Potato Day 2015 in full swing. Lots of Colour. Check Potato Day page for more pictures.
Buses from Oswestry to Shrewsbury stop on the A5 near to the venue.
!!!!!News flash!!!!! SOGS have been offered some CAROLUS seed potatoes.
They are virtually blight proof, have a good flavour, they are white with red eyes which makes them
good looking, they are a good cropper and have
good drought resistance.
Apart from providing a lot of your favourite varieties every year we try to make Potato Day a bit different. For this year we decided that to brighten a winter day in February it would be good to add some colour.
SO:- we have sourced a few coloured varieties, including ones that keep their colour when cooked. The rest will be up to your imagination but you could create some "fun" meals with say red, white and blue mash for the kids with more subtle use for meals for you and your guests.--- so give them a go and be different !!!!
Click here to go to Potato Day page with an updated downloadable list updated 2nd February.
!!!!!News flash!!!!! SOGS have been offered some CAROLUS seed potatoes.
They are virtually blight proof, have a good flavour, they are white with red eyes which makes them
good looking, they are a good cropper and have
good drought resistance.
Apart from providing a lot of your favourite varieties every year we try to make Potato Day a bit different. For this year we decided that to brighten a winter day in February it would be good to add some colour.
SO:- we have sourced a few coloured varieties, including ones that keep their colour when cooked. The rest will be up to your imagination but you could create some "fun" meals with say red, white and blue mash for the kids with more subtle use for meals for you and your guests.--- so give them a go and be different !!!!
Click here to go to Potato Day page with an updated downloadable list updated 2nd February.
Apley Walled Garden, June 2014
This is the enormous task facing this restoration project. June 2014
Potato Day 2014 Happy 10th Birthday and what a wonderful time was had by all. Sogs members, the buyers and contributors.
Thank you all.
Thank you all.
Above- Brighter Blooms with seeds, fruit trees, onion sets and so much more
Right-Filling the bags with lots of lovely tubers
Below- Serving refreshments
Right-Filling the bags with lots of lovely tubers
Below- Serving refreshments
Above right- The sale in full swing
Below- Choosing the right variety
Below right - Please pay here
Below- Choosing the right variety
Below right - Please pay here
Above - Visitors enjoying a welcome cup of tea
Right - Raffle for a fresh vegetable hamper
Below- Varieties in trays in alphabetical order
Right - Raffle for a fresh vegetable hamper
Below- Varieties in trays in alphabetical order
Right - The tea ladies
Below - Choosing the best
Below right - Potato Game
Below - Choosing the best
Below right - Potato Game
See you all next year at Montford Village Hall
BBC Radio 4 Gardener's Question Time came to Shrewsbury
SOGS hosted an edition of Gardeners' Question Time in November and the panel consisted of
Chairman Peter Gibbs, Bob Flowerdew, Anne Swithinbank and Chris Beardshaw.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hxjrp#programme-broadcasts
We are a group of enthusiastic organic gardeners and small holders who meet once a month for talks, visits and outings. We are affiliated to Garden Organic.
Between November and April we meet at St Chad's Church Hall, Town
Walls, Shrewsbury 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month, for a talk
related to organic gardening, followed by tea and biscuits. In the
Summer months (it lasts from May to October in Shropshire - honest!) we
go usually on a Sunday to members gardens and small holdings.
We have a coach outing usually to somewhere of importance. In 2014 we went to Arley Arboretum. The coach fare is paid for by the group as a thankyou to the hard working members.
The group has a library of organic gardening related books for members to borrow.
Find us on twitter @ShropsG
Question Time Panel with Peter Anderson
Members wait to ask their questions
The group also has a stall at the Shrewsbury Flower Show, where you can come along and learn about organic gardening and meet existing members.
Membership is £8.00 single or £10.00 couple per year. Visitors are very welcome to come to an individual meeting at £1.00.