January 2021

2020 was indeed a challenge and a sad year for many. Despite this and the recent blast of cold weather there are definitely signs that Spring might be on the way, not least because the snowdrops are out and other bulbs are peaking through. 
 
And of course we’ve had our annual Potato Day in its Click and Collect format. Click here to read more
We still face Covid 19 - related challenges, not least having to continue with Zoom meetings until April.  Then, hopefully we can look forward to some summer garden visits albeit socially distanced.



Whilst the main sale/collection day is now finished, we are continuing to take on-line orders for potatoes throughout February and March.

Click here or on the Potato Day 2021 Ordering menu item and follow the instructions.

For detailed information on the varieties available, please click on the Potato Day 2021 menu item, or click here


Meanwhile keep checking our Facebook page
Shropshire Organic Gardeners - SOGshttps://www.facebook.com/shroporganic/



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!'

Although this covers some of the most common and damaging pests and diseases faced by gardeners, including vine weevil, lily beetle, slugs/snails, potato/tomato blight & honey fungus, John tries to keep it light-hearted!

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/

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.
potato day.pdf potato day.pdf
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Downloadable list of potatoes ordered for the day.  Click here.

 

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. 
Pictures of Shrewsbury Flower Show coming soon.
New Winter Programme on the next page.
Click here

"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.
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.

compost bin cake
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.
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. 
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
Above right- The sale in full swing
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 - The tea ladies
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.

Two programmes were recorded.  The first was broadcast on November 22nd and the second will be broadcast on January 3rd 2014.  Listen on Radio 4 iplayer.

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.

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