The voice of the allotment | October 2021

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11 October 2021

Due to the lack of any substantial amounts of rain for many weeks (at the time of writing!), all the later plantings and sowings needed frequent watering during September.

The comma butterfly gets its name from the only white marking on its underside, which resembles a comma. When resting with wings closed this butterfly has excellent camouflage, the jagged edges and cryptic colouring of the wings conceal hibernating adults amongst dead leaves. The larvae, flecked with brown and white markings, bear close resemblance to bird droppings.

These included leeks, Winter and Spring cauliflowers, Romanesco, Savoy cabbage and calabrese. Other crops needing water were the Witloof chicory, celeriac and celery. The celeriac was also mulched and fed with liquid seaweed.

All the Autumn salad crops sown during late August and early September were watered every other day and put on good growth.

We finished picking the Swift sweetcorn on the 23rd. From 45 plants of this early extra tender and sweet variety we harvested about 70 well filled cobs. Many of these were eaten with lashings of butter within a few hours of picking, the remainder ending up in the freezer.

Carrots, beetroot, radish and lettuce were harvested as required. The plants from our last sowing of lettuce will be protected by cloches and will be ready in October.

Brassicas and cob nuts

The last Cheesy cauliflower was cut mid month, and next to harvest in October will be Fargo and Di Sicilia violetta with purple curds. Cendis will follow during November and December and then Medallion in February and March. We aim to have cauliflower available for about six months of the year – to achieve this we raise and grow five different varieties.

Early planted Ironman calabrese is providing us with some good heads. Hopefully these plants will produce smaller side shoots over the next few weeks. The cob nut bushes in our hedge have given a heavy crop of large nuts. These bushes were planted about 25 years ago. Our raspberry canes have cropped over a two month period and at the moment the variety Joan J is doing exceptionally well.

*Due to its decline, weasel’s snout is classified as “Vulnerable”. The pink flowers resemble a miniature snapdragon and are*
*followed by a hairy green fruit which is said to resemble a weasel’s snout. Image: Barry Cuff*

In other news…

The sunny September days saw many butterflies on the plot attracted by Tithonia, sunflower and Cosmos. We have noted Comma, Peacock, Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell. Both Large White and Small White have been very active laying eggs on the Brassica plants. Their eggs and caterpillars are squashed before they can do too much damage. The plants are inspected daily as the caterpillar of the Small White is green and quite often lies along the midrib of the leaf making it difficult to spot.
An interesting plant still flowering on the plot is Weasel’s snout (Misopates orontium), a miniature snapdragon with pink flowers (below). This is a fairly rare annual weed. Over the next few weeks we will be requesting catalogues from seed companies and ordering well rotted horse manure from a local farm.

By: Barry Cuff

Sponsored by: Thorngrove Garden Centre

What to do with 7,000 unanswered calls to local GPs every month?

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Editorial team

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11 October 2021

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Like every general practice surgery in the NHS, Gillingham Medical Practice is under pressure. But despite the workload, the priority is always making sure the patients get the right care from the right person in a timely way.

There has been a lot of publicity in the mainstream media recently about GPs not offering face to face appointments and increasingly long waiting lists. There has been significantly less reported on what clinical
staff have done about working ‘smarter’ in order to protect vulnerable people. A lot of this work goes on behind the scenes and is generally invisible to the public – but is, in fact, making a big difference. Dr Chris Pearce explains some of the issues and why Gillingham Medical Practice had to change some of the ways it assesses patients by adopting a new solution. “Prior to the new system, Gillingham Surgery received 14,500 phone calls a month. Only 53 per cent of those calls got answered; there simply weren’t enough people to pick up the phone. It’s impossible to deal with that volume.” Just think about that number for a moment. That’s just one practice in Dorset. Others have the same issues. And it’s not sustainable. The team, like so many other practices across the county, have turned to technology to help them, and implemented a new system called Total Triage and eConsult. Of course there’s still an option to simply phone the practice and make an appointment, but patients can now use an online system to describe exactly what they would like help, along with any symptoms. eConsult is based on evidence-based algorithms – it is will cut in and tell them to call an ambulance. The system also flags people who need to be assessed quickly by the local surgery. Every patient’s data is very secure under the NHS system and the system also links to your GP record. But it’s what happens next that is beginning to make the system more efficient.

What happens to your form?

A team of clinicians at Gillingham Medical Practice look at each online requests; they make assessments and aim to get the patient seen by the most appropriate person. People are usually contacted within a day for more serious issues. Minor issues are dealt with in three working days – sometimes faster. Chris told me they have two meetings a day to review the online submissions and agree who will speak to the patient; it doesn’t always have to be a GP. For example, someone with a chronic arthritis flare up may benefit most from seeing a physiotherapist to help with exercise. Someone with a complex medication issue could be better off seeing the pharmacist. And if a GP has been handling a particular case, the triage system means they can continue seeing them instead of the patient being allocated to a clinician unfamiliar with the history. In Gillingham, the team is managing 300-400 people a week in this way and they are working far more efficiently as a result. Dr Pearce was enthusiastic about being able to maintain continuity by using this system of triage: “General practice cannot function without continuity of care.”

What about those phone calls to the surgery?

As a result of implementing the new service, the number of phone calls has decreased to 8000 a month. 74 per cent are being answered which is a significant improvement. But for those using eConsult, the new system means they are triaged and assessed more efficiently.

We’re always open

Practice manager Karen Rhys is also keen to emphasise that though the Barn Surgery is temporarily closed for safety reasons, the practice has always been open. ”We have never been shut, and by doing things differently we can ensure vulnerable people are protected.” It is clear that a lot of healthcare needs to be delivered differently in future and all of us will need to adapt to new ways of doing things. What hasn’t gone away is the dedication, the care and compassion from our local GPs and primary care staff who are doing their utmost to ensure that people get the best possible care in North Dorset.

How much bud? Are you feeling bouquet?

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Editorial team

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10 October 2021

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Charlotte Tombs, an experienced Dorset flower farmer at Northcombe Flowers in Sturminster Marshall, shares her growing year and seasonal thoughts with us.

Imported flowers, as we should all be aware by now, are not only costing the Earth they are also breaking the bank; the demand for cut flowers this year has never been so high.

There are a number of factors that have caused this price rise: the first of which, believe it or not, is snow storms in Ecuador. This is where all the pretty garden roses are imported from (do people not realise that England is the home of the English garden rose?). But also Brexit and yes our new
but powerful enemy, Covid-19 have had an effect. All these coupled with fact that it is becoming increasingly harder to employ people to pick and harvest flowers. Some roses in the fashionable antique muted tones at the moment are selling for £5 to £6 a stem – and that’s wholesale. Crazy prices, crazy time; with double the amount of weddings taking place post-covid high demand will surely further inflate the prices. It’s not the individual growers, wholesalers or florists making huge amounts of money, either – everything has just got more expensive. You’ll notice even your regular groceries bill is increasing, almost weekly, it feels.

Flower auctions work very differently to a normal auction.
Where you would usually expect prices to start low and the bidding to move them slowly higher, the opposite is true for flower auctions. When that perfect coloured rose comes up for auction, and you have a customer, perhaps a bride who has stated that this particular shade will make or break her wedding, then the florist will quickly bid whatever it takes, for fear of missing out. Thus pushing prices up.

There are of course British flower and foliage growers (why would I otherwise be writing this?). But the British flower industry needs to be supported, by the government and by the British public. Smaller growers need to join forces so we are able to supply the wedding industry from within. Many are now hell bent on demanding to know where their food comes from, and yet never think about the source of their flowers?

We can all make a start for ourselves.
Sow your hardy annuals such as cornflowers, calendula, ammi majus and poppies now, and you’ll be rewarded with earlier, stronger and healthier blooms. What is not to love? Plus the hungry pollinating insects will thank you next year after a long grey winter.

The rich history that makes Yetminster a unique village

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Editorial team

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10 October 2021

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Tucked away on the western edge of ‘The Vale’ is a village with a very unusual history, indeed, possibly unique – Yetminster.

*Old Manor Farm House, Yetminster © Copyright Mike Smith*

Situated about five miles south- west of Sherborne, Yetminster has a fascinating range of grand local stone buildings around the village. In addition, St Andrew’s church, rare ‘Hall’ houses, and clues around the village all provide evidence of a thriving, self-sufficient, agricultural and trading community. Interesting local stories and associations with important historical figures like Benjamin Jesty and Robert Boyles just add further interest.

From Bishop to Raleigh

To understand Yetminster today one has to understand how the Salisbury Diocese managed and controlled the land-holding system from Saxon times – and remained largely unchanged until the 1950’s. From 705 AD Yetminster, with its tithings of Leigh and Chetnole, were owned by the Bishop of Salisbury. In 1089, in order to generate income, Bishop Osmund of Salisbury established four Manors; Yetminster Primary and Upbury, Secunda, Ecclesia and the fourth he kept for himself. After the Reformation in the 1540’s Queen Elizabeth seized that fourth part and gave it to her favourite, Sir Walter Raleigh; eventually part of Sherborne’s Digby Castle Estate.

Unusual freedom

Pre-Reformation, three ‘prebendary canons’ regulated daily village life. They lived in Salisbury and managed their manors through agents, putting the annual revenue into the cathedral. The Canon’s stalls may still be seen in the Chapter House of Salisbury Cathedral, bearing the name Yetminster. Even after the Reformation, neither Sir Walter
Raleigh, nor Henry Prince of Wales, nor the Digby family interfered in village affairs. Tenants became freeholders in all but name, and the customs for tenancy were generous.

Security meant better housing

Tenants of Yetminster were allowed to collect building materials (wood and stone),
and could improve property. Widows were allowed to remain after their husband’s death. Tenants had the option of passing on their property to a son or another person, retaining a part for their own use. This security meant tenants felt it was worthwhile investing money in maintenance, and many improved their buildings knowing they could pass them to their sons or to whom they wished. Holdings could also be bought and sold – it was only necessary to register the transaction at the next Court Baron of the Manor and pay a small fine. The system lasted until the early C20th as 100-year leases ran their course. Yetminster never suffered from enclosures (rich farmers taking the best land); the area had no great landowners as the Church still controlled the tenancy system.

Visible clues

Clues to this rare legacy can still be seen around

the village. Look out for the late C17th Court House – formerly Church Farm – with its early squint for looking down the road so the owner could keep on eye on the village business! Until the early C20th, young pigs were driven to Court House dairy where cheese makers would fatten them on whey. A tannery still existed into the 1960’s; the last horse-drawn cart in 1971. The barns around the rear were next to the orchards, so cider-making was common; the blacksmith and the water pumps can still be found. And this is only one of many interesting buildings!

Paul offers a popular guided village tour that explains this fascinating history. The next on October 30th is fully subscribed, but contact [email protected] if you would like to join a future walk in the Spring.

by Paul Birbeck

Recognising the impact of grief and loss…

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Editorial team

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10 October 2021

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All of us will lose someone or something important to us at some point in our lives. And when it happens, it can quite literally hit us for six.

This has never been more relevant than over the last eighteen months – the pandemic affected the UK in ways we’ve not yet fully seen. And sadly, we’re all likely to know someone that was bereaved or affected by loss in some way.

The process of coming to terms with what’s happened and the resulting range of intense emotions is called grief. Grief affects everyone completely differently and at different times and pace. There is no defined way to react and no wrong or right way to feel.

It’s useful to understand that a similar pattern of feelings can also be brought about by losing some thing. This might be a former way of life or friendship, your health or an education or career pathway that’s been forced to change direction.

Grief can also be triggered by a variety of reasons in your workplace as well as at home: changes to job roles and demands, reductions in workforce due to isolation or redundancy.

The effect of external losses and changes should not be underestimated. They can also affect employees at work. Issues such as bereavement, physical and mental ill health, financial insecurity, job insecurity, and changes in childcare and education provision are all extremely challenging.

To help people that might be experiencing feelings of grief, Dorset Mind has launched a 6-week group programme, held at Stour Connect, Sturminster Newton.

The mental health charity provides a safe space and an experienced facilitator to help explore complicated feelings, thoughts and behaviours relating to loss. You’ll be participating alongside other people with similar experiences and will benefit from sharing information and experiences.

The programme aims to:

1. Offer an environment of mutual support
2. Provide information about grief and loss to help you understand the way you are feeling
3. Explore techniques that many people experiencing loss have found useful
4. Share resources for further support

If you would like further details about the programme, contact Dorset Mind’s Adult Services by email to: [email protected]. This face-to-face course will start at the week beginning 4th October 2021 – places are limited.

Support and Education

Find out more about Dorset Mind’s range of education, workplace training, and 1-2-1 and group support for adults and young people in Dorset from aged 11 upwards, by visiting dorsetmind.uk (adults), or dorsetmindyourhead.co.uk (young people).

You can also make a donation help to protect the future of Dorset Mind as we work to meet the increased demand for our services in these uncertain times. All donations help us support people in Dorset.

Here comes Martha | Farm Tales

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Editorial team

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9 October 2021

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Farming recently became the second love of my life – last month saw the introduction of my first child to the world. I’m not promising now that my little Martha will grow up to be a tractor driver or shepherdess, but once her hands grow big enough to hold an egg she’ll certainly be spending her days on the farm helping me.

I didn’t grow up on a 300-acre farm, driving tractors and chasing sheep. I had a more relaxed introduction to the country life on my parents smallholding. My mother was obsessed with everything equestrian, whereas my dad chased his 20 sheep around the small village of Hooke just outside of Beaminster.

With his history of being a herdsman on large dairy farms, I doubt my dad would have ever admitted to the fact that he was now a ‘hobby farmer’. But while I was growing up he worked his full-time job, ran a small farm and carried his share of the raising of both me and my brother. His dedication to the 34 acres that enriched the borders of our house didn’t pay for me to go to private school or have expensive holidays. It did mean we had a home-grown lamb roast every Sunday. Fifteen years later, visits for lunch at my parents result in my dad chiselling a lamb joint out of the freezer, so old that you couldn’t tell if it died in an abattoir or of freezer burn. Without a doubt, my dad’s favourite plot of land on the farm was his vegetable patch. As a child, I didn’t quite see the attraction of growing your own food, but since starting my own family I have managed to not quite kill a potted parsley and chive plant. I won’t be running a fruit and veg stall any time soon, but to grow your own produce is exciting after all.
My dad would go to great pains to explain the origins of every piece of fibre on the plate:

“You see that potato? First lot of the year, dug fresh out the ground today,” or it would be, “Guess where that leek is from?” The amount of soil on the plate would usually give a clue. I was spoilt growing up on a farm. Not with nice presents or expensive gifts. Instead, I grew up with experiences, and memories that I would never be able to forget. Mornings before school would be spent bottle- feeding lambs or swearing at the tiny David Brown tractor as it was too cold to start. My dad taught me so much as a child – but how I am to raise my own daughter I am clueless about at the moment. All I know is that if Martha has half the dad that I had growing up, I’ll know I’ll have done alright.

by Andrew Livingston

Sponsored by Trethowans – Law as is should be

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey…almost!

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Editorial team

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9 October 2021

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There’s something to be said about the chill of Autumn arriving around this time of year. Summer 2021 was a bit sporadic in terms of the warmth, but we weren’t short of heatwaves and lots of bright days. Being able to reconnect with friends and family with the sun shining upon us brought smiles to our faces here at Thorngrove. Even with the adaptions we’re making to cope with life eventually moving past the pandemic, it does feel the most ‘normal’ things have been in a long time, and the arrival of a new season brings time for reflection on those things, but also, for looking ahead!

Here at Thorngrove, planting season is underway, and Nursery Manager Mark Hoskins has his hands full! – “Autumn is probably my favourite time of year, personally and work wise, I like the autumn colours of the leaves, and it means we get to do some proper nursery work, potting up all the bare root stock, the bare root roses are due in November, and the trees shortly afterwards. Right now we also have some nice trees and shrubs with autumn berries! – including Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Callicarpa, Symphoricarpos, so do stop by Thorngrove to see if something takes your fancy and could have a new home in your garden”.

*Pyracantha – Image c*ourtesy of Thorngrove

The glasshouses team are also busy as we move into Autumn taking scented geranium cuttings for next year, and snipping flower heads of agapanthus and drying them ready to sow the seeds! September also saw the return of our Employ My Ability students, with some new arrivals too, all settling in well and continuing to be a vital part of our team here. Their work experience allows them to get involved in all aspects of running the garden centre and café, so it’s great to see them all getting stuck in after the summer break.

*Callicarpa – Image courtesy of Thorngrove*

The new season may mean we’re saying goodbye to summer, but the freshness of Autumn is another new beginning, and we’re excited to continue planting and then look ahead as we start getting festive…yes, it’ll be here before you know it!

Kelsi-Dean Buck

Marketing Executive

Employ My Ability

The Walled Garden, Moreton, Dorset. DT2 8RH – 01929 405685

www.walledgardenmoreton.co.uk

Thorngrove Garden Centre, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset. SP8 4RE – 01747 822242

www.thorngrovegardencentre.co.uk

The Elephant Trunk

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Editorial team

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8 October 2021

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Whilst most are mourning the long summer days, astrophotographers across the country are excited to see the longer hours of truly dark sky.

The longer nights allow us to gather lots of data on a target, and that is what provides us with the detail we need to produce some spectacular images.

The Elephant Trunk

The image this month is of the Elephant Trunk (IC 1396A). Called the Elephant Trunk for its appearance, it is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust within the much larger ionized gas region IC 1396, located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light years away from Earth.

This image was taken using a Skywatcher 200 PDS Newtonian Reflector Telescope and dedicated Cooled Astro Camera with around 5 hours of total integration time. Another piece of equipment that I wouldn’t
be without is the computer that helps orient my targets, and gathers the image. Some choose a setup that requires them to keep watch throughout the imaging session, sometimes staying outside all night, even during those freezing nights. We less hardy souls chose a system that can automate many of the tasks required. I choose

to use the ZWO ASIAIR Pro, and have also been chosen as an Experience Officer for the later ‘ZWO ASIAIR Plus’, a very clever bag of tricks that simplifies the minefield of astrophotography, and automates the process. I’ll be releasing a review of this device on my Facebook page in the next couple of weeks, so please do keep a look out if you’re interested in what it can do. There are lots of different solutions and software out there, so its worth investigating to see which might be best for you if you’re starting to get into the hobby.

The Night Sky, October – what to see this month:

October is a subtle month for astronomy and star gazing.

Pegasus dominates the southern skies this month, with Andromeda, our nearest cosmic neighbour, firmly attached to his side. Soon these dimmer autumn constellations will be superseded by the brilliant lights of winter. Among these, the beautiful star cluster of the Pleiades is sure to delight and dazzle any star gazer.

Watching Andromeda

October is a great month to start looking at the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) in the darker night skies. Visible to the unaided eye, the galaxy fills an area of our night sky that is four times bigger than our Full Moon. It appears in the sky as a fuzzy patch of dust and stars with a brighter elliptical core.

Andromeda is a spiral galaxy much like our own Milky Way, and in around 2.5 million years, the two galaxies will collide to create a new giant elliptical galaxy, fondly nicknamed ‘Milkomeda’.

The Seven Sisters

The next bright target to look out for is the Pleiades star cluster, a leading feature in our winter sky. The Seven Sisters, as they are known, are just a small fraction of the larger 1,000 star cluster, and great to view even using binoculars to truly appreciate their beauty.

Look to the planets

On the 9th October, looking towards the south-west after sunset, viewers will be rewarded with a stunning view of a narrow crescent moon adjoining Venus, with the Antares star to the left. Jupiter and Saturn are still well within view albeit moving away from the Earth now, and are clearly visible on the nights of the 13th, 14th and 15th dancing around our Moon, with Jupiter appearing on the left and Saturn on the right.

Halley’s comet

On the nights of the 21st and 22nd, the peak of the Orionid meteor shower will be visible, as debris from Halley’s Comet collides with our atmosphere. The Moon may somewhat spoil the event this year unfortunately. Halley’s comet itself is only visible from Earth every 75 years, with its last appearance back in 1986: I was 2 years old then! I look forward to hopefully being able to see it myself in 2061. Also on the 22nd, whilst waiting for the meteors to appear, take a look at the Moon near the Pleiades. On the 31st October at 2am, we formally bid British Summer Time farewell, and the long nights really start to draw in. I for one cannot wait!

by Rob Nolan

Find RPN Photography on Facebook here and on Instagram here.

Voice of a Framer | The Great British Sowing… Bet

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Editorial team

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8 October 2021

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The annual gamble is upon farmers – when do we sow next year’s crops?

As we move into October our main activity is planting autumn crops, winter barley and winter wheat. Our grass seed, oil seed rape and cover crops are already in the ground. The timing of sowing these crops is becoming increasingly critical. If the crops are planted too early aphids will spread viruses to the leaves leading to diseases affecting the yield. Also early sowing will increase the amount of fungal disease in the crop leading to more
pesticides having to be applied in the spring. Yet, sowing the crop too late can mean the fields are too wet to
get the operations completed. In recent years we have experienced some extreme weather conditions preventing machinery from travelling in fields because of excessive rainfall. Crops can be successfully established in November if only we knew what the weather conditions would be like.

Attacking deadly TB

The TB test of all our cattle was partially successful with no reactors having to be taken from the farm, but we have to re-test two milking cows as their results are inconclusive.

So our future TB status depends on two cows as to how quickly we can be classified as TB-free. It is very frustrating. We have though, I think, made progress as we are not losing as many cattle being confirmed as TB cases as in the past. Fingers crossed that in our next test in 60 days we are clear.

The milking cows are now beginning to eat into their winter supply of food and with our maize crop still to be harvested we look as if we have a plentiful supply of fodder to see us through to next spring. It was a busy month for our farm audits from the Red Tractor Scheme and the Food Standard Agency. Both visits were at short notice, or no, notice so they certainly came as a surprise . We have a few non-compliances to correct otherwise we were reasonably in order. There is a lot of debate within the farming community about the benefits from the Red Tractor Scheme. My feeling is that if it brings farms up to a sensible standard of food production and a high standard of animal welfare then it is worth keeping. But there is a need to explain to consumers what the Red Tractor logo means on food products.

What is the Red Tractor Scheme?
Primarily the food will be produced to a certain standard and the farm inspected regularly. The logo also means
that the produce has come from this country.

The labeling needs to be more readily identifiable to consumers. Also food products coming from outside the UK which are processed in the UK have the logo on the packaging. I believe this is wrong. Currently there are concerns that cereals produced abroad are being mixed with home-grown cereals and given a Red Tractor logo. Yet the imported grain has not gone through such rigorous checks.

Trust local

At our Rawston Farm Butchery we are promoting the Trust Local Love Local brand. After hosting Open Farm Sunday a few years ago it was apparent that consumers wanted to support the British Farmer. We hope that other counties will follow Dorset’s lead and use the logo with their county flag on to show where the food comes from.

by James Cossins, a fifth generation farmer in the Tarrant Valley.

Sponsored by Trethowans – Law as it should be