Autumn Competition

Tony Abberley from Regatta Lane generously turned out again for an independent judging of plots.

1st Plot 19 Ted Killick 55pts
2nd= Plot 5 Mrs Kendrick 46pts
2nd= Plot 6 Peter Topliss 46pts

Gardener of the Year

Although he lost a few points in the Summer Competition for taking a holiday*, Ted Killick’s Spring and Autumn results pulled him through as overall winner again this year.

*No one who can lean on a spade and look over the fields to Hanbury need be anywhere else in July/August! We are generally acknowledged to be the most picturesque site in the area.

Prospective plot applicants should not think that we take allotment competitions too seriously, no one fills in an entry form, they just add to social life on the site. The winner of the best crop of vegetables this year amazed himself (and everyone else!).

By the time that Rollestonian appears we will have had our annual social evening and prize giving at Rolleston Club The now famous Beryl Toon buffet will have settled sufficiently to get on with autumn digging, which has been heavy work after prolonged wet weather.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM will be held in Rolleston Club Main Hall at 12noon on Sunday 2nd January.

All plot and Associate Member fees and Sutton’s seed order forms should be sent before or brought to the meeting.

Our site continues to be fully occupied but a few retirements, through unfortunate illness or other commitments, means that our waiting list has been greatly reduced. If you are thinking of a plot in 2005 or 2006 get your application in now! (Forms available from Tom Martin tel:813320) Priority is given to residents within the parish, otherwise plots go to applicants from outside the village.

Some plot holders are novices and are always welcome, but many arrive on site with rose-tinted memories of helping on their father’s plots. (Future generations may have stronger recollections of mother’s or even grandmother’s efforts!).

Such memories often bring comparisons of the traditional three-year crop rotation with large potato, cabbage and root crop beds.

With warmer summers, open autumns and new, quick-maturing varieties, Rolleston’ plots are looking much more exotic. High yielding stands of sweet corn, rampant growth of squashes, drifts of sunflowers for cut flowers or attracting the birds, bright tomato crops all feature on the site. It is mid-August and some of us are planting second crop potatoes to provide new potatoes for Christmas Day. There have been many changes in the last 50 years!

Tom Martin

Results of Summer Competition (Judged 10th July 2004) 

Although the East Staffordshire Allotment Federation has been disbanded we have continued with our traditional pattern of friendly site competitions this year. We have been fortunate in securing the services of the former Federation judges for an independent assessment of plots and we are grateful to Tony Abberley and Joe Stretton for helping us out.

Best Plot
1st Plot 5 - Mrs Kendrick 64.0pts
2nd Plot 6 - Peter Topliss 61.5pts
3rd Plot 24 - Roy Ottewell 54.5pts

Best Crop of Vegetables
(not in best plot award)
Plot 9 Steve Buckley Runner Beans

Best Bed of Flowers
Plot 26 Mrs Shaw Dahlias and Chrysanths

Congratulations to all.

The Society has had a successful start to the year, with a healthy waiting list for any vacated plots.

At the AGM we expressed our appreciation to Trevor Bottrill for his services as Secretary. Tom Martin has now taken this role. Mrs Janet Stone has become Vice Chairman and emphasises the importance, to us, of the growing number of lady plot holders.

The Rolleston site has been a long term supporter of the East Staffs Allotment Federation but, unfortunately, general support has declined and the Federation has been wound up from the end of 2003. In these sad circumstances it is a pleasure to report that Ted Killick was the final Federation “Allotment Gardener of the Year” and that Mrs Kendrick was placed third.

The site Spring Competition results are just out, congratulations to:

First - Ted Killick
Second - Mrs Kendrick
Third - Peter Topliss

Tom Martin

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Last updated: 6 December 2004