A sample of 'The Organic Grower' - Summer 2007 No 1

Welcome to the Organic Growers Alliance, and to the first issue of The Organic Grower – its magazine.

News - what’s happening in organic horticulture
Salad bags - a grower’s salvation
The great cover-up - fleece, mesh and beyond
Weed profile - Fat Hen
Scott’s Garden - a new holding in Derbyshire
Rickshaws and resolutions - a grower’s response to the Cardiff conference
Innovations in plant breeding and seed systems in Cuba - are they relevant for the UK?
Organic Reconstruction in Bosnia
The Heart of the Grower
Local Grower Group News
Events - OGA farm walks and more...

Events


Tuesday 3rd July 2007
Soil management: The basis for successful horticulture enterprises

Soil Association Scotland event, Aberdeen.
Includes talk by Iain Tolhurst on soil management in practice. SAC experts will also cover composting, (how to make it and how to use it) nutrient budgeting and ‘knowing your soil’ - including a practical session on taking soil samples and understanding different soil types.
Cost £34 plus VAT.
Telephone: 0131 666 0847 Lyn Matheson
For details: lmatheson@soilassociation.org


Monday 16th July 2007
Farm walk at Rutland Biodynamics

Mercia Organic Producers evening walk (6.30pm) hosted by Paul Chenery. Town Park Farm, Brooke, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8DG. See the wide range of herbs grown biodynamically for herbal medicines. They have been growing herbs and manufacturing a wide range of the finest fresh herbal extracts for almost ten years.
Cost: £2
Telephone: 024 7630 8200 Francis Rayns - www.rutlandbio.com
For details: psumption@hdra.org.uk Phil Sumption


Friday 20 July 2007
Reducing energy use on organic farms.

Soil Association event,
Holm Lacey, Hereford. This is a practical event to help you consider where your farm is using energy and what can be done to reduce energy costs.
Cost: £38 plus VAT for licensees and food and farming members; £50 plus VAT for others.
Telephone: 0117 914 2400 Food and farming department
For details: ff@soilassociation.org


Friday 27th July 2007
Farm Walk and Weeding Demonstration at Flights Orchard Organics - OGA event

Hosted by John Davenport at Flights Orchard, Ledbury, Herefordshire
HR8 2JN. 2pm start.
Cost: £2.50 OGA members, £5 non-members.
Telephone: 01253 790 046
For details: ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk


Monday 30th July 2007
Soil management seminar - OGA event.

Tolhurst Organic. Hardwick Estate, Oxon. An opportunity to learn more about the precious resource under your feet, what it is how it works and above all how to nurture it, with the aim of improving your yields and reducing the need for inputs and energy use.
With Iain Tolhurst and Roger Hitchings.
Cost: £15 OGA members, £30 non-members.
Telephone: 01253 790 046
For details: ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk


Tuesday 4th Sept 2007
OGA Welsh Launch and social – Penpont

Hosted by Mike Westrip at Penpont nr Brecon LD3 8EU. Walled kitchen garden tour in afternoon plus evening barbecue and social. Camping possible.
Cost: £10 OGA members, £20 non-members.
Telephone: 01253 790 046
For details: ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk


Tuesday 7th August 2007
Masterclass with Iain Tolhurst: Successful horticulture enterprises

Soil Association Scotland event, Falkland Estate, Fife.
Covers rotations, tilling, green manures, mulching, weed control, pest control, harvesting, storage and refrigeration, yields and gross margins of different crops and varieties, how the theory and practice of organic production relates to standards.
Cost £34 plus VAT.
Telephone: 0131 666 0847 Lyn Matheson
For details: lmatheson@soilassociation.org


Monday 10 September 2007
Extending the season: Focus on protected cropping

Soil Association Scotland event, Inverness
Cost £34 plus VAT.
Telephone: 0131 666 0847 Lyn Matheson
For details: lmatheson@soilassociation.org


Monday 24th Sept 2007
Farm walk at Plowright Organic Produce - OGA event

Richard and Remke host. Stowey Rocks Farm, Over Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset. www.plowrightorganicproduce.co.uk Farm walk starts at 2pm. Excellent example of an 80 acre farm with an award winning box scheme.
Cost: £2.50 for OGA members, £5 non-members.
Telephone: 01253 790 046
For details: ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk


Saturday 20th October 2007
Farm walk at Hankham Organics - OGA event

Hosted by Miles Denyer, Hankham Nurseries, Hankham, East Sussex, BN24 5BE. Farm walk starts at 2pm. Hankham Organics has 1.5 acres of glass, growing peppers, tomatoes etc. Box Scheme and wholesale.
Cost: £2.50 for OGA members, £5 non-members.
Telephone: 01253 790 046
For details: ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk


OGA Events
Bradshaw Lane Nursery
Pilling Preston
Lancashire
PR3 6AX
Telephone: 01253 790046
ogaevents@gwnhome.demon.co.uk

For an up to date list of events relevant to Organic Growers go to www.organicveg.org.uk