Going For Growth

GROWERS gathered to discuss ways of cultivating food to be more available to the community and as the rain started right on time one thing wasn’t far from people’s minds – the weather. 

It then stopped at the Good to Grow event at the Transition Loughborough allotment, one of a week of events organised by food and farming alliance Sustain but talk frequently turned to the effect on planting this year from the change in weather patterns.  

According to the Met Office, 1,695.9mm of rain fell from October 2022 to March 2024, the highest amount recorded for any 18-month period in England. 

With the last six months described by the Loughborough Echo local weather expert Phil Morrish as the wettest since he started recording in the county 25 years ago, people spoke of usually reliable early crops such as broad beans being washed away.  

Phil reported nearly double the usual amount of rain fell in the region between December and February and some of the few crops the farmers planted rotted while Transition Loughborough’s sustainable plot’s shown resilience with submerged beds rebuilt from compost using the no dig method and healthy potato shoots are coming through. 

Transition Loughborough volunteer Jason Hamilton said eight beds have been raised with sifted compost from bins that were flooded. 

“This method of no dig is starting to show results already,” he said.   

But everyone seemed to agree they were behind schedule and with April on track to be the dullest on record many seedlings haven’t been put in as usual.  

Volunteer for Incredible Edible Loughborough Jane Johnson said she hasn’t put out her usual seedlings as the temperatures have again plummeted. 

“Normally at this time of year I would have put some outside; cabbage, kale and Kohl rabbi. The dullness of it all has kept everything we’ve brought on in the greenhouse,” said Jane. 

The group shared homemade tortillas with pickles and chutneys from beetroot and garlic, pumpkin and celeriac with spices. (M/F) 

Transition lead volunteer Martha Worsching said it was a good, fun event with the rain starting promptly at 2pm but it wasn’t too bad and even stopped again.  

 “We are looking forward to more seasonal weather so we can plant tomatoes and beans out,” said Martha. “We had a lovely mixed bunch of people who share our enthusiasm for growing and eating.” 

Loughborough In Bloom chairperson Pat Cook attended along with community participation group chair Mike Jones and his wife Marj. 

“Despite a difficult growing season, community groups like these enhance the quality of life for people, creating a vast improvement in the environment where they live,” said Mike.   

When the Grand Canal broke its banks earlier in the year volunteer Lucrecia Alvarez only avoided being flooded because she lives on the first floor. But unabated she is preparing to install an Incredible Edible vegetable plot in the communal garden, bringing the group up to its target total set last year of eight – the Right to Grow marches on!