August events

What's going on here?

This strange van with its saucer on top arrived on a misty morning early.

The  driver got out and started waving something at the sky - apparently with little or no satisfaction. Eventually he found what he wanted and relaxed only to start talking into some kind of a blunt instrument.

This is Zac, the presenter of  the breakfast show on BBC Radio Kent whose listeners were treated to half an hour of cobnut chat inter-spersed with music which, hopefully enlivened their drive to work or to school.

 

 That same day the plat was honoured with a visit by the National Trust's Chief Executive, Dame Helen Ghosh.  Dame Helen was visiting the various parts of the Ightham Mote 'portfolio', which as well as the main property includes Oldbury Hill, Old Soar, Owlets and various others.

The first stop on her tour, accompanied by Bernadette and Jan from Ightham Mote, was the cobnut plat.  It appeared that she knew something about the subject already as she told us how she always noticed when the cobnut season had begun by their appearance in the open market in Oxford where she lives..

I and the volunteers who turned out to help welcome her were left with the impression of  a practical and approachable person with exciting ideas but with her feet on the ground. Dame Helen's new role follows a distinguished career in the Civil Service and her visit left us feeling that the National Trust is in good hands.




Not long after these events it was time to prepare for the KCA tea party.

Ominous grey skies on the morning  of the day

The weather looked like being a problem as August had turned out very rainy so the loan of gazebos from various sources was reassuring...

.... and the shed was tidied up and decorated
     in preparation.

Hardly recognisable, it is so tidy!

KCA members were invited first to visit the garden of White House Farm which is opposite the nut plat. The visit was at the kind invitation of  distinguished plantsman and arboriculturist Mautice Foster who showed visitors around the specialist hydrangea garden. Many were eager to arrange a second visit to discover the arboretum beyond the garden.

At about 2pm the persistent rain of the morning gave way to an afternoon of warm and brilliant sunshine....

Turned out fine - thanks goodness!

.... and soon after 3 o'clock the visitors came on down to the plat ready for tea and cakes which, thanks to the generosity of volunteers who had been baking for the event, were there in plenty.

Time for a cuppa

An abundance of cakes

The afternoon turned out to be a chance to meet old friends and get to know new ones among the cobnut community.

                                                                                                                                                                          

Sally, the Great Dane from Hurstwood Farm, added a touch of dignity to the proceedings.

Gather round!

People seemed keen to hear about the project of restoring the plat and  I took the opportunity to explain, with photos on display showing just how much the heroic band of 'Nutters' had had to contend with in the first two years.  I made sure to mention the school visits we have enjoyed and been so proud of and the student helpers who come from the learning disabled section of West Kent College to spend days with us in March. Thanks were due also to the National Trust for their help and we were especially pleased to have Richard, the new Head Gardener with us to see it all.

But most especially it was an opportunity to thank the Kentish Cobnuts Association for their support and the way the Association enables its members to share knowledge, techniques and contacts - a great support for cobnut growers.

For me, with picking about to begin, this had been a great day to celebrate the completion of four years of the project.

Relax!

The next post will be about getting in the 2015 cobnut crop.