The date for the MUWAGA Summer Show has been announced.
It will be on SATURDAY AUGUST 10th at the Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, with tea and cake provided by Milton Womens’ Institute.
This is YOUR opportunity for you to show us what you produce, learn from others, admire their entries and meet up with friends.
Details of classes are still being worked on but meanwhile save the date, start planning and keep a lookout on this page for updates.
Members and friends might like to know that FarmED have a talk on DIY composting coming very soon.
( Event now closed )
Tuesday 19 Sept, 09:45 – 16:00
at FarmED , Honeydale Farm, Station Road, Shipton under Wychwood, Chipping Norton, OX7 6BJ
In this one day interactive workshop, you will hear from experts in 3 different types of composting: compost tumbling, vermicomposting and bokashi composting. There are pros and cons to each system but FarmED will help you choose a perfect solution for your food and garden waste to help close the loop to create valuable, nutrient rich compost.
You will get the opportunity to see and understand the technical and scientific processes occurring in all systems, the value and nutrient status of the end product, and its effect on soil and plants when applied.
Also see demonstrations of the construction and maintenance of these composting kits as well as the established ones at FarmED, and discuss the variety of scales on which they can be used and the effort and inputs needed to make them a success.
Full details and prices >> here
We are delighted announce that Nicky Pratt has agreed to be our new Chair following the ” retirement ” of Tony Lewis . We will undertake the necessary formalities at the next AGM.
We also have 4 new Committee members, Hilary Davey, Jackie Birch, Jane McMorrow and Sandy Bradshaw which will certainly lighten the load and help ensure that MUWAGA has a more robust future .
Currently we have 141 members .
Our season of evening talks is in place, with each talk starting at 7.30 in Milton Village Hall.
Full events list with dates here >>>
Meantime ….
MUWAGA members continue to support the table at Joanna and David’s gate with copious donations of surplus produce ( at the moment courgettes, beetroot and beans) so please call if you are passing . Donations as always welcome and will be given to Lawrence Nursing after the season closes. Pumpkins in September/October!
July16th 2023: Twenty four MUWAGA members enjoyed an afternoon visit to the gardens of Gerald ” Big Veg” Stratford on a muggy but warm Sunday afternoon . Fortunately the promised showers held off and the Royal International Air Tattoo flying to and from Fairford gave added enjoyment , as did the delicious tea and cakes .
You could not fail to be impressed. Every bit of space holds plants in all sorts of containers and structures along with colourful and productive planting in the bits in between . Members were able to ask for advice and guidance and to admire the giant tomato plants , cucumbers , parsnips in pipes and carrots in buckets . Gerald answered our questions with good humour and comprehensive knowledge and Elizabeth was called in for her expertise in flowers .
Ever practical and a problem solver, Gerald demonstrated his various watering systems which he has introduced when he realised that watering was taking him four hours every day!
Members were asked for a donation to Lawrence Home Nursing and £80 was raised.
Our thanks go to both Gerald and Elizabeth for hosting the afternoon and providing refreshments.
Some Images of the Day
The 18th June saw a group of 15 MUWAGA members on a specially-arranged Wildflower Walk from Chipping Norton. Led by Craig Blackwell, the walk was informative and insightful, with an extraordinary range of wildflowers, grasses and plants. These were identified for us by Craig’s expertise, and also recognised with some delight by several knowledgeable members of the group!
Amongst all else, the walk took us to the upper part of the Glyme Valley around the river’s source, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and here we saw what Craig told us was one of the few sites of the rare Meadow Clary in the UK, and this one, managed by the farm owners, is known to be the best example.
The farm land here has been in Stewardship Schemes for many years and so we have access to beautiful wildflower-rich limestone grasslands and meadows.
With thanks to Joanna and David van de Poll for arranging the outing, and of course to Craig who made the day a memorable one.
See also: Craig Blackwell’s talk on the Wildflowers of Oxfordshire from the MUWAGA 2022 programme
Upwards of 40 members enjoyed our social get-together in Milton Village Hall. We had good weather and so made full use of the hall lawn to display produce donated by members for the event.
Members contributed raffle prizes, cakes to serve with the teas and a whole array of plants for the produce table.
Members dug deep into their pockets, and funds accruing from the event for charitable distribution, were 60% up on last year.
The committee extends thanks to all who supported the event, which we hope will become a fixture for future years.
Membership Applications and Renewals
Membership arrangements for the 2004/5 programme are now open. The cost remains at £6 per person. New membership cards will be available soon and valid from 1 May 2024. New cards will be issued when payment is received .
Payment Arrangements:
Directly into the MUWAGA Santander bank account – please use the details on the application form here. Please note: the form should be downloaded, completed and printed.
You can also deliver a Cheque or Cash at the van de Polls’ address at Threeways Bruern Road, Milton
Programme Updates
See our events page for latest programme updates
Happy Gardening!
