David's Blog

School Spring Fayre

Posted on 14 Mar, 2008 10 comments

Our village Primary School held a Spring Fayre this evening, as the finale to its “Healthy Living” week. As my wife had “volunteered” me a couple of months ago to do something, I thought I would use the theme and grow various herbs, etc.to promote healthy eating.

I had never done such a thing before, and it was not without its periods of “panic” (it’s not easy getting Basil to germinate in February!), but enjoyed the experience immensely – even though, immediately before setting up the stand, I felt “obliged” to take part in the school’s fun-run (4 laps around the perimeter of the cricket ground, i.e. 1 mile). Not a 4-minute excercise for me, more like 20. I thought that my lungs were going to implode!
Then came the irony. My “Healthy Eating” stand directly faced the Homebaking! Perhaps my plants and edibles sold so well because I helped ease folks’ consciences after they had devoured the cakes, lol!

A special feature of my stand was the toy wheelbarrow full of seeds.GOY member Weemamabell had given us all her surplus seed packets to sell off at the Fayre. This was picked up by another member, Janette, who sent me all hers, too, from Northamptonshire! The grand total of seed packets in the barrow was 69 – and only 6 were left at the end. These will be sown in the school garden, however. Many, many thanks for your kindness, ladies XX. GOY member Patrick and his wife Liz had wanted to come along. Patrick, unfortunately, had to work, but Liz arrived with their 2 grandchildren, William and Leah. It was great to see you again, Liz, and to meet the children, too. I wished I had more time to chat but, as you saw, the place was, well, “going like a fair”, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Seeds by Weemamabell and Janette

My son’s class had also been busy. They grew trays of cress, alfalfa and red cabbage shoots. Also, they decorated terracotta pots with decoupage or paint, and planted up with lovely apricot-coloured pansies, which looked stunning with all the greenery!

I think they did brilliantly! And, as the crowning glory, my wife won a 3-course meal for 2 at an Indian Restaurant in the Prize Draw! Yippee! Hooray! (mind you, she hasn’t said it’s me she’s taking with her, lol!

Comments

Patrick

15 Mar, 2008

Hi David, Thanks for the invite,It was really nice to see you & the bairns, & to meet Shona for the first time, & Davids mum & dad, would you believe I knew them I worked with Davids grandmother a lot of years ago, won't say how many LOL. it really is a small world, William & Leah had a great time,they've got two new friends, & Rags the kitten. Leah got one of the lovely flower pots with pansies for her mum. The bairns had two or three games of skittles & miniture curling they had a great time, we had a lovely cup of tea, pancakes with home made jam, mmmm, All those lovely cakes,( oh dear put on weight just looking at them) Poor David was hard at work dont think he even got a cuppa, Shona I think you should take David for that Indian meal he deserves it. LoL, congratulations to all the fete went with a bang ever so busy, thanks for asking us we had a great time,

Weemamabell

15 Mar, 2008

Well done David ! I do hope Shona takes you for that meal you deserve it and after all she did " volunteer " for this so its pay back time ? lol
Im so glad it all went well and you all had a good time , wish Id been able to manage over to support you .

David

15 Mar, 2008

You supported us more than enough with the seeds, Weemamabell. Many thanx - again!

David

15 Mar, 2008

You're very welcome Liz. Glad you all had fun. I don't know yet how much money was raised. And.....I remember you now when you worked with my Grandmother.........I was only about 7 yrs-old then!
Was a bit of a "cue the Outer Limits" theme music moment, wasn't it, lol?

Patrick

16 Mar, 2008

Yes it was, my daughter was about 7 my son would be about 5. they came to meet me & their gran then we went to the beach, we must have all met at some time, I seem to remember a wee boy coming & getting sweets from his gran,LOL, I would be there too. around about 1970 summer time & two or three years after that, really is a small world, who would have thought we would meet again through a smashing gardning web site Grows On You.

David

17 Mar, 2008

just like us! We spent all day from 8.00am till 8.00pm on the beach in those days! Dad joined us after work, just like you and your children. Those were the days when summer was summer (definitely not "selective" memory but hard fact). Yes, I used to call in for sweets, sometimes under the pretext of needing a plaster for a sore bit scratched on the rocks or barnacles, LOL! On a gardening theme, however, I remember trying to grow carrots from seed tapes, even then. Have just about mastered it now, 40 yrs later, LOL!

Janette

17 Mar, 2008

Glad to hear the fare went well it was my pleasure with the seeds glad to see them go to such a good cause

Jacque

17 Mar, 2008

Shame im so far away You no how i like a BARGAIN David& there looked like lots of flowers/plants id of wanted :)

David

17 Mar, 2008

Hi, Janette! Will drop you a REAL letter soon, now that the hustle/bustle of the Fayre is over. Meantime, many, many thanks again! And Hi, Jacque! BARGAIN happens to be my middle name, lol! I undercut even Lidl, Poundland, Aldi et al when I priced my wares! You can't do better, though, than grow your own. I'm lucky to live in a great agricultural area, with its fair share of organic farm shops, small businesses, etc - fantastic for running out to get what i don't have in the kitchen when I want to cook up something and am missing some ingredients. I'm also supporting local, small businesses, and feel good about that,Also, i can get fresh (often wholly organic) produce at slightly less than the price of supermarket, so-called organic, but often a bit tasteless, produce. I still think that you can grow-your-own, much superior, and when you want it, food and flowers, far cheaper than any store, especially with successional sowing from a single seed
packet. However, if I were a businessman, I'd be happy to e-mail you my online catalogue, LOL!! Take care and Best Wishes X

David

17 Mar, 2008

PS. On this blog. My final figure was £ 62.50 earned in 1 hour - a profit of £51.33!). The total figure talked about today is £1150 - excellent, I think, for a village primary school with a total of exactly 111 pupils,including the pre-school nursery, and for only 2 hours' effort! And Liz, Patrick's wife, won a great prize in the prize draw, too. It will be great for their grandkids, and could end up in their
holiday home garden. It is sitting here in front of me and must deliver it. Will send an e-mail to you very soon, guys, to arrange delivery!

1 person likes this blog