Netherfield

Cyclists, horse-riders and walkers, travel to and from any churches in the area, where a form awaits to be signed on arrival. Sponsor forms have been left in St. Johns Church and at Netherfield Village Stores & Café, where a good selection of refreshments can be found.

The charity apologises for the lateness of the notification, but has blamed it on the failure of a new computer system! I hope that as many people as possible can take part, as St. Johns Church benefits very well from your participation. More sponsor forms can be forwarded if required. Please phone me for further details - 01424 838825 – Gillian.

Netherfield Mobile Library: Let us hope that the lorry has now been fixed and that Ella and the library can visit our green once again to distribute those volumes of wonderment that we all enjoy. Yes, the mobile library will be visiting Netherfield once again on 30 August between 13.00 and 13.20, in its usual place outside of Netherfield Stores.

For anybody that has now incurred a fine and was unable to visit another library outlet, I am not sure what the position would be. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

All I know is that it is a regular part of the local scene here in Netherfield and without it our village would be a poorer place. Does anyone have details of a book they enjoyed and would like to share with the rest of the community. Please let me know at the contact points below and I will make sure it gets in the paper.

St George’s Chrurch Brede Flower Festival: It is the final reminder that St George’s Church Brede’s annual Flower Festival this year is all about your “Favourite Films”. It starts on Sat 27 August and is open from 10am - 5.30pm Sun 11am - 4.30pm and Mon 10am - 4.30pm when the Grand Raffle will be drawn. It is suitable for all ages and if the weather is good take a trip up the Tower and admire the view. Visit grannies attic, the book tent, and buy some plants and preserves. Visit the children’s tent and cake stall and enjoy the sumptuous morning coffees, lunches and cream teas on offer every day.

On Saturday St George’s hosts an evening of Jazz featuring Java Jam, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 and can be purchased from the Rectory. Price includes a glass of Prosecco and a light supper prepared by Gary of the Red Lion. Please take your own drinks too.

On Bank Holiday Monday Brede has the Steam Giants in operation between 10am – 4.30pm together with an Art Exhibition (which is open over the three days) in Brede Village Hall from 10am - 4.30pm every day. The Red Lion has a table Sale. More information on 01424 883408

Reflections on a garden: The summer growth on the shrubs and fruit trees this year seems to me to be fueled by some super-duper growth enhancer. I viewed that task before me, to cut back on all this development, with extreme trepidation. Re-cycling the cuttings, leaves and other detritus from the apples, pear and walnut trees, together with the hawthorns, privet and hazel, posed logistical problems for our overworked composting area. Oh the joys of being green and organic.

The trees in our apple orchard (sounds grand but you only need five and that is what we have) have been there for quite a while. It was only looking at the TV that I learned that cutting the trees in early spring promotes summer growth so that is where our troubles stem from. Sorry about the pun. It is a cutting job I have been dreading, but with saw, clippers and ladder in hand I went about the task with gusto. With all the chops, saw-cuts and clips I could see below me a steadily increasing carpet of green covering the lawn, which also needed a seeing-to! But hang on, who then has to clear that lot up beneath my feet?

After a number of hours, I realised I had made a difference. Air was able to travel through the trees and I could now see that the harvest was likely to be more than I had anticipated. Last year was a bumper harvest, but this year I thought we would struggle, not only with our “cookers” but also with my wife’s favourite eaterm – a “Maid of Bath”. This apple is sweet, rosy and perfumed. Perfection....

More next week.....

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