Update #9 by Alan Hickman
The classes are all done for another year and this time we have some measure of how much was taken up by the group as a whole. In January the test results were as follows: Reruns (5) average 66%. New (25) average 44%. April results: Reruns (5) 82%. New (18) 75%. Looking at the spread of correct answers is also interesting: January Reruns 15 - 22, New 4 - 23. April range: Reruns 19 - 28, New 16 - 29.

The label making secession on Friday turned out to be much less of a disaster than I was prepared for. We actually completed 63 useable labels and a lot more than that are in various stages of assembly. As this was a trial run which taught us a lot, and as nobody sprained themselves or sustained serious mutilation, the evening can be counted as a success. John says he has some ideas for tooling changes - the second bending jig was a major choke point - and he and I will get together this evening to look at modifications.

In the nursery garden, Chuck and I resurrected the cold frame on Sunday and set it up in a new location on the slope of the hill. As the panels were built more than thirty-five years ago and were saturated with water having lain flat in the grass for a couple of seasons, reassembly was more like restoring the wreck of the Mary Rose than building a plant shelter.

So far, 23 crates of dahlia and canna tubers have been retrieved from milk parlor. As usual, most of the roots look quite dreadful, either dried up or wearing grey furry socks, (sometimes you just can’t win) but a lot of green sprouts are showing so something must have survived.

I purchased the border forks from Lee Valley yesterday, so they will be available for pickup on Saturday. I got a roll of loonies at the bank this morning so we’ll do a price reduction to $39.00. When you collect your fork, remember to put your initials inside the handle.

The first full week of activity in the gardens got off to an average start with a total of 43.5 volunteer hours. The display beds around the main building were cleaned up and mulched, a lot of weeding got done in the nursery, and potato trenches were started. Chuck, Anita, Linda, Moeen, Phyllis and Dick were all out at some point. (For the purpose of tallying hours, weeks run from Monday to Sunday) John and Sandra were out a week ago last Saturday and put in a day’s work weeding, composting and mulching beds in block C.

Regarding next Saturday afternoon’s (2 p.m.) mass gardening party: as there will be a big auction going on in one of the buildings and as the nursery garden is the normal start point for summer activity, I’m going to countermand Margaret’s instruction of yesterday. We will meet at the nursery garden. The nursery is in the south-west corner of the fairgrounds, just drive around one of the outer driveways and you’ll end up in the far back corner of the lot. Park on the road as the tracks in the nursery may still be soft.

The weather forecast for Saturday is calling for 25C. and 25k winds, so dress for hot and breezy and don’t forget strong footwear. Bring as much of the basic tool kit as you have i.e. spade, shovel, fork (unless you’re picking up a new one) and secateurs. This Saturday only, if you have a wheel-barrow and can get it to the garden it will be helpful. Once we have all got together and get an overview of the fairgrounds we will split into parties to get the year under way. So far, Margaret will lead one group to clear up the largest of the display beds, Joe will look after general maintenance, and Linda will bring a truck to move stuff about. As usual, I’ll just swan around and tell everyone what they’re doing wrong!

Day +5 cloudy drizzle 1mm Wind SSW19km/h P.O.P.24%
Night -2 mostly cloudy Wind SSW17km/h P.O.P.50%