Spring must be in the air, several people have already asked me what the plans are for an Oxford get-together this year. Ben of The Real Seed Catalogue has repeatedly expressed interest in attending again, as have several others.
Tom Wagner, well known US potato breeder is planning a trip to Europe in October and said he would try to attend a meeting if it were held during his trip, but he otherwise has a very busy schedule and indicated this was uncertain.
Anyone else is welcome to attend depending on available spaces.
This will probably work in a similar way as last year. I will make a few posts like this with some ideas, and see what feedback I get. After a date is fixed, and I know how many places are available, I will ask everyone who intends to come let me know. If necessary I will keep a waiting list, but I expect to find a place for most everyone who wants to come. About a month before the date, I will ask everyone to confirm their attendance and give free places to people on the wait list. I expect we need at least 10-15 people to make it worth while to do this, but I think at least that many will come. My goal would be to keep costs about the same as last year, roughly 15 pounds per person.
Is anyone interested?
My preference would be to do it late August to early September, as this is a good time for most people to take a break from gardening and I sense we did it a little late in the gardening season last year. There is also a gardening get-together in France on September 20th, the same day we had the Oxford get-together last year, and while it’s not clear yet who wants to attend both meetings, it seems like a good idea to avoid a scheduling conflict. If Tom Wagner doesn’t end up being available, perhaps we should plan on then? Otherwise do it in October?
If anyone has other suggestions, we could try to do it in another UK city.
Does anyone have any suggestions for other speakers? Is anyone interested in giving a talk?
Everyone is welcome to attend!
Comments are open, and all feedback is welcome!
Here are links to people who attended last year, expressed interest this year or I hope might be interested:
Daughter of the Soil
Veg Plotting
Spadework
Fluffius Muppetus
Manor Stables Vegetable Plot
Hills and Plains Seedsavers
MustardPlaster
Joanna’s Food
The plot thickens
A Blog Called Fuggles
Ben – Real Seeds
This and That
Baklava Shed Coalition
Guardian Gardening Blog
Horticultural
Soilman’s Allotment Blog
Kitchen Garden in France
Tater-Mater
Observer Organic Allotment Blog
Frugilegus
