Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 12th November: A full pond and shredded banana tree.
The rainy season continues, and nothing got done on the Wednesday morning session due to persistent rain, again! We were due to go on a compost run that day too, which means co-ordinating the hire of a drop side truck, volunteers to help unload, as well as help from the composting farm to load us up with compost. In spite of the weather it was decided to forge ahead, however, having taken the hired truck out of the yard it was soon clear there was something seriously wrong with it, making it impossible to drive safely, and it had to be returned. Undoubtedly it was a case that compost collection was not meant to be happening that day. We have rescheduled for the following Monday in the hope that the weather will be kind to us, although currently it is not looking too brilliant and it could turn into a massive mud bath.
Thank goodness Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, and we were able to get on with many tasks. The broad beans were well and truly ready to go into the ground and so became the main priority for the morning, especially as the coming week is also promising yet more rain. Other tasks included the collecting of fallen leaves and storm debris, harvesting the last of the winter radishes, the Jerusalem artichokes, and quite a few more broccoli side shoots.
Disappointing harvests are the Celeriac, leeks and Chinese cabbages. We have been hoping for the celeriac and the leeks to be more than just spectacular leaves, and for the Chinese cabbages to have fewer holes and to have ‘hearted up’ by now, but alas, it seems the garden may possibly be too dry for them and they may not be suited to the site. It is always a gamble when it comes to growing vegetables, but we have never succeeded with celeriac on this site so far! Luckily, the leaves and stems can be harvested and eaten and so it seems we shall have to make the best of those instead.
The banana tree had to have a good trim as it was battered by the recent winds, and the poor leaves were shredded to ribbons. Happily it is continuing to thrive, and has many new stems growing at the base, which if they survive the winter, will be taken out and grown elsewhere, or brought on for our next plant sale.
Many thanks go out to two of our gardeners’ partners – to Stan for fixing new handles on our sad and sorry looking trugs, and to Peter for making some delicious marmalade and cherry jam and bringing some spare jars up to the garden to share.
On a positive note, the fact we have had so much rain, has totally refilled our dwindling pond, there is no need to water, and at Pent Farm the water is being harvested from all the building roof tops to be stored in large tanks in readiness to be used over the next spring and summer – Happy days!
What’s next?
Repot the cuttings of sage and rosemary
Get some compost up to the garden
Raise the fleece up over the broad beans with hoops
Cut back unruly shrubs
Planting out the broad beansShredded banana treeNew handles on the trugsA full pond
Sandgate Library is introducing a games morning every Tuesday morning 10 – 12 starting 21st November.
Come into our ‘Warm Space’ and enjoy playing a variety of games with friends old and new.
We have a selection of games available in the Library including Cards, Pictionary, Chess etc but you are also welcome to bring along any of your favourite games from home.
Please note no gambling is allowed in the Library,
Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 5th November: Babet, Ciaran and Debi.
Good grief! It has to be said that we have had an abundance of interesting weather recently. The total rainfall for October was 179.5mm, and it would not be at all surprising if we have had as much rain again during the first few days in November.
Since our last newsletter we have been battered by storm Babet, followed by storm Ciaran and now storm Debi. Needless to say it has been near impossible to get much done in the gardens, and so we turn to taking stock of this year, in preparation for the next.
There is still plenty going on in the main garden at Enbrook Park, with many crops still in the ground either to be harvested soon such as parsnips and leeks, to be overwintered such as the purple sprouting, and the next to be planted broad beans which are currently in the greenhouse at Pent Farm, almost big enough to go in the ground. Rosie, one of our gardeners, has to take the prize for managing to keep hold of her tomato plants the longest this year. All the garden tomato plants and most of the homegrown have long since been affected by blight and been removed, but Rosie is still picking tomatoes!
We have been working on preparing any empty beds for the winter by mulching with a good layer of compost. We have used all of our own made compost and will now have to source a supply to finish the job and take us into the first plantings for next spring.
Now is the time to consider which seeds we will need for next year and how we are to source them. We have a preference for small independent seed suppliers, but are gradually starting to save some seeds of our own. In the last newsletter we mentioned shelling the borlotti bean pods, and the beans have now been dried keeping some for seed and the rest put into jars to be used as and when over the winter months as an addition to soups and stews. Other seeds saved this year are tomatoes, and a few annual flowers. Seed saving can be very satisfying, but some are easier to save than others, so you do have to know your stuff to be 100% successful.
We did succeed with taking some cuttings a few weeks ago of rosemary, sage and lemon verbena. Most of the cuttings have taken although only one of the lemon verbena cuttings remains and has rooted. We will look forward to trying again next year and making many new plants at no extra cost!
All the squashes have now been taken indoors to store and to share. As a community group we have been sharing pictures and recipes of tried and tested meals using squash – they certainly are very versatile.
What’s next?
Compost collection day on Wednesday
Repot some sage and rosemary cuttings for the greenhouse
Plant out the broad beans
Tidy the plot of the last storm debris
Rosie’s tomatoesDried borlotti beansSage and rosemary cuttingsTaking in the squashes at Pent Farm
The Library Committee meeting is open to press and public. If any member of the public wishes to attend, please can they notify clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk in advance. This allows us to ensure we have sufficient seats and allow reasonable spacing.
Most of our meetings will be broadcast live on our Facebook page. Recordings of the meetings will be left on Facebook for a few months after the meeting so they can be watched back later. Comments left on Facebook broadcasts during the meeting are not be monitored and are not a way of feeding back to the Council.
Minimum Notice
We issue agendas at least three clear days before a meeting. We display them on the noticeboard in the library, Parish noticeboards on the Village Green and by Enbrook Valley shops, and on our website.
The minimum three clear days for notice of a meeting does not include:
the day of issue of the agenda, or;
the day of the meeting, or;
a Sunday, or;
a day of the Christmas break, or;
a day of the Easter break, or;
of a bank holiday, or;
a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
Meeting in Public
All meetings of our Council are open to the public, except in limited defined circumstances. We can only decide, by resolution, to meet in private when discussing confidential business or for other special reasons where publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest.
Those reasons might include, for example, discussing the conduct of employees, negotiations of contracts or terms of tender, or the early stages of a legal dispute.
The Environment Committee meeting is open to press and public. If any member of the public wishes to attend, please can they notify clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk in advance. This allows us to ensure we have sufficient seats and allow reasonable spacing.
Most of our meetings will be broadcast live on our Facebook page. Recordings of the meetings will be left on Facebook for a few months after the meeting so they can be watched back later. Comments left on Facebook broadcasts during the meeting are not be monitored and are not a way of feeding back to the Council.
Minimum Notice
We issue agendas at least three clear days before a meeting. We display them on the noticeboard in the library, Parish noticeboards on the Village Green and by Enbrook Valley shops, and on our website.
The minimum three clear days for notice of a meeting does not include:
the day of issue of the agenda, or;
the day of the meeting, or;
a Sunday, or;
a day of the Christmas break, or;
a day of the Easter break, or;
of a bank holiday, or;
a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
Meeting in Public
All meetings of our Council are open to the public, except in limited defined circumstances. We can only decide, by resolution, to meet in private when discussing confidential business or for other special reasons where publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest.
Those reasons might include, for example, discussing the conduct of employees, negotiations of contracts or terms of tender, or the early stages of a legal dispute.
Beach management work that helps protect more than 3,000 homes and businesses along the coast from flooding is to start next week.
The latest round of biannual recycling and regrading of shingle between Fisherman’s Beach in Hythe through Sandgate to Folkestone Harbour begins on Monday (30 October) and will take up to eight weeks to complete.
Cllr Stephen Scoffham – Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Bio Diversity – said:
“This work helps shield the sea wall, further reducing the possibility of flooding and coastal erosion over the five-mile stretch.
“Approximately 120,000 tonnes of shingle will be moved from east to west over the next two months. The longshore drift will then naturally spread it to aid the prevention of overtopping and flooding during storm events.”
“Effects of the changing climate are bringing more severe and unpredictable storms to our area, so it is important we are as prepared as possible.”
Efforts will be made to keep any disruption to a minimum.
Safety advice for Halloween and Bonfire night taking place in the next few weeks.
Halloween – Trick or Treating
We want you to enjoy Halloween, but remember, not everyone wants to take part!
Here’s a few things to remember when you are celebrating Halloween.
10 top tips for staying safe this Halloween
1. Some masks can obstruct vision, a potential danger, when crossing roads. Consider using face paints instead.
2. If your children are trick or treating outside, make sure they are wearing visible clothing – consider using reflective tape and always ensure any costumes and masks are labelled as flame resistant.
3. When trick or treating, Children should go out in groups, younger children should be accompanied by an adult.
4. Older children should agree with parents or guardians in advance exactly where they are going and when they will be back.
5. Make sure children know not to enter anyone’s house and not to accept lifts in people’s cars.
6. Talk through the idea of trick or treat, and make sure your children don’t do anything to upset or annoy the people they visit.
7. Keep to pavements and trick or treat on one side of the street before crossing safely to the other side – don’t criss-cross.
8. Stay in well-lit areas where there are plenty of houses.
9. Carefully check all the things children have been given. Sweets and food that are still in their original wrappers are safest.
10. Remember – have fun but be safe!
There are two posters below, If you have an elderly or vulnerable friend, relative or neighbour who does not enjoy callers at their door, help them display the ‘no’ poster clearly in the window. If you do receive an unexpected caller at the door, don’t feel pressured to answer if you don’t want to. If you are taking your children out trick or treating, please be considerate and avoid houses who are displaying the ‘no’ poster.
You are also welcome to display the ‘yes’ poster if you would like to make it clear to trick or treaters that you are taking part this Halloween.
Officers will be carrying out extra patrols in your area to keep you safe, however there are number of steps you can take to ensure a great Bonfire Night. Remember:
An organised display is the safest way to enjoy fireworks.
Fireworks are noisy (which can upset very young or elderly people as well as pets). They can cause damage and they can cause serious injuries if not used properly.
Only buy fireworks from a legitimate retailer.
It is an offence to buy fireworks by anyone under the age of 18. You can be fined or imprisoned for buying or using fireworks illegally.
Shops are not allowed to sell fireworks louder than 120 decibels.
It is an offence to let fireworks off between 11pm and 7am except on 5th November when the cut off is midnight and on Diwali, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year when the cut off is 1am. It is also an offence to set off fireworks in the street, onto a road or in a public place.
Anyone caught causing a nuisance with fireworks will receive an instant fine of £80 and any fireworks found on a person under 18 will be confiscated.
Always inform your neighbours if you are using fireworks and be considerate.
Keep bonfires small and manageable and build them away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees, bushes and vehicles.
Never use flammable liquids – paraffin or petrol – to light the fire.
Avoid drinking alcohol whilst in charge of a bonfire or fireworks and particularly when supervising children.
In case of an emergency, keep buckets of water, the garden hose or a fire extinguisher ready.
Make sure your fireworks conform to British Standards BS 7114, EN 14035 or EN 15947.
Keep fireworks in a closed box and use/light them one at a time.
Light the firework at arm’s length using a taper or fuse wick and stand well back – never return to a firework once it has been lit.
Only children over the age of five are allowed to use sparklers and should be supervised by an adult at all times.
Remember, if you break the law on fireworks you could be sent to prison for up to six months or a child’s parents or carers could receive a fine.
Fireworks Code – Before they explode read the code!
1
Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
2
Never give sparklers to a child under 5
3
Buy fireworks marked BS 7114
4
Keep fireworks in a closed box
5
Follow the instructions on each firework
6
Light them at arm’s length using a taper
7
Stand well back
8
Never go back to a lit firework
9
Never put fireworks in your pocket
10
Never throw fireworks
11
Keep pets indoors
Safety Advice
Take Care With Sparklers
Sparklers can reach a temperature of up to 2,000°C, I’m sure you’ll agree that’s quite hot!
So when handling them, always wear gloves. And when you’ve finished, have a bucket of water which people can plunge them in. If you’re giving them to children, then make sure they’re observed at all times.
Children under five should never hold a sparkler. Instead, you can give them a glow stick so they don’t feel left out, and it will last a lot longer than a sparkler.
Have Someone In Charge
You need to delegate one person to be in charge of the display. Give them a hi-vis vest so everyone can easily identify and find them. They should abstain from drinking, at least until after the display.
Doing otherwise increases the risk of injury, and means they’re less able to supervise properly. Equip them with a torch to see what they’re doing and a hat, gloves and goggles to keep them protected.
Buying Your Fireworks
Always buy fireworks from a reputable shop. Don’t cut corners trying to save a few quid and don’t buy from places you’re unsure about. All fireworks that conform to British Standards should have BS 7114 written on the packaging.
Also, make sure you buy fireworks which are appropriate. Most fireworks in Categories 1 to 3 will be okay for a garden display. All Category 4 fireworks are only for professional displays.
Setting Off The Fireworks
Long before you set them off, you should have read the instructions and prepared in the daylight. Let your neighbours know and remember it’s better to be over cautious. Make sure the area is clear of animals and people, and that all your guests are stood well back. Only light one firework at a time and never return to a firework after you’ve lighted it.
Once lit, run to safety and watch the beautiful fireworks light up the sky.
And Just In Case
Unfortunately, things can go wrong from time to time. If someone does get burnt, then remain calm. Cool the burn with cold water, then cover and go to a hospital if it’s serious. Maybe have a small first aid kit to hand for such accidents.
Should someone’s clothes catch alight, then get them to perform the stop, drop and roll. Have a fire blanket which you can also wrap around someone will put out the flames. And having a 2kg powder fire extinguisher means you can act quickly and prevent a small fire escalating.
Who to contact to report suspicious activity or a crime?
If there is a threat to life or public safety, or you suspect a crime is in progress, call 999
To report a crime other than a crime in progress call 101 or visit the Kent Police website to access the ‘Live Chat’ facility.
Most of our meetings are also broadcast live on our Facebook page. Those recordings are left on Facebook for a few months after the meeting so can be watched back later.
We broadcast our meetings live on our Facebook page (although we’re sorry: this one was not). Those meeting recordings are then left live for a few months after the meeting, giving you the chance to watch it back later!
The next suitable meeting will formally approve the draft minutes of this meeting. When approved, the Chairman of that meeting then signs them.
The signed minutes of the meeting serve as the legal record of what has taken place at the meeting. Before a meeting approves the draft minutes of a preceding meeting, the meeting may, by resolution, correct any inaccuracies in the draft minutes. The attendance (or otherwise) of the Chairman or those voting in favour to amend or approve of the minutes is irrelevant.
Only if meeting minutes are found to be inaccurate after they have been signed can they then be altered. Inaccuracies in signed minutes can only be amended by resolution at a subsequent meeting.
We broadcast our meetings live on our Facebook page. Those meeting recordings are then left live for a few months after the meeting, giving you the chance to watch it back later!
The next suitable meeting will formally approve the draft minutes of this meeting. When approved, the Chairman of that meeting then signs them.
The signed minutes of the meeting serve as the legal record of what has taken place at the meeting. Before a meeting approves the draft minutes of a preceding meeting, the meeting may, by resolution, correct any inaccuracies in the draft minutes. The attendance (or otherwise) of the Chairman or those voting in favour to amend or approve of the minutes is irrelevant.
Only if meeting minutes are found to be inaccurate after they have been signed can they then be altered. Inaccuracies in signed minutes can only be amended by resolution at a subsequent meeting.
Report a Highways Issue
Kent Highways are responsible for maintaining and repairing roads and pavements.
Let Kent Highways know about highways problems via their online reporting tool, to help them schedule repairs.
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