Oxford 2009!
What a weekend!
Again, many thinks to everyone who came and made this a big success.
Speakers
VP of Veg Plotting explained her air pot trial to us. Like many things it sounded like the air pots were good in some circumstances, and not so good in others. Have a look at her blog for a post with all the details.
Emma had a Q & A session for everything she has been working on in recent times, including her garden, chickens, book, blog, podcast, and lots more!
Soilman made a video of part of it.
Ben of Real Seeds demonstrated how it was impossible for most GM crops to yield higher than ordinary crops, because they are generally forced to produce some additional product like pesticide, which must in turn result in lower yields. His picture shows how a normal plant (top) makes use of 1000 hours of sunshine, and the same GM plant has to split this resource.
Vicki of the Heritage Seed Library talked briefly about who and what they are and do.
Dr. Simon Platten talked for an hour about his research of UK allotments from an anthropological perspective. He also brought in his bean collection that he collected from seed swaps across the UK demonstrating just how there is a real biodiversity available for those who are willing to look for it.
Finally, Tom gave really quite an astonishing account of his work in breeding tomatoes and potatoes.
Seed Swap
Somewhere in between all these presentations we found time for swapping seeds. Among things on offer were a large collection from the Heritage Seed Library, elephant and other garlic, blight resistant potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions, sorrel, and much more!
Lunch
We also took a short break for lunch, and enjoyed omelets, bread, cheese, home grown tomatoes and apples, potato salad, welsh cakes, home made cookies, gluten free apple cake, a home grown cucumber and more!
Sunday Workshop
Here are VP, Ben and myself at the Sunday workshop, examining a pile of potatoes.
The workshop was no less intense than Saturday, but we decided we had more or less finished by 2pm. Lots more seeds and planting materials were available in the workshop, and I hope to make some of these materials in addition to some videos I took available via this blog in the course of the coming weeks and months.
Comments
9 Responses to “Oxford 2009!”
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Great stuff- thanks for sharing! Looking forward to more….
[...] Oxford 2009; report of the veg bloggers and breeders get-together. [...]
[...] Oxford 2009; report of the veg bloggers and breeders get-together. [...]
God, I really, really wish I could have made it to Oxford. People like you, Tom and Ben give me hope in my darker moments.
Carpe Diem – save those seeds, then plant them.
Maybe next time I’ll have some new oca varieties to swap.
I missed this coming and then it was gone. Was even in the country on the relevant date…so I’m devastated.
Hope to make it next year, there will be a next year won’t there?
Pity I wasn’t there as planned, but I had some nasty gastro-intestinal bug and wasn’t fit for anything. Glad it all went well, and if you do have another gathering next year, I hope to make it!
Hi Anna,
I’m sorry you couldn’t come. Maybe next year.
Hi Rhizowen,
I’m sorry you too couldn’t come. I can’t wait to see the oca you, Ben and Frank are all working on!!
Hi Catofstripes,
It would have been nice to see you as well. I never know from one year to the next if I’ll do it again. It depends if I have time, can find the right speakers and enough people are interested. I hope we do it again! I really enjoyed myself.
Hi Robert,
I hope you’re feeling better!
Looks and sounds fabulous Patrick and I was very disappointed not to be there this year. I am in Adelaide again for a while but will be back in France with Ian when we get ourselves better organised!