Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2012 | Page 103
COUNTRY LIFE
Show going
back to roots
With a slight name change ‘The Royal Isle
of Wight County Show’ is going back to
its roots to promote the rural economy on
Saturday, June 16.
‘Queen of Aga cookery’ and all round
champion of countryside pursuits, Amy
Willcock, is heading up the new Show
Committee; Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of
Wight, Major General Martin White has
been appointed president of the RIWAS
(Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society)
with Chairman of the Isle of Wight NHS
Primary Care Trust, Danny Fisher appointed
chairman.
David Biles is back with the skilful carriage
driving championship qualifiers that always
make a fine show in the main ring and
Ventnorian Jonny Fitzgerald Bond has very
kindly agreed to be ringmaster on the day.
A new ‘Village Green’ area will have
original Victorian attractions along with
steam engines, antique tractors, a traditional
country pub, a thatched cottage tea shop,
and a ‘show farm’. Along with the main ring
there will be three equestrian rings, a large
Horticultural marquee, loads of livestock,
an Environmental and Wildlife corner and a
bigger and better Woodland area. For more
details see www.riwas.org.uk
Back to nature
I am beginning to believe that winter has
gone, and all we have had to show for it
was a week of cold weather and a couple
of wet days.
Not that I’m complaining, but if I was
granted a ‘weather wish’, it would be for
a nice long cold spell followed by some
heavy rain - does that count as one wish?
There is still a lot of hedge and tree
planting to complete and we extend our
bare-rooted planting season by using
a root dip, looking a bit like wall paper
paste, that coats the roots helping them
A cou ntry ma n's dia ry
to retain moisture and encourage good
growth.
Potted trees and shrubs get a slightly
different treatment with our own mix of
water retentive granules, slow release
fertiliser and mycorrhiza granules.
Although adding to the cost the success
rates are far superior.
On one particular farm we have been
clearing away dead elms that have fallen
across the fences, coppicing what is left
of the hedge, helping to clean out ditches
and then gapping up the hedgerow with
new whips.
Traditionally the management of these
hedges would have been done yearly by
farm hands, but with farms now being
mechanised there isn’t the spare labour.
It is a long term plan, and although
initially looking a bit bare afterwards, the
coppiced stools grow quickly and before
long the hedge will be re-instated and
acting as a wildlife corridor, larder and
home, all in one.
www.visitislandlife.com
103