Hairy 4 day week?

Hi

Looks like a bit of an Indian summer coming with a pleasant start to September on the cards. Fingers crossed that all the old folk with no kids are out and about over the next few weeks, credit cards open for a pounding, as we hit the cheaper holiday breaks with the schools all back to work. We are not too bad for staffing next week but probably half the gang are off during week after as they make the most off the end of summer bargains. Hoping we can juggle everything to cope, should be ok as I think that although van driver availability is low it, is well spread out. The potting rush I was hoping to ride on might well stutter, but Caroline tells me it will all work out fine!

Although it feels like it's been a long week we did have the bank holiday break at the start which hopefully refreshed everyone. In theory we should have made up for the hours shortfall by being more rested and productive over the other four days. That is one of the theories behind the move to promoting the four day working week. I'm not entirely sure how true that is myself, as soon as everyone gets used to 4 days being the full time norm, then any extra vim and vigour found during the initial period is likely to wane without some serious focus and commitment. As someone who, in theory, is supposed to be running a small nursery, the thought of working a five day week is already a huge novelty and is something reserved for the winter period only. With a following wind we might get down to 6 days for some of the summer, but for 5 or 6 months it's 7. I feel I'm not really selling the idyll of working the land, in my apron, wellies and with trug in hand, but it's what it takes us to get it all working right and keep costs in check.

A good week for getting stuff mended with a new control panel put in the emergency generator to overcome last week's breakdown and a new capacitor/switch on one of the wind turbines which burnt out last Sunday. We have a brilliant small maintenance company to look after our turbines (Natural Energy) and a simple Whatsapp photo of the charred part and broken wire, with a short message, was all that was needed for an instant response and action on the next working day. Every hour saved to get the turbine up and running again helps cover the bill, and there's nothing quite like watching the blades turning in the breeze and generating cash to make you feel it's not all a slog.

An early start on Thursday to get all my chores sorted and the plants all ready for the potting team before departing for Beaulieu, for a welcome pub lunch and our first NBIS meeting for a very long time. We were a bit thin on the ground with a couple of absentees and even more retirements, but there was a big push from the HTA contingent that they really want to get the group re-launched and thriving again. There were some tough questions for us to deal with and it looks like we are going to have to take a slightly more professional approach to how we approach these meetings, including a fairly hefty potential bill that will follow once the group is running properly again. There was a sticky moment part way through the meeting when it became apparent that non HTA members are unlikely to be invited to be in the group, which potentially knocks out two or three of the existing members including ourselves. The HTA was sure that they could convince the doubters that they are missing out on lots of things that the HTA are now doing for their grower members, although I remain to be convinced. There was talk of show discounts and access to more press coverage for unique products like ours, but compared to membership of the NFU it is an expensive option. The other problem for us is that more exposure means having to promote ourselves and we prefer our lower profile approach where you just have to be 'in the know' and on the 'H list'! 

Availability list.

Lovely compact and well branched batch of Verbena Lollipop now available.

Summer is rushing by and the Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium are well ready with the bud and flower. Premium variety Tiarella Pink Skyrocket are ready with attractive foliage and now also in bud and flower.

Fresh batches of the summer and autumn flowering mini garden Chrysanthemums are coming into bud and colour. Lovely foliage plants on show with Ajuga and Euphorbia displaying nicely.

The more classic Aster varieties are coming on strong now, after all the new early Alpha range has sold out. Most are now coming into bud ready for their late summer and autumn display. Anemone japonica back on the list as summer slips by.

Some Bergenia varieties have a late flower flush as is the case with Fire and Ice with its white flowers and red stems. Summer colour is still there with the Gaura Rosy Jane with its bicolour flowers and the lovely delicate white of Whirling Butterfies, .

New range for this year is the Helenium Hayday series, Strong and compact and still showing good colour and bud. Armeria Dreameria series of long season flowering Armerias are still showing plenty of colour with loads more to come. No white this year but a series of three pretty different pinks making a delightful show.

The Balloon Flower Platycodon Twinkle Blue and Twinkle White are now well into bud with the odd flash of colour.

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm