Grow Your Own Magazine

Back at the end of October it was my 40th Birthday and the whole problem of Gifts reared its problematic head. My cousin Gina in America wanted to buy me something. This was not going to be an easy exercise at any time, what caused the biggest problem was we were now talking gift giving from distant parts of the globe. Airmail is still expensive and overseas shipping can take months.
The advent of the Internet and mail order has widened up the global market. However the problem still remains the same. What do you give the one you love?
In my case I opted for a subscription to “Grow Your Own”. I gave Gina the name of the magazine and the number of the last copy I had bought from the supermarket and left the rest to her.
My subscription started in November and the December issue duly popped onto my doormat on the 2nd of November. Although my gift subscription didn’t come with any bows or fancy wrapping paper, it was far better than all the smellies and knickknacks that I mostly received and far easier to enthuse about when saying thank you. The exception to this must remain my biggest and best Birthday gift. An 8’ x 10’ Greenhouse with concrete hard stand with built in drainage and a brick base all around the sides. OK you’re not 40 every day.
So my question is this:
In front of you is a gift all carefully wrapped in fancy paper and all tied up with big red bows.
What do you wish were in it?

johnny depp...sean bean...a dehydrator...some slabs for building paths in my alotment...loads of amazon vouchers
not picky realing, I just like shaking and poking presents to try and guess what they are, yay shiney wrapping papper and stuff

A garden! Im fed up of using only pots, its quite resticting and expensive. Difficult to wrap up though... a warm covering of manure prehaps?

Do you know we must be really sad us gardeners. I asked my Sister what she wanted for Christmas and her answer was knickers and compost!! Here am I being bought a pair of wellies for my Birthday!! I agree with the lady above our answer should Johnny Depp!!! I to am not dead yet!

Regards
Looloo

A polytunnel and acre of land - how sad am I? Oh and failing that Nigella Lawson...

Andrewo

A new shed for my allotment and a trailer to carry compost and manure between garden and allotment ..... Sad, I know....

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Acorn

A farm - yes I know it will take alot of wrapping paper but I would love a farm. Oh and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall for my next door neighbour!!

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Wrapped up in fancy paper with big red ribbon bows, I would like to receive three wishes. O.K. not possible? Two then. Am I asking too much? Can I settle for just one please Jaxom?

What a wonderful thread you have started. I am day dreaming already!

http://kooringa.blogspot.com

The Gift can be what ever you want. The only limit is your imagination
Tell us your dream Gift. You never know, one fine and memoral day you may get it.
Jax

A few replies to go through, but a common theme.

We're on a gardening website, and typing messages into the forum so it's safe to say we're all keen gardeners. The only people who are going to delve this deeply into the forum are other, equally keen, gardeners. We all enjoy it for very similar reasons, the taste of the food, the satisfaction of doing it, saving money, for ecological reasons, to get away from the office/spouse/kids/neighbours etc. And yet a lot of people have been very defensive...

"it's sad I know but"....
"sad, but...."

Why is it sad? Why are we so defensive?

I work offshore in a very male oriented, macho workplace and I didn't tell anyone that I was getting very keen on growing my own fruit and veg until recently. Nobody has mentioned anything about it being a "sad" hobby. They have told me about there hobbies (ranging from train spotting, hillwalking, opera and even buying watches!!! and so on). Once we'd established that we both have hobbies there is a common bond. They probably think that what they do in their spare time is a bit "sad" but it takes all sorts.

We should be proud that we are growing our own, and should pity those who still put up with buying fruit and veg that have been sprayed with god knows what chemicals, with more air miles than we'll ever have, from multi national companies only interested in their bottom line.

Spread the word. The last big hike in oil prices saw a big increase in F&V production at home - it says so in this months magazine. We're not sad - we're on the cutting edge of the latest craze surely???? I'm sure there will be a lot more grapes coming to the forum over the next few months.

We should hold our heads up high and shout from the rafters

"for Christmas I'd like a coldframe... hardwood, clear sided, tall enough at the back to get some decent tomato plants in, and preferably 2 of them".

Hope Santa brings us all what we really want.

I kept leaving Greenhouse brochures around the place and asking questions like when you were little and your dad grew all his vegetables in his back garden, did he ever wish he had a greenhouse.
Or when watering the tomatoes in the plastic mini greenhouse saying things like "it seems such a shame only to grow two" or "I wonder how many of the tender plants I will be able to get in this plastic shelter this winter."

OK I fess up; it was a case of "No I don't want to go on holiday for my 40th. I want something that will last for years to come. A top range greenhouse that is the best we can afford!"
Jax

I don't think its sad at all. I'm 31 years old and have been wanting to garden seriously for about 10 years but its taken me this long to be able to afford my own garden flat. I talk about it at work and people bring me in lots of cuttings etc and talk about their own gardens even if they are not serious enthusiasts. I suppose that's not the usual sort of talk in a firm of solicitors but for those of us who feel under pressure all week gardening is a great release. I can't wait for the days to start getting lighter so I can do bits here and there in the evening.

For Christmas my dad asked for 2 apples trees and a plum tree. They live in southern ireland and unfortunately they now can't come over as planned. I now have 2 apple trees and a a plum tree planted in my garden! I only wish he had asked for a few tonnes of grit and manure and for this to have been dug in to my garden on a regular basis over the past few years. Oh well.

The shortest Day will soon be with us on December 21st. from the 22nd we will get a little more light each day until June 21st which will be the day we have the most hours of sun and the shortest time of darkness.
Jax

Dear All,

I am soo sorry, I started this "sad" thing. I dont really think it's bad I am quite proud of being "sad". I am coming up to my 49th Birthday and I work with young lasses and young lads who think anyone over 30 is a wrinkly. I am not only a wrinkly but I knit, crochet, enjoy my allotment, read etc. etc. All of these things are considered to be "sad" to the younger generation. It was never meant to be taken seriously or to offend.

I am one very wrinkly sad old dear who doesn't drink, go to nightclubs, drive around in fast cars. But, I have rosy cheeks, I laugh a lot. I get up early and love to feed the birds and watch them bath. I like to go to the allotment and listen to nothing, while I work to achieve my dream, which is healthy food and a sense of serenity never felt unless you have an allotment I am ultimately stress free and happy. I hope you all are too.

Regards
Looloo

Looloo you sound as though you are many things but sad would never be one I would use to describe them.
I think that in a world of materialism, seeing children who can't identify common vegetables is sad.
Jax

LooLoo

You certainly didn't offend, but at least the mood of the thread seems more upbeat with everyone jumping in to state that it's not sad.

It's good exercise, you get fresh air, you get much better, healthier, tastier food and it is really good fun.

The secretaries at work really helped me out this year so I've taken them in tulips grown around the edge of the plot (they lasted for ages as well) and also some veg which they put into soups. They seemed genuinely pleased as they get bought biscuits and chocolates all the time, but this year it's me who will be at home with loved ones and others who will be bobbing about on the North Sea! Hurrah for Growing Your Own.

Next year I plan on giving them a celophane wrapped basket of veg at harvest time, and push my luck for another Christmas in front of my own fire.

Well with Monty Don advocating gardening as helping him out of a depressive phase and having suffered from depression as well, I know how beneficial the garden is. Not only does it get you outside but it allows you to get back to the basics, I would rather grow a plant then watch TV - unless gardeners world. I think we didn't mean 'sad' as in 'look at us, how sad are we?' - I think it was more in the nature of us poking fun at ourselves for what we want for Christmas because frankly, we all know, we're getting socks.

Andrewo

Now Andrewo, where would you be without those socks!!!!!

I adore knitting socks. I get this from my Father who (yes I Know) knits. He is 86 and has done this from being a child. My sister and I have taken over the allotment from him as it is getting a bit much now. But his Christmas gift from me is Sock wool so there is a least one man on this earth who is not getting socks for Xmas.

Anyway guys here's your chance to give us women ideas on what men really would like for Xmas apart from 1. another classic motorbike or 2. a classic lorry, these are what I get from my husband when I ask. Keep it clean please!!!

Regards
Looloo

I would like a homemade Dibber. A flat tapper for levelling and firming seed trays. A thick kneeling pad that is waterproof but also thicker than an inch thick. And most of all a hat that fits. These one-size fits all rubbish really drives me mad. What look like a nice warm hat on most people sits on my head like a Fez.
Jax, a simple man with a truly big head

Jax don't waste your time asking Santa for a kneeling pad - they are a waste of time - trust me. my old knees know it for sure. Instead get a pair of kneeling pads - the best thing I ever did. I strap them on as soon as I get up the lottie, and it is amazing how many times you kneel down when you don't intend too - if you know what I mean. They have saved my old back and knees from all sorts of extra trouble. You don't have to get up and down and move the kneeling pad. When you catch you knee on the rotorvator, an odd stone, the side of a piece of corrugated iron, the side of the wheel barrow - hey hoy you don't feel a thing. Try them on first - there are all sorts, but it is worth trying them on and kneeling down. The nicest looking are not always the best - and look for something with a bit of waterproofing if possible.

Builders ones in big stores like B&Q for those of you who live in or near towns lucky people - they are the best as they are good for kneeling on really hard ground and sharp rocks. They are made for big beefy builders knees so I had to settle for less!

Oops gone off thread a bit - but just wanted to save you wasting your money on kneeling pads. I had got ones with handles that turn into seats, shaped rubber ones, ordinary ones - nothing compares with knee pads!

Gone is the age of hats! When a man or a woman could go out into the world and find a hat that would truly fit them. Now the one size fits all hat is the scourge of the shopping mall, hats that turn women into cousin it and men into Sydney Greenstreet. Why can't we all just be Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is it too much to ask?

I could do with a decent pair of secateurs...and a greenhouse, and some land and chooks.

Andrewo
PS Is it feasible to wrap a chicken?

Tree Loppers or Pruning Saw on 20ft extension - have a 24 ft holly tree which was a perfest cone shape for a couple of years but is threatening to get out of control, and I can't reach the top branches anymore.

My fiancee to try to understand my passion for all things garden

My daughter to be more patient when her seeds don't sprout after three hours

A smallholding - big enough for some pigs, sheep and chooks

Not too much - maybe santa will look kindly on my modest requests and not die laughing this year !!!
Rat

Jax

You could go to a Plumb centre or similar and get a 2m length of foam pipe insulation. They are quite thick and you can get them to fit over pipes 22mm thick. Get some Duct tape (waterproof!!) and fold the foam back on itself a few times to make a mat. If it is so light that it might blow away, you can always fill the inside with sand/fine soil to weight it down.

Very cheap as well.

Best of luck and happy kneeling.

Dave

As well as a farm I have seen a lovely new fork that I would like for digging up my potatoes.

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