Surrey Homes | SH18 | April 2016 | Garden supplement inside

Foodie treats to look
forward to at the fair
Tickets are now on sale for Wealden Times
Midsummer Fair at Hole Park this June – and
we’ve got the usual array of stands and events,
from hand-picked exhibitors providing a fabulous
shopping experience to the Priceless People Wellbeing
Festival. Whatever your reason for going, there’s
plenty to do and see. In the run-up to the fair, we’ll
be chatting to some of the exhibitors who will be
sharing their passion for all things fresh and local
with visitors. Here we talk to Melissa from Plants
& Produce, part of the Canterbury Oast Trust...
How long has the nursery been
around? The Canterbury Oast Trust
was set up over 30 years ago by a
pioneering group of parents. There has
always been an element of horticultural
activity. The nursery in its current
location, at the Rare Breeds Centre,
Woodchurch, has been operating for
over 20 years.
What kind of plants do you grow? Our trainees help
to grow thousands of bedding and perennial plants each year
and we specialize in herbs, fruit and vegetable plants. We
grow heritage tomatoes such as the beautifully pink ‘Brandy
Wine’ and unusual chili plants such as ‘Black Pearl’ and
‘Pinocchio’s Nose’ and a vast range of herbs, from Strawberry
Mint to Orange Thyme. We also have a range of edible
flowers and a beautiful assortment of cottage garden plants,
shrubs and unusual perennials. We like to grow varieties that
you won’t find in the supermarket – this way they are more
fascinating for us to grow and more interesting for you to eat!
Who does the propagation, potting on and plant
care? We have over 50 learning disabled horticulture
trainees at the nursery throughout the week. They get
involved in every aspect of growing the plants and crops.
This could be selecting seeds or serving customers in the
plant shop. Our horticultural trainees learn a variety of skills
such as propagation, plant maintenance, use of horticulture
machinery, harvesting and customer service. They can also
undertake formal accredited horticultural training with us
through City and Guilds up to NVQ level 1.
What is the philosophy behind the Rare Breeds
Centre Plants and Produce?
The Canterbury Oast Trust is all about supporting the
independence of people with learning disabilities. We support
people to make decisions about their lives and support them
to live the life that they choose. If they choose to learn
about horticulture then they are able to access the nursery,
where they are able to develop their skills and train in a busy
commercial environment. It is amazing what our service users
achieve at the nursery and the beautiful plants that they grow.
Our horticultural trainees really enjoy seeing their plants grow
and they are involved in every aspect from seed-to-sale. As
the plants are growing the service users also grow in skills,
confidence and independence.
What do you like most about visiting the Wealden
Times Fair? It is one of the highlights of our year. We
enjoy attending external events to promote the nursery and
the work of Canterbury Oast Trust. Attending local events
with our service users helps with community integration and
helps to change perceptions about learning disability.
For more details please see our website: www.rarebreeds.org.
uk or www.c-o-t.org.uk. The Rare Breeds Centre Plants &
Produce shop is open all year (except Mondays in November
to March). The nursery, shop and restaurant are also open
to non-visitors to the Rare Breeds Centre. We are happy to
give tours of the nursery growing site to groups and garden
societies etc. Please contact us for further details:
nursery@c-o-t.org.uk or call Melissa Tebbutt or
Lyn Hope on 07795 515182
Wealden Times Midsummer Fair runs from 9-11 June at Hole Park, Rolvenden. To book your tickets visit www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events
www.wealdentimes.co.uk
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