ON Tuesday June 13, about forty members of the club made an evening visit the Mickleton Community Vineyard and Allotments. What a wonderful surprise was in store for us!

The main allotments were being worked on as expected and were very interesting. We the arrived at the ‘children’s allotments’.The children do all the work themselves and consequently learn about all aspects of gardening. They regularly take home lots of vegetables and are encouraged to try them all. Their taste in vegetables is increasing all the time!

We then moved through the allotments to the ‘vineyard’. During 2011, three hundred grape vines were planted on the land where the allotments are situated.Two grape varieties were used , namely, Regent and Rondo. These produce a light red or rose wine. We tasted the ‘rose’ and it was excellent!

The allotments have been in Mickleton for over 400 years—the idea was to assist villagers to feed themselves.The group looking after the allotments and the vineyard hope that the Community Allotments and Vineyard will prosper for another 400 years.Mickleton villagers are involved in the project in many different ways including an ‘Adopt a Vine ‘scheme.

We are rapidly approaching our Annual Summer Show—Saturday August 12—an event not to be missed.

JOHN and SUE CLARKE