Potato Day!

Border Organic Gardeners?Potato Day and Green Fair is one of the biggest potato days in the UK?and very possibly the oldest one still running every year. Even better, it is?one of the cheapest too! This year?s Potato Day is on 5th March. We open the doors at Springwood Park, Kelso at 11am and start wrapping up at 3pm. Get directions to Springwood Park What IS Potato Day?First a bit of history. A little over 20 or so years ago, as part of the HDRA?s (now?Garden Organic) commitment to biodiversity, the first Potato Day was held at their base, Ryton Gardens near Coventry. This was the brainchild of Jackie Gear MBE, formerly joint director, with husband Alan of HDRA to provide an opportunity for people to choose from as many varieties as possible when buying their seed potatoes, and be able to buy them in small quantities if they wanted to squeeze several varieties into a small space ? seed potatoes being traditionally sold in bags of 30 or more tubers. Several local organic gardening groups including us here at BOG (and latterly allotments, other gardening groups and garden centres) around the country picked up on the idea, with Borders Organic Gardeners being one of the first. BOG?s potato day remains one of the largest and busiest in the country. ? What happens at Potato Day?We sell potatoes for growing! Well, of course. We get an excited queue forming outside the doors that open at 11am on the day. And the first rush sees a few varieties selling out in the first hour. There will still be plenty to choose from though a little later when the choosing process is much more relaxed. Varieties are arranged alphabetically, so if you want to get particular varieties it?s worth thinking ahead so you can get to your favourites. Alongside the potatoes, garlic, onions and shallots, there will again be the enticing attraction of Potato Day?s Green Fair showcasing a mix of local cakes, bread, meat and vegetables, alongside plant suppliers and craft workers. Complementing this commercial activity, we have our free children?s activities, together with advice and information from environment and conservation groups. Not forgetting our own BOG gardening experts who will be on hand.