The first in a series of monthly workshops organised by the Hounslow Community Farming Association took place on Saturday (6th March) at the Faggs Road allotment site in Feltham.

The topic was soft fruit planning and planting and was expertly delivered by Peter Clarke, a farmer from Denham, south Buckinghamshire and consultant for the Western Internation Market in Heston.

Around fifteen people, a mix of HCFA trustees, members and non-members who saw the event advertised attended the workshop and it began with Peter demonstrating how to plant each of the various species of soft fruit plants that the HCFA had newly purchased just a few days before. These included raspberry, blackcurrant, redcurrant, gooseberry and rhubarb.

After Peter had advised how to plant each particular species it was time to get those hands dirty and with great enthusiasm those in attendence pick up their spades and got digging and planting. Within a short space of time over 100 plants were in their new homes. It's hard to avoid the old cliche that many hands do indeed make light work!

To finish the workshop Peter then showed how each species should be pruned back to help promote good root growth while it bedded in and although it was understood how this was of benefit to the plant it was sad to see them instantly cut back to a few inches of growth!

Whilst all this was going on and to round off  the morning nicely, HCFA member Nathan Hull took charge of building a fire and serving up much welcome tea, coffee and egg sarnies for all who attended. A big thank you to Nathan!

All of us involved at the HCFA couldn't have hoped for a better start to the workshop programme. We'd like to thank Peter again for his time and knowledge and to all of those who attended and made the morning a sucess.

We hope to see some or all of you back at Faggs Road in April for the next workshop event which is about Herb Gardens.