Harvest Festival – Autumn 2026

ACFAA Gardening Group Harvest Festival Meeting

The ACFAA Gardening Group held its annual Harvest Festival Meeting on Friday, 25th September.  It was a pleasure to welcome both new and existing members after our summer break.

We enjoyed chatting over coffee and delicious cakes about the difficult growing conditions this summer, sharing stories of the plants that had survived and those that sadly hadn’t.

Back in March, the challenge was set for our growing competition.  Members were given the choice of growing either a sweet pepper or an aubergine plant.  With the extended drought and water restrictions making conditions particularly challenging this summer, it was both a surprise and a pleasure to see the winning exhibit looking so healthy.

Congratulations to Edyta Sorrell, whose beautifully nurtured plant took first prize.  Our runners-up, Judy and Dawn, also did a fantastic job caring for their plants.

The food challenge was another highlight of the meeting.  Belinda Bauldie’s homemade dish won first prize, with Miriam and Andy hot on her heels as runners-up.  Well done to everyone who took part!

The plant table, introduced at this meeting, will now become a regular feature.  Members are encouraged to bring along seeds, cuttings and plant divisions to share with others for a small donation.

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the event such a success.  From decorating the room and baking the delicious cakes to helping with the set-up and clearing everything away at the end, it was a fabulous team effort and very much appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting!

Claire