Members Experiences
Have a look at some of our members thoughts
Nathan Rush
My name is Nathan Rush and I was 21 on the 4th July 2020, I was due to celebrate my birthday with my parents and family in Bali but due to Covid 19 we did not travel. It was not the best year to have a milestone birthday but compared to so many I cannot complain.
So like many people and families we spent happy and contented hours in our garden. We were in the process of getting a greenhouse which of course did not happen so my Dad made a propagator out of a pallet and used a roll of cellophane to insulate it. The NVS has helped me understand that you may not always have all the right tools but you can succeed by substituting which is why I am so glad to be a member.
I was a student at Plumpton College which was the beginning of my journey into the world of Horticulture and I now work at a local Plant and Shrub Nursery. I first came in contact with the Southern Branch at the South of England Show at Ardingly 2019 as a volunteer at the show.The stand was awarded the Gold medal! I was tasked to grow Broad Beans for a container display for the Spring show 2020 but sadly it was cancelled but the beans were delicious.
I look forward to the quarterly magazine as it provides so much information and motivation, the NVS is an excellent forum if you have any queries or questions, it is inclusive and it does not judge you on age or experience.
Kevin Tritschler
Hi I'm Kevin Tritschler. I've been a member of the NVS for about 5 years although I have been growing vegetables for a lot longer than that.
The main reason I joined the NVS was that I wanted to attend the North York's and South Durham DA meetings which are highly rated here in the North East. These meetings are attended by some excellent growers and there are talks from experts across the country who are all willing to share there ideas and tips.
I think that the difference that the NVS has made to my growing and showing is that under NVS standards I have had to ensure the vegetables I put on the showbench are of a standard that would do anyone proud. Only last year I succeeded at my first attempt to win the Master Gardeners class at Harrogate Autumn Show which to be honest still hasn't sunk in.
I also provide most of the vegetables for the North York's and South Durham DA stand at the Harrogate Spring Show and the fact that they were awarded a premier gold medal and best in show gives me a real buzz.
Being a member of the NVS has for me been a great experience.The membership are very friendly and everyone is willing to share ideas and help to anyone just starting out, something I also like to encourage on my Facebook page - "madkeen on gardening for pleasure and the show bench".
Ali Clarke
I joined the NVS with a mild interest in growing veg for the table. However, the enthusiasm of the members is infectious; their passion for growing better vegetables has become mine. As well as learning useful new skills, the friends I have made through the NVS will be friends for life.
