A week of frost, snow, and ice signalled the arrival of winter to the team at Muddy Fork, Retford’s Gardening for Wellbeing charity.
Unfortunately, the first casualties were the peppers and chillis, which had been thriving in the polytunnels but succumbed overnight to the frost. Remarkably, one pepper plant survived, sheltered in the middle of a bed by its companions. Whether it will make it to spring remains to be seen.
Storm Bert added to the challenges by forcing the cancellation of the Muddy Fork stall at the Retford Christmas lights switch-on. With a gazebo full of wreaths, preserves, and other goods still to sell, the team tried setting up outside the garden gate. A few customers stopped by, but there’s plenty left. Anyone interested in purchasing something can get in touch to find out what’s available.
The Christmas raffle has now been extended into a New Year raffle, with a wide selection of attractive prizes, many of them vouchers kindly donated by local businesses. If you’d like to support Muddy Fork, details of raffle prizes and products for sale are available on the website and Facebook. The raffle draw has been postponed to mid-January, offering a chance to brighten the post-Christmas slump.
As the winter solstice approaches, marking the gradual lengthening of days, the team at Muddy Fork encourages everyone to remember the benefits of spending time outdoors for mental health and wellbeing. It’s also a helpful antidote to overindulging during the festive season!
The Muddy Fork website is available at www.muddyfork.uk. To make a referral, volunteer, or donate, you can contact Rose, Muddy Fork’s General Manager, at rose.muddyfork@outlook.com. Visitors to the garden are always welcome, whether to browse raffle tickets, chutney jars, or just to enjoy the space.