Weekly Tuesday Music at The Plough

The Plough, Plough Lane, Ley Green, Herts, SG4 8LA.

CLICK FOR GOOGLE MAP

The Plough has hosted a music night every Tuesday for a few years now, but recently the format has changed a little. One Tuesday a month is a Ploughmen performance. The other Tuesdays are all open session nights where people are encouraged to join in.

Details as follows:


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>>> On the SECOND Tuesday of each month, The Ploughmen (and occasional guests) play an informal set of skiffle, rock and roll, jazz, folk and bluegrass.

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>>> ALL other Tuesdays we hold an informal, open acoustic tune and song session. All acoustic instruments are welcome, as are singers. All genres and music styles welcome. Everyone gets a turn if they want to sing or play, but there is no pressure to solo or lead a tune if you'd rather just sit and jam along with what everyone else does.

Sorry, no amplified instruments.

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Any questions just call or email me (Rick) using the contact details that appear in the masthead at the top of this blog page.

Local Hero

A while ago, Mike Herrmann of Austage End told me about a photograph that he thought local people would very much like to see.

When Mike emailed me the photo he said:

"I attach the image of Ernie, he drove the first lorry off the Mulberry Harbour at D Day and has a story to tell. He is a local hero"

Two Mulberry harbours (artificial, temporary harbours) were constructed for the D-Day Landings in 1944. They were prefabricated and then transported across the channel to Normandy. One was to have been used by British and Canadian forces and one by US forces. The US Mulberry was damaged too badly by storms to be used, so the British Mulberry, known as Mulberry B, was the only one left.

Supplies for the landings were brought ashore via the Mulberry harbour. This is the crucial operation in which Ernie played his part.

So here is Mr Ernie Cooper proudly wearing the medals he won during the Second World War. I believe the photo was taken last Remembrance Day.



Please click the photograph to view a slightly larger version.

Service resumed!

After a lengthy hiatus, the Kings Walden website has resuscitated.

Apologies for the interruption. A bit of a cock up by our previous domain registration company meant that we lost the Kingswalden.com domain. However, we are back with a new address. Our new domain is www.kingswalden.org.uk. Technically this is more appropriate than the old .com address as .coms are really intended for use by corporations, not for non-profit community websites!

So, we are now www.Kingswalden.org.uk.

Ploughstock 2009

It's that time again!

Kings Walden/Ley Green's own mini music festival returns on 27th June at The Plough pub in Plough Lane, Ley Green. The event begins at midday and continues into the evening.

Please click on the poster image to the left of this text to see a larger version.

All the usual attractions will be present: live music, food, drink, more drink... It's a charity event, so we respectfully ask all members of the community to accept Ploughstock in the spirit in which it is organised. Please come along on the day and join in.

The Ploughmen will be playing during the afternoon (probably some time around 3pm - 5pm). You know you wouldn't want to miss that!

To those who do attend, please be considerate toward The Plough's neighbours. Please park only in the designated areas, do not leave litter or cause damage to property. Drive carefully through the lanes.

Offley Hoo Open Farm Sunday 7th June

Offley Hoo Farm is holding an Open Farm Sunday on 7th June. Please visit the Offley Hoo Farm website for full, up-to-date details.

The image here on the left shows the promo poster for the event. Please click the pic to view the full-size poster.

The information on the Offley Hoo website says:

As part of the national scheme organised by LEAF we are opening our farm to visitors on Sunday 7th June 2009 from 12 noon to 4pm. FREE ENTRY, lots of car parking.

See our machines and our rare and native breed animals both large and small. Longhorn cattle, Wiltshire Horn sheep, Middle White and Tamworth pigs.

Guided farm walks. Demonstrations and displays showing how YOUR food is produced.

Learn how wheat is milled and watch regular bread making demos by a local artisan baker and a chance to buy his bread.

See some of the machinery at work. Watch Poppy, the dairy Shorthorn, being milked at 3.30pm. Learn how cream is separated from the milk and how butter is made.

Understand how the Hertfordshire countryside all around us produces food while at the same time promotes wildlife habitats and increasing native flora and fauna.

Local food stalls including: our rare breed meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables and watercress, home made cookies, plant stall and others.

Hog roast, by the Country Bumpkin, cooking one of our outdoor reared, freerange, rare breed pigs, refreshments & licensed bar, teas and coffees.

Live music courtesy of The Ploughmen, don't miss it.

We look forward to seeing you on the day. There will be lots to do and see whatever the weather.

Please email us if you know you are coming as this will help us with our planning to make the sure the afternoon is the best it can be for everyone.

So if you can make it along, please let them know at offleyhoo@aol.com.

Farmers Market - Friday 13th of March 2009

Another fantastic Kings Walden farmers market will take place on Friday 13th of March from 12.pm - 3.pm in the village hall in Church Road.

As always, a range of excellent local produce will be on offer at very reasonable prices, including:

Lamb, pork, beef, venison, deli-style tarts, quiches, mouth-watering patisseries, vegetables, cheese, jams, plants, pies, apples, fudge, bread and many other artisan foods.

Refreshments will include delicious home made soup and fresh organic bread for just £2.50, and tea, coffee and cakes.

All money raised from the market will go to the church.

Please do lend your support and attend if you can, and please spread the word and help to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of the date, time and venue. Without the interest and support of local people it may not be possible to continue these farmers markets. That really would be a shame as this is exactly the kind of event that a rural community should be able to enjoy.

Friday 13th March
12pm to 3pm

Kings Walden Village Hall
Church Road
Kings Walden
SG4 8JX

In the first instance, please direct enquiries to the contact at the top of this page.

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Christmas Farmers Market

Friday 12th December

12.00pm -  3.00pm

Kings Walden Village Hall

Church Road, Kings Walden 

Nr Hitchin 

SG4 8JX

The best regional produce:

 

Lamb, partridge, pheasant, deli-style tarts, quiches, mouth-watering patisseries, vegetables, cheese, jams, plants, pies, fudge, bread and many other artisan foods.

Deliciously local 

Refreshments available including  homemade soup and mince pies

 

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Please direct any enquiries through this website. Phone and email are shown at the top of the page.

Kings Walden Farmers Market

Friday 14th November 2008, 12.00- 3.00pm

Kings Walden Village Hall, Church Road, Kings Walden, Nr Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 8JX

The first Kings Walden farmers market will take place in the newly refurbished Kings Walden village Hall on Friday 14th November (12-3pm). Bringing together a diverse range of local producers for the first time under one roof, it will offer visitors the chance to sample an array of high quality food produced in their home region. There will be locally reared lamb, beef and pork from Offley Hoo farm, pheasant and partridge from the Kings Walden Estate, deli-style tarts and quiches made at the Kings Walden village shop, mouth-watering patisseries baked in nearby Lilley, locally grown organic vegetables, and many other artisan foods and ingredients. 

Organiser Henrietta Pilkington hopes that the market will not only raise funds for the local church, but will also build on the strong sense of community in the parish and surrounding villages. “It is very exciting; we are hoping to create a regular event offering high quality local produce that we can all enjoy.”

Queries and requests for further information should, for now, be sent to the Kings Walden Website email address as displayed in the site masthead so they can be forwarded to the organiser.

Kings Walden Paish History Group

The Kings Walden Parish History Group is now up and running. 

Membership is £10 per year, and £2.00 per meeting (including refreshment).

The last meeting was held at Breachwood Green village hall on Wednesday 17th September, when speaker John Sharp gave a talk on farming in the past.

The group has arranged a visit to the British Schools on Tuesday 23rd September at a cost of £6 per person.

Enquiries to Gloria at the post office in Ley Green.

Forthcoming Events at The Plough

Colin and Mary have asked us to let you know about the following forthcoming dates at The Plough in Ley Green.

• 20th September: Ploughstock Presentation Night
  Cheques for the funds raised at this year's Ploughstock mini-festival will be presented to the nominated charities (click the image in this post to see the publicity poster)
• 3rd October: Harvest Festival & Charity Auction
• 10th October: First Year Celebration Party
  To mark Colin and Mary's first year in The Plough
• 8th November: Bonfire Night