THE October meeting was enlivened by a talk on Saffron growing in New Zealand by Gill Hindshaw who spends three to four months of our winter in the warmth of her daughter’s small farm, helping to extract the saffron from a hybrid crocus.

It requires the backbreaking labour of plucking the buds very early in the morning, in the exact weather conditions needed, quickly followed by delicately removing the three red stigmas and nothing else.

These are then dried, graded, sorted, checked and packed before being shipped around the world.

Whole crops can be lost during bad weather and it was plain to see why saffron is so expensive.

The next meeting is the AGM and members night on Thursday, November 14, at 7.30pm in the WI Hall.

This year we will be entertained by our newly formed singing group and by readings from some members of their chosen poetry and prose.

Visitors and new members would be most welcome. Contact Jo on 01608 650821.