Lights, Music, Action!

We really are approaching a terribly exciting time of the year – SHOW TIME!

With the Hill Show coming up on Sunday, & with the Virtual Show taking place on the GYO Grapevine, I’m looking at all our growing veg with an eye to both.

Of the two, the Virtual Show is easier as I can take appropriate photos of the veg when I’ve harvested it & save them until nearer the closing date. With only one entry per class, it’s ‘strategic’ to take a number of shots & submit the best, I think. Well, actually, I didn’t think of that at all, Wellie kindly pointed that one out – I was all for rushing in submitting anything that looked vaguely likely!

The weather has turned wet again this week, but the weekend was fine & warm – which was fantastic as I planned to go to the Canwell Show to see ‘how to show vegetables’ as homework for the Hill Show, & very instructive it was too.

I also managed to see the judging of the wonderful shire horses, & saw a beehive on the go, & bought goodies from the WI stall (that’ll be MY redcurrant jelly next year!) as well as seeing the veg classes having been judged. They all looked rather good, I must say – but I’ve been urged by the good members of the GYO Grapevine to enter whatever I have as ‘seeing a few entries & the same people winning each time is a bit demoralising for everyone else’. Not half – mind you, me propping up those same entrants doesn’t sound like stirring stuff either, but what the heck.

When I went to the Hill on Sunday it was only to admire the tomatoes (I THINK that I’ve caught the blight in time?) & pick some runner beans & do light hoeing. Fabulous!

I was there in time to see the Committee coming round with their measuring sticks to measure the Tallest Sunflower – & very commendably well we did too! Our sunflower is 7’0” & came a rather creditable 5th out of 18 – how’s that for a first time effort!

More runner bean picking has been the order of the day for the last few evenings – & for the foreseeable future too, I rather think. I am concerned that stringing the beans is ALREADY becoming a bit of a chore, but – cavalry to the rescue – apparently mum has bought me a bean-stringer today, so let’s hope that it is a useful gadget!

I have picked some FRENCH BEANS (sungold) which are delightful – they might not crop as heavily as the runners, but – boy – are they easier to prepare for the pot! Also, I picked some lettuce for Jane & for me & a couple of turnips which I’m mashing with potatoes & garlic to put in the freezer. Still worried that the potatoes will not store – however, I do only have a finite amount of room in the freezer!

Just to cover all eventualities, I’m also entering the ‘marble cake – recipe supplied’ for the Hill Show. It’s in the oven right now – but I’m a bit doubtful about it as it contains industrial quantities of eggs, flour, sugar & butter & I am seriously concerned that the 8” tin I’ve used (as indicated) will not be big enough, & there will be cake EVERYWHERE. So I'll post photo next time if it is a success - and draw your own conclusions if I don't!