Welcome to our plot!

I'm Hazel, and in Nov 2006 my friend Jane and I took on a half plot at Hill Allotments, Sutton Coldfield - we want the satisfaction of growing and eating our own fruit and veg, and to improve our diet (and fitness!).

This is the story of what happened next...........

Sunday, August 09, 2009

And to the Victor, the Spoils...

Confident in my readiness for the Show, I met mum & big sis Helen at the Hill at 10am to collect the entry cards, & to put in their entries, then I showed them around the plot.

This included the small yield from the potatoes-in-a-bag which I emptied out yesterday with Reg-next-plot & novice neighbour Jody (Helen cruelly helpless with laughter for many, many minutes) & once composed, they left to leave me to dig up the carrots, pull rhubarb, cut the cucumbers, chose a lettuce & cut sweetpeas.

I put those entries in then went home to collect the rest of the prepared items, then back for a concentrated hour staging everything ready for the off. Phew!

With Julie (second best plot)’s husband Phil running a barbecue, the sun shining, & the bar open, the judges were left to get on with it – I sat on the grass in the sun & chatted with Jane & family, other friends & relatives dropping by, fellow plotholders & I even saw someone who was in my class at school & I haven’t seen for some twenty five years.

Once we got the word that the judging had finished, it was time to see what the judges had made of the entries.

I headed first to the Domestic classes with mum & Helen, & we came out with honours pretty even – no prizes for any of our jam, but mum with a 2nd for her tayberry jelly, Helen beating me into 2nd place with her fruit cake, mum picking up a 1st for her plain cake & I defended my marble cake crown. I was very pleased with a 1st with a jar of beetroot & Jerusalem artichoke chutney.

As far as the flower classes went – if wasn’t a huge surprise to be unplaced with my nine sweetpeas – or, indeed, with the geranium plant. In fact, my geranium was particularly notable as being the only plant in the whole class without a single flower in evidence - mine here at the front, far right in the pic.

Better news with the veg classes – my last minute inclusion of three pointy peppers in the Collection paid off handsomely with a 2nd, beating both Reg & Jason (behind retired Maureen) – the two to beat by far. Hurrah!

I was delighted with a 1st for my peas, & dwarf beans along with the lettuce class, & a handful of 2nd prizes for the coloured potatoes, onions (sets), shallots, an odd shaped carrot, & a creditable 3rd for my carrots. A really good haul all round!

Jane’s two did well in the children’s classes too – a couple of 1st & 2nd places – & it was great to see Rhubarb Brian with a clutch awards, & returning allotmenteer Christine picking up a basketful of prizes, including Best Exhibit in Show for her cherry tomatoes – she’s one to challenge Reg & Jason for the cups in years to come…

With all backslapping done with (I ended up with 5 'firsts', 6 'seconds' & a 'third' out of 20 entries), & everything packed away it was back to mum’s with Helen to divi up cake, jams, pickles & veg & to pick over the highs & lows – what a great day!

6 comments:

  1. Well done you! You have worked so hard all year, it is only right that you've come out shining.

    Sarah has been my best friend since our eldest started school together (12 years ago) and was thrilled to have caught up with you again.

    A fabulous day all round!!

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  2. Wow, that's a pretty good haul - well done you. Glad you had a good time.

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  3. What a fantastic result! Well worth banging stuff in all the categories you can - it makes for a better show. However, you have put some quality produce in there to get those prize tickets. Well done!

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  4. Many congratulations, with the hard work you have put in all year you certainly deserve this.

    Did you open a nice bottle of something to celebrate?

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  5. Thankyou girls!

    Being more organised this year really paid off in terms of my stress levels! I had a wonderful day - the 'gongs' were a real bonus.

    Acutally, I didn't open a bottle last night, Bilbo - a bath & an early night were the order of the day.

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  6. Well done - all that hard work paid off :O)

    D

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