The Big Village Veg Off

Today was the annual Brington Flower Show where the battle for champion grower is decided the battle field was the Reading rooms Great Brington. I was not sure if i was going to make it this year as an early morning Ballet lesson was sprung on me. I should point out the Ballet lesson was for my daughters and not me i don't look good in a Tu Tu. Preparation for the show started the night before with lots of digging and washing of the veg. I even made a last minute trip back out into the garden at 11.30pm with a torch in hand to get some better runner beans. 

 We got there 15mins before the doors closed for judging as soon as you entered the hall there was a real buzz in the building with everyone running round putting there entry's in and last minute tinkering. It did not take long to put my entry's in as i had done a lot of preparation the night before. With the veg neatly arranged and the tickets left under them it was time to go home and have a cup of Tea and leave the judges to make there decisions. 

After a cup of tea some lunch which consisted of leek soup from the rejects and a bit of food shopping we returned to the show at about three. The car park was packed so we had to park down the road the tombola was the welcome in the car park with all the money going to Owl conservation. We ended up with a bottle of pinot noir and a vibrating chair.

Inside the hall it was packet full of villagers all keen to see who had got all the red cards. Well i managed to get a first with blanch leeks which where the variety 'Pendle' and first for runner beans a T&M variety 'Snowstorm' so the late night trip out in the garden was worth the effort. The collection of veg came second this consisted of Blanch leek 'Pendle', Onion 'Kelsea' and Pepper 'Britney' from Suttons  and second for any other veg and third for shallots and red onions both from De Ree so not a bad result for the day.

I should point out that there was other exhibits not just veg although that is the important bit. there was some fantastic fruit and loads of tasty cakes and one class that i normally hate is the floral art. But i was very impressed with the birthday cake class where the exhibitors had to make a cake out of flowers if only you could eat them.

The silver ware was handed out and the hall was cleared for another year with every one excited about getting growing again for next year's show.