There's something nostalgic and a bit Little Britain that appeals about a good old fashioned village show - you know, with prizes for the biggest melons and the most phallic vegetables. Hell, Kirsty Allsopp managed to make a whole series about them.
I spotted one advertised nearby and persuaded the crew that we NEEDED to go along. I can't say they were keen but when I mentioned there'd be cake, the ears pricked up.
I have never entered the hallowed grounds of a village show before, and the excitement was palpable as the locals queued up to see if they'd won a coveted rosette.
There was more than a frisson of excitement at the orchid display, with one old dear declaring loudly that 'this one's much nicer - I'd have given this 1st prize'.
It was a riot of colour, with the finest flora and foliage the locals could muster from their small holdings vying for attention.
Apologies for my blurry photos, but Ruby was hanging off my arm all afternoon jumping up and down excitedly, saying things like "Mummy, look at this funny carrot with a dingle-dangle".
There were big blousy tea roses and dahlias the size of dinner plates.
"5 cheese scones made by a man" - comedy gold (although I'm sure there's an equal ops law against this)
This fella won 1st prize. Mind you, he was the only entrant in this coveted category.
Points deducted for forgetting the soldiers.
Everything was on display, from crafts to almost biblical looking baked goods basking in a shard of light shining through the window.
If you get the chance to visit your local village show, then GO! Make sure you:
1. Sample a cream tea - remember these ladies are prize winning scone and jam makers and chances are they'll make a cracking cuppa too.
2. Buy a raffle ticket - look what we won!
3. Hang around til the end when they sell off all the produce at 1950s prices. I got 2 enormous bunches of flowers for a quid.
Get out there and go and enjoy the best this green and pleasant land has to offer x
Makes me want to live in a village instead of a town. Although this year I could only win the tallest nettle growing competition.
ReplyDeleteI want to ENTER next time. I'm going to set about teaching my man how to bake five cheese scones IMMEDIATELY!
DeleteSo where is the picture of the carrot with the dingle-dangle?
ReplyDeleteI did tak a pic but unfortunately it as more blurry than the one of Prince Harry...in fact, there were a few similarities.
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