Brussels

Only a couple of days to Sturton now and my brussels are not as good as they should be. Sturton is the only show I know where there is a class for (9) brussels and I've managed to win it on only one previous occasion.

You need to exhibit reasonably large 'buttons' with a good length of stalk and no sign of pest damage or disease. Inevitably this will require the removal of at least one of the outer skins but it doesn't want to be overdone. I only grow 4 plants (enough for our family) and it's quite difficult finding 9 buttons that are similar in size and condition from such a relatively small number.

Still, it's another entry and if no-one else enters (as has been known) then I'm guaranteed a card of some description although not necessarily a 1st if the judge doesn't think it's quite up to scratch! I sent my entry form off yesterday and have managed to muster up 64 in total although 10 of them are in the cactus classes and 3 in photography. I've won most points in veg at Sturton 5 years running but I'll be hard pushed to do so again this year because of my failure to grow any decent potatoes this year. There are 6 potato classes at Sturton and one year I won 5 of them.

However, I'm fairly confident that most of the other stuff I'll be showing is well up to scratch especially my cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, celery and leeks, and so I should pick up points to make up for the losses elsewhere. I only have about 6 long carrots and 8 parsnips to choose from. I'll only know if they're any good when they're pulled on Friday afternoon.

The car will be loaded up on Friday night and I'll set off at 6am as 'staging' is only allowed between 7.30 and 10am. My car will be absolutely loaded to the gunnels and there won't be a spare inch left.......Leesa has to meet me in Lincoln at 12.30pm after coming on the train! And if you're travelling along the A1500 at about 11 o'clock Saturday morning and see a black BMW parked on the grass verge keep the noise down.....I'll be having a well-earned kip!