And the winner is..........

It's time for the much coveted Annual Smithyveg Awards (this is the inaugural year!) for the best exhibits I've seen in the last season.



The first award is for the best exhibit during the season grown by me!

In 3rd place my tomatoes at Hathern. http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/08/toms-at-hathern-2008.html

In 2nd place my Sweet Candle stump carrots http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/09/sweet-candle-again.html at Sutton Bonington which also won the carrot class at Littleover a week later

And the winner is......my 'Pinnacle' parsnips at Leicester Show which were described as 'national standard' by a fellow grower (I may have mentioned that once or twice before !!) http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/08/best-in-show.html



The next award is for the best exhibit at a show I exhibited at that was not grown by me!

In 3rd place are the runner beans grown by Mr M Housden at Hathern

In 2nd place is the 8oz onions grown by Mr Ian Justice at Sturton show

And the winner is the blanch leeks also grown by Mr Ian Justice at Sturton which also won best in show. They were suberb....and I really should have taken a photo of them !!!



The 3rd award of the night is for the best vase of dahlias grown by me or anyone!

All 3 prizes go to Mr Kev Broxholme as he seemed to win every dahlia class at every show I attended this season. Big headed sod! http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/10/blyton-lady-in-red-and-blyton-eureka.html

The coveted award for spouting the biggest load of horticultural horsecrap goes to
Garden Organic based at Ryton for the 15th year running. You really do talk the biggest crock of bollocks!

The newcomer of the year award goes jointly to
Steve Turnbull http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/09/well-done-steve.html and James Park http://digtoplant.blogspot.com/2008/08/great-weekend.html

Keep up the good work guys



The penultimate award is the 'I was robbed' award

This season it goes to Liam for his excellent looking collection http://veg4show.blogspot.com/2008/09/nas.html which was beaten by some dodgy looking carrots and two sets of spuds! 6 distinct types should be exactly that!!!



And the final award is for the best dishes I witnessed all season at National Level

3rd place goes to Dave Thornton's shallots at Malvern

2nd place goes to Andrew Jones' tomatoes at Malvern which were narrowly pipped......(fanfare)

1st place Sherie Plumb's incredible runner beans also at Malvern. http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/09/sherie-plumb-queen-of-spuds.html



It only remains for me to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone who is sad enough to read this blog. I'm already making plans for next season but as yet I've done nothing in the garden. I hope to get out over the holiday and do a bit of clearing and tidying but the Peak District is also calling me. I need to get some fresh air inside my lungs as I seem to have spent the last 2 months either stuck in an office or a car!

Oh....and one final award for the most gorgeous creature on Earth! http://smithyveg.blogspot.com/2008/08/21-years-ago-today.html