First red cards!!!

I got 7 firsts, a second and a third at Keyworth Show in Nottinghamshire yesterday. This is the earliest in the year I have ever won with veg (discounting rhubarb at Spring Shows) and I very impressed with the quality on display and organisation of the committee.

Despite only having 5 beetroot to choose from I got a first. They were quite small but fairly well matched and had decent tap roots. I also cleaned them in the usual the smithyveg patented way.....rubbing the corkiness on shoulders lighly using a scouring pad and soaking overnight in a weak vinegar/salt solution. Never fails.

I pulled 3 onions that had stopped growing due to thrip damage and won this class. This is the first time I have ever shown onions 'as grown' so I didn't really know how best to present them. I cleaned the roots and trimmed to the same length, peeled off any loose skins and snipped off the worst of the foliage. The onions to the right of me were in far better condition foliage wise but I think were downpointed as the necks were a bit thick. This guy could have left them for several more weeks and got much bigger onions.





I got best veg with these carrots. Not the best carrots I've ever seen by a long chalk but for 'Early Nantes' variety they were ok I guess. I need to sow earlier next season I think.

Personally I think my Kestrel spuds deserved best veg, but perhaps the lack of uniformity counted against them. In a class of 15 or so dishes they shone out like beacons against tubers that had all been grown in the ground rather than bags. Not being known in the village it's quite funny to walk behind people and listen to comments, usually complimentary. But one old guy stunned me when he said "Ah well, he's obviously watered those". I haven't a clue what he meant by that.....what does he do to his then?

The collection class called for a tray of garden produce, maximum of 12 items. As it was in the veg section I put 12 items of veg but as you can see other exhibitors included fruit and eggs. I shall know better for next year. I still won though.

My biggest smile of the day came when I saw I'd won a photography class out of some 30 or so entries. My snap looking back at Crib Goch as a guy reached the top behind us in clearing mist still brings a tear to my eye. My wife Leesa who is a qualified photographist entered 4 photos (including two in this class) but won nowt. I'm saying nothing.....much.