4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[little chickadee]

I've mentioned on the forum before that I love entering my Village's Summer and Autumn shows. I bounced up and down when I first found out there was one when we moved. I'm trying to get other people (under 60) in our village to take part more, so thought I'd have a go with you lot too.

 

Who lives in a village but has never put a single entry into the show?

 

Who has a go?

 

It would be such a shame for these shows to die out if the younger generation doesn't get involved.

 

I've just made my first batch of jam (Gooseberry) and will be making Strawberry next week I think.

 

I've learnt lots of new skills while entering different catagories and have a great time

[Guest]

OH ME ME ME

 

I got a first and a couple of seconds last year in the summer and James got a second too. One second in the autumn and nothing in the Spring cos my daffs weren't that good!

 

Already deep into preparation for the summer show - theres a disco afterwards this year too - no egg classes though, I was going to ask for some at the show meeting but I couldn't make it at the last minute.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Even though I live in near-central Cambridge, I love these sorts of things. I'm involved in my local LETS (Local & Exchange Trading Scheme) and we are having a fair next Saturday (12-3 pm at Litchfield Hall) to show off our offerings.

 

I will be bringing some lovely no-road or air mile eggs and some gorgeous (if all goes right) decorated fairy cakes.

[Snowy]

Have to admit, I live in a village that has a show but have never entered anything. I should do really. Many years ago, in a different village, I entered with a handknitted jumper and came second! (Out of two entries! )

[little chickadee]

Go on Snowy. You're so crafty. I entered a greetings card last year, but I don't think it was flowery enough. There were 3 entries including mine, but I didn't even get 3rd prize

Before I had mastered jam making, I was the only person to enter the strawberry jam section and got 3rd prize!

 

Last year was much more successful though

 

[Snowy]

Might just give it a go this year then! Wonder when it is?

[missuscluck]

We have won prizes for our honey. I think we won £3!

We have got some plaques and certificates.

My daughter and I are planning to enter each class of honey cake/biscuit/fudge/flapjack at the Nantwich show as steve who is charge of the honey section told my daughter that you gain points for each entry and you can win a cup if you get the most points!

 

Other than that....Never!

 

I marvel at the longest bean, biggest onion etc every year.

[little chickadee]

We have won prizes for our honey. I think we won £3!

We have got some plaques and certificates.

My daughter and I are planning to enter each class of honey cake/biscuit/fudge/flapjack at the Nantwich show as steve who is charge of the honey section told my daughter that you gain points for each entry and you can win a cup if you get the most points!

 

Other than that....Never!

 

I marvel at the longest bean, biggest onion etc every year.

 

Absolutely - win those points! My manky old cup is very proudly sitting on my mantlepiece and I shall try my best to defend it this year

[Snowy]

Would you believe the village newspaper dropped through my letterbox today, and in it - details of the village show! (didn't say when it was though )

[Helen&Lee]

We have, We have!

 

To say we were a little green around the edges as to what was required is an understatment

 

We didn't enter veg or homebaking, they had eggs but we didn't have chickens.

 

We entered alot of the flower groups, my Sweet Peas were positivly embarrassing compared to the others, as was the single rose.

 

The Gladioli, well they were absolutely THE best blooms, but I didn't know you were supposed to cut them right down at the base and I lost points because they were too short.

 

We won the selection of 5 herbs and one of the other flower displays, my handmade cards came in behind the very un-politically correct paper mache golly wog.

 

It was great, we won £3.75 (not a highly funded village event ) and there were lots of catagories that we are going to 'enter the spirit ' with this year

 

Helen

[little chickadee]

Ooops - My strawberry jam has gone wrong, although it makes lovely ice-cream syrup! The gooseberry jam I've made is great though

Still for the "can make it miles ahead" section is marmalade (I think I'll make lime again this year) strawberry jam mark II and some chutney I think

 

Oh - and a knitted soft toy. I've already made the bits ages ago (a knitted chicken!) - just got to sew it all together. The homemade card is done just about and is much more in keeping with what is expected than last year's offering

 

Anyone else made anything yet?

[Shirl]

I've never entered and I'm pretty rubbish at anything thing approaching domesticity, but if they had a class for lemon curd then I'd enter with Nigella's recipe. Actually I use lemon and lime and it's gorgeous. I'm trying to delay making some because I know I'll eat it and I really could do without the temptation.

[Richard T]

The primary school where my wife, HennyPenny (capital H capital P, not to be confused with henny penny), teaches had their summer fayre at the weekend and they had a Victoria sponge competition for dads and husbands, which she entered me into, and a strawberry jam competition which she entered.

 

There were set recipes from the WI and the local WI were the judges.

 

I hadn't made a sponge cake before but I thought I'd have a go. I made a practice one first - which we sold on the tea and cake stall at the fayre (I got roped in to helping out on the stall) - the headmaster bought the whole cake.

 

My competition cake (made with duck eggs from our Mildred and some of HP’s homemade jam) didn't win, but was “Commended – nice sponge, too much jam.” The jam was running down the sides. The recipe said 4 tablespoons but I think it should have been teaspoons!

 

And HP won first prize in the jam competition!

 

 

 

 

 

PS I had a slice of my cake when I got home and, I have to say, that both the sponge and the jam were gorgeous.

[The Dogmother]

Well done Richard and HP!

[TAJ]

I won a first and second for my chutney & jam in the allotment show last September, OH got a 3rd for his potatoes. BUT what has kept my going all year is OH entering a 'box of veg' section, which only had 3 entries and not even coming 3rd! It was quite a detailed criteria - must include 5 different veg from a list of 8, and a minimum of 18 items in total - each veg had different requirements i.e. if you put in potatoes you could put in between 3-5, runner beans 4-6, etc. So after long debates of what to put in the box, making it all look pretty (late Friday night when he wanted to get down the pub) he decided to swap the runner beans for potatoes - he took out 5 beans and replaced with 4 potatoes ... he was disqualified for being one item short.

 

Tracy

[Nutmeg]

We have entered for the last two years. Hubby always enters the photograph section and has won first prize. I thought I might have a go last year and entered a photo of the dog in the Portrait Section. Didn't think it would get anything as it is all taken very seriously........I won First Prize!

 

Apparently an elderly lady was most outraged that a dog won the Portrait section and was very vocal in her disapproval. My husband couldn't resist telling her that it was his wife who had won as she stood next to him

 

The kids have won a couple of seconds and thirds for tallest weed, homemade cookies and collage.

 

Am hoping to enter eggs this year.

 

It is great fun and we really enjoy having a go.