We’ve always been big fans of county shows and try to attend a couple every year. To be completely honest, our local on in Lambeth isn’t usually on the list, but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at a vegetable competition so I thought we’d try it.
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| Pulling Yellowstone, Purple haze and resistafly carrots |
I had entered six categories (with encouragement from my lovely Instagram followers) but to my disappointment the majority of what I’d planned to show (tomatoes, peppers, chillis etc) was still unripe and so I had to scramble to find a few entries. I pulled up almost my entire root vegetable raised bed to find enough to enter a few classes.
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| The majority of the produce from my “root vegetable” raised bed |
I chose to enter six carrots, three round beetroots, a cucumber and a three herb vase. I was a bit nervous as I polished my various entries but it was actually lovely arriving early in the produce tent and setting out my entries with the other competitors, some of whom have clearly been competing for years. The other competitors were very friendly, discussing all of the entries and there was a real sense of bonhomie.
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| My “small but perfect” cucumber in situ at the competition |
We returned to the fair later that day to find out how the judging had gone and I couldn’t believe it when my husband pointed out a “Highly commended” card by my cucumber! I didn’t place in any of the categories but I was still walking on air. It’s been years since I’ve won anything and I was thrilled that I’d been able to produce something good enough in my minuscule urban patio garden. Bring on next year, I’m going to enter every class!
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| Hurrah! Commendations! |
London to Land Girl 