Saturday was Bacton Fayre day which includes the produce and flower show.
The weather was atrocious - the met. office website said > 97% chance of rain all day and they were absolutely correct. Every now and again it looked a bit brighter but then down it came - even harder.
I entered some cookery classes and some vegetable classes. I've been entering shows like this for almost as long as I've been a grown-up! In Bacton through the 1980s and Knodishall for most years from 1992 to when we moved in 2015. And since being back in Mid Suffolk it's back to Bacton again. (Oddly enough they are both on the first Saturday in August - just like Going Gently John's show in Trelawnyd)
I was also helping with stewarding for the cookery judge which seemed much easier than last year as we weren't battling the heat of the marquee.
Some people do very well with flowers................gorgeous entries
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| "A Container Planted for Colour" |
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| My first prize winning chocolate sponge is the one in the back row furthest |
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| Beautiful flower arrangements |
The WI stall had lots of cakes for sale, I didn't put my name down for helping this year but made cheese straws for selling and they'd all sold by the time I got out of the marquee after judging.
The photo class was another I didn't get round to entering this year, one photo I had hoped to enter came out very fuzzy when I enlarged it on the photo-printing machine thingy in Boots.
The photo below is just a reminder for me of next years photo competition. Anyone got any ideas for a photo representing Climate Change?
Although I spent what seemed like hours baking on Friday and entered 5 different cookery classes, my only prize was a First for my chocolate sponge which I was pretty chuffed with.
Of course I had to try a slice when I got home!
Success with vegetable entries - 4 classes entered.- 3 Courgettes; 2 cucumbers; 5 Cherry tomatoes and 'Any Other Vegetable' - I chose to enter 2 Peppers.
Prices are cash - £1.50 for a first, £1 for a second and 50p for a third and I'm always pleased to cover my entry fees. I made £2 profit this year!!
Outside there were stalls from various organisations, the Stowmarket Concert Band, lots of food things, a dog show and children's races. I didn't take any outside photos as I was holding an umbrella most of the time! It looked as if visitor numbers were well down due to the weather, everyone will hope for better next year.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
You did well Sue, and the sponge looks mouthwatering. We haven't been to any sort of county show for a few years now (not since we've had Betty, in fact), but I always enjoyed the cookery and flower displays the best. What a pity the weather was so dreadful.
ReplyDeleteSomehow the sponge turned out a lot better than my usual offerings.
DeleteLast year was so hot and this year so wet so hopefully next year will be just right
Perhaps a picture from the back of a woman wearing a bulky cardigan changing her calendar from July to August.
ReplyDeleteThat's an idea
DeleteDo pond or church.
ReplyDeleteI can do pond but church has to be 2 photos, one original and one computer enhanced which I can't do
DeleteYou could play around with some computer enhancements on your phone. Phones do great enhancements of photos.
DeleteCongratulations on your successes Sue! Chocolate slice looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteOne of my best ever sponges! The rest of the things I entered were all rubbish!
DeleteWell done! Your chocolate sponge looks absolutely delicious!
ReplyDeleteI love a good, village show but in one village where I lived, my husband was asked to judge the cake competition! However, he was told which one to choose as the winner because, ‘Betty always wins’ …so he chose differently and was never asked to judge again! 😂 We always laugh about that!
There were entries in this show from someone several villages away from Bacton - I reckon 'foreigners' shouldn't be allowed as she took several first prizes !! ;-)
DeleteWell done with your wins - that cake looks SO light. A brilliant bake. I wouldn't win any prizes with my veg (slugs had the brassicas) but the runner beans are long and straight (and taste so good).
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have ever made such a fluffy sponge before - no idea what I did differently
DeleteCongrats on your first place cake!
ReplyDeleteCathy
Thank you
DeletePretty cruel of you to photograph that thoroughly enticing slice of your prize-winning chocolate sponge - I tried putting my tongue on the computer screen hoping it was tasty-vision but no such luck. All I can do is drool and imagine.
ReplyDeleteSorry Pat! If you were nearer I'd bring you a piece
DeleteWell done!
ReplyDeleteI love the heavenly smell in the flower marquees.
This year it mainly smelled of wet clothes!
DeleteI loved this post, years ago I won a ladies challenge cup for a village show, I was extremely proud of myself:-) your chocolate cake looks well deserving of first prize.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Well done on a proper big win!
DeleteI've never won any of the overall cups as it means a lot of work with potatoes, carrots and all sorts - or entering and winning every baking class. Although one year I did win best veg in show for some tomatoes - the prize was two posh wine glasses but the next time we were away on holiday the teenage children had friends round and broke one. I wasn't best pleased!
Well done, not just for the wins but for entering.
ReplyDeleteShame about your DQ 😧
I knew it wouldn't qualify but had paid my 25p entry money before I discovered I'd not got a 1lb size jar of strawberry - only 12oz jars- so put it in just to make up the numbers
DeleteRe, Wordle ( previous post ) Hard Mode:
ReplyDeleteIt's a setting you can opt to add.
It means you MUST use any hint letters added.
Say you've got an orange - or even a green - Y and you still can't guess a word so you go off on a tangent and guess any old word just to shake up your brain - you can't with Hard Mode - you must use that Y again.
That's my understanding of it anyway!
Think I'll stick to the ordinary version. - it took 5 lines again today as it was another odd one that could have had several different first letters
DeleteWell done with your wins. The cake looks so yummy.
ReplyDeleteIt really is!
DeleteI love your take on foreigners from another village swiping all those firsts!! Your own entries are lovely, and those flowers show what a wet season can yield. Do you have a recipe for the cheese straws? Been meaning to ask. They're obviously great, vanished before you looked around.
ReplyDeleteI've really got no right to talk about foreigners as I don't live in that village either but at least I do go to WI there!
DeleteThe Fayre looks really great with many entries in all categories. You've done well and your chocolate sponge cake looks outstanding. It was unfortunate to have heavy rain on the day of the Fayre. (It is pouring buckets as I write.)
ReplyDeleteIt's been much dryer since Saturday - thankfully. Perhaps next year will be better
DeleteCongratulations, a very successful show for you, and that cake looks gorgeous. It's definintely best to be in the marquees on bad weather days.
ReplyDeleteWe had a real clash of dates on Saturday we were due to go to our local county show, but the forecast was really bad so we decided we would go to John's Trelawnyd show, then Alan's sister got in touch to ask if she could stay. It was a good weekend though, so I'm not complaining.
I often think it would be good to be in three places at once. And I've just discovered my favourite BIG secondhand book sale is on at the same time as another.
DeleteWow-that cake looks delicious! Did you enter your foccacia after the issue about the right kind of salt? Catriona
ReplyDeleteWell done on all those wins. The cake looks very tasty.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Well done! That cake looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful and delicious looking entries and congratulations on your successes.
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks absolutely fantastic. xx
What wonderful Village Shows, you have over there. In NZ Shows are now very few and far between, and really only countryside affairs. In my childhood (60 years ago!!) the A&P show (Agricultural and Pastoral) was a day off school in most areas. We always went, and I rode my pony in the ring events. The livestock was all there, and the flowers, fruit and vegetable sections. And outdoors farmers drooled over new machinery! What a treat to visit your show.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of people are your commenters anyway! LOL No one has asked for the recipe for your sponge!! Well, I am--please post! It looks absolutely delicious! The show looked like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI have a funny story! I went to our county fair a few years ago and noticed there were almost no canned peaches. Well, I do beautiful peach halves. The next year I canned 20 quarts, picked the best one (they all looked alike) and entered it. Not only were there a lot of peaches entered, but I didn't win a thing. Not only that, but the winning jar was peach SLICES. Any fool can do slices! I never entered again....
--Maxine