crich area community news
Crich Horticultural Show
Sunday 4th September saw the culmination of a year’s work for the members of the Cliff Inn Horticultural Society who had been coaxing and cajoling their fruit and vegetables through the highs and lows of the English climate. The very hot spell in April/May (remember that?), the lack of rain and the seasons arriving early had presented problems, but these seem to have been overcome for most of the produce and 382 items were entered into the show at the Cliff Inn. Jeff Bates judged the fruit and vegetables and commented on the high standard of the entries, singling out Phil Fisher’s peas which were the best he’d seen all year. He also commended the standard of Eric Harrison’s sweet peas, especially as the season was nearly over.
Andrew Auld from The Loaf judged the home produce and passed on some very useful tips, including how to keep the colour in your pickled beetroot – roast it instead of boiling it prior to bottling. The club were indebted to Peter Patilla who stepped in at the last minute to judge the photographs, always a hard job.
The overall points winner for the day was Eric Harrison, followed by Phil Fisher, a reversal of last year’s result. Carole Bonsall got the prize for the longest runner bean, having entered one at the last minute measuring 28 inches. Some members wondered if it was two or three stitched together.
The show was rounded off in the evening when Owen Briggs did his usual wonderful job of auctioning off all the produce. The club would like to thank Liggy and Tracey at the Cliff Inn for allowing us to take over their forecourt and their hospitality.
Roger Phipp
Andrew Auld tasting the produce and judging
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Whatstandwell Homecrafts and Produce Show
This year’s show took place on Sat 3rd of September at The Derwent. There were a magnificent thirty-nine entrants this year, who between them created two hundred and twenty-eight different exhibits.
If 2010 was the year of the missing carrots, 2011 proved to be the year of the missing leeks. The good weather during last spring resulted in a bumper year for fruit.
Richard Hodgkinson continued in his unusual style of auctioneering, including the joke “What do you do with a marrow?” – the old ones are the best ones! One of the pub’s customers showed great promise as a future England Wicket keeper, catching the onions bowled to him by Richard. The auction raised £153 which was very kindly made up to £200 courtesy of a generous donation from The Derwent. Nominations for the charities to benefit from Social Club profits are greatly appreciated.
The Social Club would like to thank everyone who took part in the show and the judges – Eric Burton for the fruit, vegetables and flowers and Andrew Auld for tasting all the home produce. Andrew had obviously learned from last year and had a tasting plan to avoid having to taste a chocolate cake followed immediately by a pickled onion! Thanks also to Dawn and Mark, the new hosts of The Derwent, who made us all feel very welcome throughout the booking in, judging, auctioning and clearing up process.
Oh, and just in case you have never heard the joke before – what you do with a marrow is “stuff it”!
Rose Prodger
