Cakes, Flowers and a Village Show

You may have noticed there has been lots of baking going on around here recently.  Apart from the enjoyment I get from whipping up a batch of cup cakes or filling jars with freshly made jam I can’t pretend there  hasn’t been an ulterior motive .  I was preparing to take part in the village show that took place in my mum’s village last weekend.  If you don’t know what a Village show is, let me explain.

A Village show is a competition and exhibition of all manner of home-grown, home-baked and home crafted goods. It’s open to everyone, young and old with all encouraged to take part.  It takes place over a whole weekend starting on Saturday morning when all the entrants bring along their wares to be displayed and judged.  This is a hectic time with folk running in at the last moment with freshly baked cakes or juggling baskets of just picked vegetables and this year flowers still dripping raindrops.  Gradually the air is filled with the delicious aroma of roses and sweet peas, and the empty tables begin to groan with lovingly tended produce.

At 11 am the doors close and the judges take up position.  Flower judges, fruit and vegetable experts , specialists in crafts and baking aficionados methodically work their way through the entries awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in each class.  This is a tense time as the judges assistants check and double-check they have documented everything correctly and are absolutely sure who  has the coveted 1st prize rosette!

The Flower Class was especially beautiful this year with an abundance of dahlias and roses.

The Vegetable Class is always popular

A wonderful array or preserves and baking and the judge tries every single one!

On Saturday afternoon the doors open to the public and participants and spectators are welcomed in to come and look around the fabulous displays, and of course drink tea and eat cake.  In my mum’s village the event takes place in the local church and it’s quite a spectale to see the church full of flowers, and plants and celebrate Gods creation in this way

On Sunday afternoon, prizes for best in show are awarded followed by an auction. A local auctioneer taking bids for all the home-grown and baked goods as local families good-naturedly compete for the prize winning tomatoes and scones

It’s always fun to see what the children produce, children as young as 4 years old decorated biscuits this year.

The Village Show is a great way of raising money but more than that its a great way of drawing a community together and encouraging creativity.  If you get the opportunity to take part in a similar event, do get involved.  Who know you might even win a prize!