The Village Produce Show

The Village Produce Show

The Annual Produce Show will be on Saturday 7th September.

Latest posts first, scroll down for show schedule.

June 2013

Only 3 months to go and the pressure is on. The weather is at last trying to help and plants are in catch up mode.

Latest concept in bird detterents Veg in raised beds The allotments holders are setting the pace

 

April

 SHOW SCHEDULE

Vegetables and Fruit

1      Carrots                                 3

2      Potatoes (white)                     5 on a plate

3      Potatoes (coloured)                5 on a plate

4      Courgettes                            2

5      Shallots                                5

6      Onions                                  3 – each under 225 g

7      Onions                                  3 – each over 225 g

8      Runner Beans                        6

9      Longest Runner Bean              1

10    Leeks                                   3

11    Dwarf French Beans                6

12    Beetroot                               3

13    Sweetcorn                             2

14    Tomatoes                              5

15    Cherry Tomatoes                    8

16    Vegetable marrow                   1

17    Apples (dessert)                    5

18    Apples (cooking)                    5

19    Pears                                   5

20    Plums                                   5

21    Collection of cut herbs, 4 varieties in one container

22    Biggest Pumpkin

23    Largest Onion

24    Largest Marrow

25    Top Tray, collection of 3 kinds of vegetables on a tray, selected from the following, number as indicated in brackets.  Onions(3) Potatoes(3) Runner Beans(6) Tomatoes(6) Carrots with tops(6) Parsnips with tops (3)

 

Plants and Flowers

1       Three decorative Dahlias

2       Cut Chrysanthemum – single stem

3       Five cut Roses

4       Gladioloi – 3 stems of same variety

5       Gladioli -5 stems of any varieties

6       Vase of Crocosmia – 3 stems

7       Agapanthus single stem

8       Cactus or Succulent – 1 specimen

9       Best Pot-Plant

10     Top Vase – between 5 and 10 stems of at least 2 varieties

Jam and Chutney – made since 2012 Village Show

1      Jam              Any fruit

2      Jelly             Any fruit

3     Chutney        All ingredients to be listed on label

 

Baking

 

  1. 1.  Apple Cake
Ingredients

  • 225g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 450g cooking apples
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 225g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar

 

 

METHOD

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas4. Grease a deep 23-24cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1cm pieces, and toss with the lemon juice.

2. Using an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth.

3. Sift the remaining flour and the baking powder into the bowl and fold in with the ground almonds. Drain the apple pieces well, then stir into the mixture.

4. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, lightly level the top and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until well-risen, brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake starts to look a little too brown, cover with a sheet of baking paper after about 45 minutes.

5. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate. Dredge heavily with the extra caster sugar.

 2       Fruit cake – any size /type of fruit3      Plain Scones      5 on a plate4      Cheese Scones   5 on a plate

5      Sausage Rolls    5 on a plate – shortcrust pastry

6      Bread –  5 White rolls,made by hand

7      Bread – Wholemeal loaf made by machine

8      Shortcake              5 on a plate

 

Craft Section

1      Knitted  handicraft item completed since last year

2      Hard handicraft item completed since last year[woodwork/pottery/metal]

3       An item of patchwork or quilting

4      A hand-made greetings card.

5       Any sewn item, including clothes

 

Miscellaneous

1      Six Brown eggs

2      Six White eggs

3       Bottle of Home made wine

4       Bottle of home made sloe gin. Made in last 2 years

 

 

Children’s Section (under 15)

 

1a    Tallest sunflower                              Age up to and including 10 years

1b    Tallest sunflower                              Age 11 and over

2      Animal made from vegetables and/or flowers

3      A scarecrow (as big as you like)

4      A decorated cup cake    Age up to and including 10 years

5      A decorated cup cake made by entrant   Age 11 and over

6      A decorated hard boiled eg

7      Something made from a kit eg. Woodwork,models,

Soft toy

 

 

March
All the details to follow.

Hopefully the protracted winter will relent soon so that we can get seeds and plants under-way but heading up to Easter 2013 it doesn’t look promising especially for those new potato planters who use Easter as a calendar reference for sowing

Web links that may or may not help you in your quest for produce perfection

Don’t despair take a look at this website for inspiration on how to grow show veg and here for everyday veg

Not to be left out for the cooks amongst you, some baking tips from down under and a taster from Jam World

Clarion Spring 2012

Clarion Spring 2012

Great & Little GiddingParish Council

Clarion – Spring 2012

 

ELECTIONS of District and Parish Councillors will take place on Thursday 3rd May – see noticeboards

BLOOM IN GIDDING – following on from the successful Anglia In Bloom Silver Award of 2011 we are looking for volunteers to co-ordinate the 2012 entry.  An excellent start was made last year in this community initiative and many hands make light work.   If you are interested in helping in anyway please let the PC office know and we will put you in touch with each other.  

ALLOTMENTS – there is a half allotment available from the 10 new ones provided last year   Full plots are £15 per year (£20 from 2013) and subject to a tenancy agreement.       

JUBILEE WOOD – a new pond has been excavated in the Jubilee Wood and it is hoped to have it established for the Diamond Jubilee.   Fourteen new trees have been planted including mulberry, pear, peach, nectarine, plum, cherry and apple. There is to be a JUBILEE Coffee Morning (and activities) in the wood on Sunday 3rd June.

RECREATION GROUND – our application for Queen Elizabeth II Field Status has been accepted and a commemorative plaque will be unveiled at the JUBILEE lunch being held on 4th June.   The idea behind the Big Lunch is to get as many people as possible to join with their neighbours for friendship and fun.   All you need to do is turn up with your picnic and for the energetic amongst you games will be available!   

VILLAGE HALL – a textile recycling bank has been located in the car park.    The District Council is trying to encourage residents to recycle clothing and shoes.   The materials put in the textile banks are sorted and sent to Africa, any clothes not suitable are cut into rags for industry.   A small income may be generated from this (£150 per tonne) for the village.

A group are organising a 1950s dance night in the hall on Saturday 2nd June to celebrate the JUBILEE and the Parish Council have allocated funding to support this community event.

The AGM of the Village Hall & Recreation Ground committee will take place on Monday 16th April at 7.30pm in the Village Hall – please do go along and show your support.  

VILLAGE WEBSITE -The Lottery Funding received by the Parish Council has funded the new village website including the newt trail.       

AFFORDABLE RURAL HOUSING SURVEY – This has been organised by ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) in consultation with the Parish Council and distributed to all houses within the village. The details of results will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting on 17th April.

STREET LIGHTING – the County Council have changed to a white light source which should not impact upon the visibility on the street.

THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING will be held on Tuesday 17th April at 7pm prior to the Parish Council Meeting.

THE PARISH COUNCIL meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month in the Village Hall at 7.30pm – members of the public are very welcome to attend but if you would like to speak on a particular subject, please let us know prior to the meeting.  

 

How the latest allotments were created

How the latest allotments were created

A short photo essay on the creation of the latest tranche of allotments.

With householders facing increased bills for fresh food, pressure was put on the Parish Council to facilitate some extra allotments near the Jubilee Wood. The land had always been allocated as allotment ground but it required that the caretaker tenant to relinquish the area of land which he graciously did.

A contractor was organised to create the allotment layout.

work began using rotovator to break up the surface

The previous crop had been mown down and work began using rotovator to break up the surface.

tractor mounted rotavator

Quite unusual to see a tractor mounted rotavator in good condition. Most have been consigned to the farm scrap heap as they have been superseded by alternative types of mechanical soil cultivation.

Tractor mounted  rotavators are notorious for creating a pan just below the surface

The work nearly complete. Although it looks like an instant seedbed the new allotment holders will tell you its tough digging. Tractor mounted  rotavators are notorious for creating a pan just below the surface. The only remedy is the traditional double digging and incorporation of organic matter.

allotments are in full production

allotments are in full production

Within a few months some of the allotments are in full production.