7^th August 2022

 

Dear All,

This week has been dominated by Over Produce Show as it involves quite a lot of work setting it up as well as participating. On Thursday we have to register the entries and write out all the exhibiters cards, this year we were back to pre-Covid numbers so 480 cards. On Friday we set up the hall erecting and covering tables, and allocating space for each class and on Saturday staging the exhibits, judging, logging the points and deciding the cup winners. Photography was introduced 4 years ago and slowly increased to 30 entries last year, this year it mushroomed to 80 entries. We had borrowed display board from a nearby village but had not planned the method of fixing 80 photos and their accompanying card so there was a steady job of re fixing them all afternoon.

We were expecting a drop in entries of Fruit & Vegetables due to the drought but the numbers were slightly up on last year mainly due to the reappearance of our principal exhibiter who was away last time. I managed 10 x 1^st, 4 x 2nds and 8 x 3rds and was 2^nd in Veg and overall. And yes, I did win the bread again! All in all, it was a good show with no major incidents!

 

Hall ready for Judging

 

 

My Collection

 

 

The Bread

 

 

Potato Section

 

We have had two decent walks this week as on Monday we carried out a recce for a walk we should be leading next Thursday (weather permitting as we are forecast another scorcher). This began at Abington Pigotts near Royston and involved crossing several stubble fields which was fine then but will not be so good if they are cultivated by Thursday.

On Thursday we started at Burrough Green south of Newmarket and looped round the Stour Valley. Fortunately, it was not too hot.

 

 

Kate in Combined cereal field

 

 

Prolonged Parking Fine?

 

 

Dried up River Stour at Great Bradley

 

 

Not very green grass field!

On Wednesday we entertained Norman Ingle, Merv & Pat for lunch. Norman is flying off to New Zealand and Australia today.

In the evening I was at Sandy for another CEEM meeting. We have just managed to get registered for internet banking which should make sending money to Moldova easier.

We are still watering the garden and allotment every day in the hope of keeping things alive but we registered a grand total of 3mm rain in July so it is an uphill task. A few things are happy in the heat: Tomatoes have cropped heavily and Sweet Corn tolerates it well but the star turn has been figs which must think they are back in the Mediterranean!

love

 

Mike & Kate