The Harvest Show
Wot a lark! In the year of no rain -- just as the quantity of entries went down
so the quality of the entries went up. The Preston/ Whittaker Adams Road
consortium brought the most amazing (and delicious) runner beans, our very own
prize winning horticulturists (Alex Kirby and Mike Malster) entered a basket of
Mixed Vegetables which must feature as one of the All Time Greats, making the
pair a legend in their own life-time. It was beautiful - all poetry. But even
Alex's eyes popped out when the Bottisham section of the Latchford family
came in with a Zucchetta. The Zucchetta must be the nearest vegetable to match
the musical Serpent played at the West Gallery Concert. "Cor! I've got
to have some of that" said Alex -- so next year we may see many more
Zucchettas. This will be a sight not to be missed. The children's entries
were great, especially the Vegetable Animals.
Then the Auction started and everyone became so engrossed that no-one asked for the winners of the tea-time Quiz. There were 21 questions and three groups got 15 right: the Carrington Family, the Hubbard and Pumfrey table, and Latchford and Co. But all entries were divided on question 4 which asked whether a particular Victorian remedy to control caterpillars was True or False. The Victorian remedy was "If caterpillars are already present, sprinkle new lime under bushes, and fire a double-barrelled gun two or three times under bushes to shake caterpillars off into the lime." So, is it True of False? Very few people know the answer.
The Raffle earned £49, those scrumptious Village Hall Cream Teas brought in £92.90, and the generous people at the Auction contributed another £72.20, making a grand total of £214.10. After expenses there was a profit of £154 for Village Hall funds.