Wednesday 29 January 2014

Preparing for Show Season - Gundagai

It's Show Time - Agricultural Show time here in the Riverina Highlands. First Show on the schedule? Gundagai.

Last year we visited the Gundagai Show. We watched the pretty ponies and their prettier riders, watched the old timers and their dogs handling sheep and inspected the vegetable exhibits. This year I am going to put in some entries.

(Just in case there is some confusion -  last year I entered the Adelong Show only - this year I am going to submit entries in both Gundagai and Adelong!). 

Here are the sections I'm looking at...

Vegies
Class 6: A collection of Tomatoes
Class 23: Six Potatoes
Class 26: Three Zucchini - green - under 18cms
Class 27: Three Zucchini - yellow - under 18cms
Class 28: A bunch of Chillies
Class 44: A collection of culinary Herbs

Of course I probably wont enter all of these classes - it will very much depend on what survives this weeks week long heat wave! But I guess everyone else is in the same situation.

Yesterday I inspected my zucchini plants to see how entries in classes 26 and 27 were going. I've three different types of zucchini in, so I guess if they classify the 'Costata' as a green zucchini, there is potential for three entries into those two classes.


But clearly getting three zucchini of roughly the same size on the right day is going to be a challenge!

Jams and Jellies
Class 10: Peach Jam any flavour
Class 13: Tomato Jam any flavour

The peaches are ripening right now. I am hoping they will be ripe in enough time to make and age some jam.


Of course I could buy some peaches, but I'd really like to use our own home grown peaches if I can.

Today I made my batch of Tomato Jam, mine has roasted capsicum and a little chilli. Last year the same recipe won second prize at the Adelong Show but I am sure that the competition at the Gundagai Show will be tougher!


I'll report back on my show preparations  and let you know how I'm getting on.

And after a little taste test, I might be offering some jars for sale. This jam goes really well with cold lamb!

4 comments:

  1. Good luck! Inspired by your success last year I was all set to enter the local show this weekend but then I read the schedule of competitions and there seem to only be horse events and a couple of cooking sections such as the standard fruit cake and carrot cake, which is really sad. So I shall be competing vicariously through your entries :)

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    1. Oh that's so disappointing! What a shame there are not more categories to participate in. Some of the rural shows do seem less active than others. In part that is becasue people have stopped participating. No wonder the judges are so warm and welcoming to new participants.

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  2. I see you've gone for uniform lids this year which I think is a good move. How do you think the judges will view slightly curved zucchini? I myself am in favour of them - on purely aesthetic grounds but then not everyone is like minded. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you enter.

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    Replies
    1. Oh Liz! You have me laughing so hard that there are tears falling down my cheeks! I am in favour of the bend... straight is just too straight! If the garden survives this week's heat I will be lucky!

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