CHURT HORTICULTURAL AND PRODUCE SOCIETY

AUTUMN FLOWER SHOW REPORT

‘A Bumper Crop’ for Churt Horticultural and Produce Society’s Autumn Show

which was held in the village hall on Saturday 13th September.

Despite monsoon conditions the day before, the Society staged their Autumn Show on a glorious sunny Saturday. As usual the exhibitors filled the village hall with a wonderful display of garden produce, cookery, handicrafts and floral art. The rain the previous day must have battered a great deal of flowers that were due to be exhibited but there was still plenty for the visitors to see.

The Floral Art had some very imaginative interpretations of the titles. Ann Butler had made a circle with lovely upright leeks and put a flower arrangement in the middle for her ‘Bumper Crop' entry. The autumn wreath ‘Hot and Spicy' included chilies, garlic, ginger, shallots and satsumas studded with cloves - Jenny Titcomb was awarded a certificate of merit for her exhibit in this class. There were four classes in the flower arranging section, Autumn Wreath, Red Alert, Bumper Crop and Cock-o-doodle-do, and the fourteen exhibits provided a lovely display.

The dahlias took pride of place as is usually the case at the Autumn Show. The Doug Cook Trophy for a specimen dahlia was awarded to Dave Strudwick for a beautiful yellow cactus type. John Marshall's vase of five dark red cactus dahlias named ‘Bluebeard' secured him a first prize. One class which is always popular is the container of cut foliage, this had seven entries and a generous 36ins|/76cms. width allowance which everyone took advantage of. These entries looked like a small shrubbery extending down the hall and judging was made even more difficult by such good quality material, but Jean Stiff emerged the winner.

In the vegetable section, Veronica and Eric Martin's onions were outstanding and this earned them a first prize, they also gained a first for dessert and cooking apples this contributing to them amassing the greatest number of points in the combined flower and vegetable classes and thus winners of the Stevenson Cup. The basket of five vegetables/fruit, which included celery, beetroot, onions, potatoes and leeks was won by Dave Strudwick and was also judged to be the best in show. Al1 the vegetable classes were well supported which proves there are some excellent industrious gardeners living in Churt.

ln this show our home industries proved popular demonstrating skills in baking, jam making and handicrafts. Jams, jellies, bread and cakes all looking delicious were displayed waiting for the judges decision. The set recipe was for a Battenburg cake, not the easiest choice, but everyone rose to the challenge and Harriet Somers’ entry was judged the winner. Kate Marshall gained firsts in jam, bread, madeleine’s and several second places bringing her the highest score in this section thus winning the Lloyd George Cup, (not for the first time!).

There were three photographic classes, two of them being judged by popular vote. The first, 'Birds Eye View' went to Veronica Martin and the second; ‘a photograph of a tree' went to Derek Sibley. The third class, for the Melene Barnes Cup, which is now awarded for a photograph of wildlife was judged by a member of Ludshott Photographic Club and was awarded to Eric Martin for his photograph of a deer.

Cup Winners

The Cochrane Bowl (Floral Art) Jenny Titcomb

The Stevenson Cup (Most points in flowers vegetable classes) Veronica & Eric Martin

The Lloyd George Cup (Home industries) Kate Marshall

The Melene Barnes Cup (Photographic) Eric Martin

Harold Martin Memorial Cup (Best Exhibit) Dave Strudwick

Doug Cook Trophy (Best Dahlia) Dave Strudwick

Banksian Medal (Most points over all three shows) Dave Strudwick

The Aggregate Points Prize (Most points over all three shows without winning a point prize) Michael Somers.

Churt Horticultural and Produce Society We are truly a village society with roots that can be traced back to 1948.
How much does it cost to be a member?
For the small sum of only £5 a year you are able to take part in all of the society's shows and talks and can easily get more than your membership back by using the discounted outlets  shown below.
When you join CHAPS you will receive a schedule. This outlines the dates and times of the shows and tells you  what  each  of the  classes are.   It also includes entry forms. You may enter as many of the classes as you like.
Some of the classes are aimed  at  the  more experienced grower, such as some of the Sweet  Pea  and Dahlia classes but most of the entries are aimed at the casual gardener who can pick maybe a vase of flowers, or a bunch of daffodils and enter them in the relevant class.
We encourage you to come along to the shows which have free entry and see what other members have entered. We feel confident that you will see flowers and shrubs in your gardens that are of equal or better standard and hopefully encourage you to join in at the next show.
Don't  forget  that there are fruit and vegetable classes, (we  can  all  grow runner  beans!), flower arranging classes for the artistic and in the Autumn show there  are  home crafts  including  handicraft,  cooking,   painting  and  photography  as  well  as  numerous entries for children.
You don't have to pay to enter so what have you got to lose? AND winning can be so very satisfying!

We hope that you will reap the benefits of the years of gardening experience that we can offer as a society and that we can encourage you to  grow and maybe show your own produce.

 

 

Churt Horticultural & Produce Society

sponsored by

Avalon Garden Centre

for details about Avalon Garden Centre please click here......

A few sites worth a visit.....just click on to the web address to be connected

www.rivercottage.net ....... Channel 4's Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has a mine of info on growing and eating food and even an area for you to ask him questions!

www.bbc.co.uk/gardening ...... A varied selection on the subject of gardening, with tips and competitions plus areas for each of the gardening shows on TV

www.thefoody.com/ ..... described as "An independent resource covering all aspects of food from the Uk and Ireland". Recipes and what plants are in season in the shops.

www.gardenorganic.org.uk ...... The website for the HDRA running several organic gardens throughout the country. Good advice on making your own garden organic