Cromford Garden & Produce Show 2019:
Advice for exhibitors.
Timetable for the day: Please read the programme for details of the timetable for the day and leave yourself plenty of time to pay the entry fee, fill in your exhibit cards and to place your entry in the right section. There will be people to help you take your entries to the right area of the hall. It can get quite busy when the doors open at 11.30. and also just before closing time at 1pm. We close the exhibit area to the public and entrants promptly so the judging can start on time and doesn’t over run with consequences for the rest of the day. So please don’t leave it too late!
Entry forms will be available on the day, but it helps everyone if you can fill in one beforehand. This reduces queuing at the tables to write the forms out and means we can take your entry money, hand out the exhibit cards for you to fill in, enter the exhibits into the day’s database and let you arrange your exhibits all with the minimum of fuss.
Advice on exhibiting: All the produce should meet the specifications in the entry form as regards number and type. In some of the general classes you can have more than 1 entry – this is indicated in the programme by a double asterix by the class description.
There is plenty of advice online on how to exhibit, the following is just a small example, mainly taken from RHS publications but it is not fully comprehensive and please remember – it’s a local show, not professional so you are not expected to reach absolute peak perfection!
Judging: The judges’ decisions are final
Generally:
All exhibits should be at their peak condition, fresh, pest & disease free, unblemished and the appropriate shape and colour for the variety (hence the importance of stating the variety).
Never polish or remove the “bloom” from vegetables or fruit.
If multiple numbers are specified then these are the numbers you must show – too many or too few gets a “NAS” – Not as Schedule.
The exhibits should, as far as possible, all be the same size, but remember biggest is not always best.
Generally, keep on stalks and calyces.
Vegetables
Potatoes: Shallow eyes. Optimum weight 200 – 250gm. Wash carefully to remove soil etc as rough handling can cause skin blemishes.
Stage with rose end outwards facing the front.
Carrots: Uniform shape and good coloured. The judge may decide to cut to assess for through colour and any disease. Roots must be intact, (side hair roots may be removed) and foliage to be trimmed to approx 75mm.
Stage carrots side by side with the root ends facing the front.
Beetroot: Uniform shape and size. Globe beetroot preferably 60-75mm dia., cylindrical beetroot approx 150mm in length, The judge may decide to cut to assess for through colour and any disease. Roots must be intact, (side hair roots may be removed) and foliage to be trimmed to approx 75mm.
Stage side by side with the root ends facing the front.
Other root vegetables: as above. Size and shape to be appropriate to the variety.
Tomatoes: Ripe, “Standard” ie medium varieties should be approx 60mm dia. Large (beefsteak) 75mm dia or more.
Keep on the calyces (the green sepals at the attachment of the fruit to the stalk) – these should be fresh.
Stage with the calyx uppermost.
Truss of cherry tomatoes: These should be 35mm in dia or less.
Cut the truss as near the main stem as possible. At least 1/3 of the fruits must be fully ripe.
Onions, shallots & garlic: Should be “dressed” with roots (keep root plate) and foliage removed. They should have clean unbroken, unblemished skin.. The specimens should all be the same size if possible, uniform (not lop sided) and without thick necks.
Stage onions and shallots with the necks tied with natural raffia, stage garlic as complete bulbs
Cucumber: Straight, tender, uniform in thickness & colour with a short “handle” and the flower end completely developed. May be shown with or without flowers.
Lettuce: Do not over-trim outside leaves. Roots must be left on (washed).
Stage with the hearts facing the front.
Radishes: Trim foliage to approx 30mm.
Courgettes: Should be approx 150mm in length or 75mm in dia if a round variety. May be shown with or without flowers.
French & Runner beans: Cut from the vine making sure each pod has a uniform length of stalk attached. The bean seeds inside should not be visible. The judge will “snap” one of the beans to assess freshness.
Stage in a line with the tail ends facing the front
Sweetcorn: Good, even grain set and tip fill. Trim stalks
Stage with silks attached and the cob peeled open to expose approximately ¼ of its grain.
Sweet & chilli pepper: Mature specimens preferred
Cabbage: Retain outer leaves and any “bloom”.
Stage with washed roots, trimmed back to approx 75mm and with heads facing the front.
Head of calabrese, cauliflower, spears of broccoli: Calabrese & cauliflower with solid curds and even head with foliage trimmed to expose the curd. Calabrese and broccoli buds should be tightly closed. Broccoli spears should be approx 75–100 mm long.
Stage cauliflower as cabbage, stage all with heads facing the front.
Fruit
Stalks: Apricots, nectarines, peaches and blueberries should have the stalks removed – all other fruit should have a stalk attached.
Apples: Stage with the eye uppermost, stalk end downwards. Do not cut the stalks
Pears: Stage with the stalks towards the centre of the plate
Plums, gages, peaches etc: Be very careful not to destroy any bloom.
Blackberries, raspberries & hybrid fruit: to have fresh calyx and stalk. (So cut, not pick!)
Grapes: The bunch to be balanced in shape, individual grapes to have been allowed room to develop. Cut from the vine with approximately 50mm of stalk (which may include a piece of lateral shoot from the stalk).
Flowers:
Generally: Exhibits to have a good proportion of flowers fully developed and on well balanced sprays or stems. Foliage to be fresh, clean and undamaged. Oasis may be used. Apart from the bunch classes, exhibits are to face the judge.
A bunch of mixed blooms: Do not use foliage from plants other than those being exhibited. A minimum of three different types of flower are required, but more is much better!
Sweet peas: Stems to be as long & straight in proportion to the bloom size. Blooms to be well spaced and fully open and ideally with four to a stem.
Dahlias: All florets intact. Flower colour to be clear and well defined or evenly shaded or tipped according to variety. Do not remove all the foliage from the stems.
A stem rose: On original new growth which has not been ‘stopped’ and with no lateral growths (these may be removed). Do not add extra foliage.
A bunch of mixed herbs: Herbs are culinary ingredients added for flavour. Seed providers such as coriander, dill and root providers eg Florence fennel are not classed as “herbs”.
Preserves and bakery
Flavour is paramount. If entries are neck-and-neck, flavour will dictate a winner.
Use the freshest ingredients you can find. Slightly stale nuts in a cake will knock marks off.
To avoid “rack marks”, line the cooling rack with a tea towel and cool your cake on the filling side.
It is best to use cane sugar and whole fruit for jam. If using frozen fruit, add 10 per cent more fruit to the recipe.
Slow cooking before adding sugar and very rapid short cooking afterward is the key to jam making.
Leave marmalade to settle for 20 minutes, then stir gently before potting.
Good luck everyone!
Advice for exhibitors.
Timetable for the day: Please read the programme for details of the timetable for the day and leave yourself plenty of time to pay the entry fee, fill in your exhibit cards and to place your entry in the right section. There will be people to help you take your entries to the right area of the hall. It can get quite busy when the doors open at 11.30. and also just before closing time at 1pm. We close the exhibit area to the public and entrants promptly so the judging can start on time and doesn’t over run with consequences for the rest of the day. So please don’t leave it too late!
Entry forms will be available on the day, but it helps everyone if you can fill in one beforehand. This reduces queuing at the tables to write the forms out and means we can take your entry money, hand out the exhibit cards for you to fill in, enter the exhibits into the day’s database and let you arrange your exhibits all with the minimum of fuss.
Advice on exhibiting: All the produce should meet the specifications in the entry form as regards number and type. In some of the general classes you can have more than 1 entry – this is indicated in the programme by a double asterix by the class description.
There is plenty of advice online on how to exhibit, the following is just a small example, mainly taken from RHS publications but it is not fully comprehensive and please remember – it’s a local show, not professional so you are not expected to reach absolute peak perfection!
Judging: The judges’ decisions are final
Generally:
All exhibits should be at their peak condition, fresh, pest & disease free, unblemished and the appropriate shape and colour for the variety (hence the importance of stating the variety).
Never polish or remove the “bloom” from vegetables or fruit.
If multiple numbers are specified then these are the numbers you must show – too many or too few gets a “NAS” – Not as Schedule.
The exhibits should, as far as possible, all be the same size, but remember biggest is not always best.
Generally, keep on stalks and calyces.
Vegetables
Potatoes: Shallow eyes. Optimum weight 200 – 250gm. Wash carefully to remove soil etc as rough handling can cause skin blemishes.
Stage with rose end outwards facing the front.
Carrots: Uniform shape and good coloured. The judge may decide to cut to assess for through colour and any disease. Roots must be intact, (side hair roots may be removed) and foliage to be trimmed to approx 75mm.
Stage carrots side by side with the root ends facing the front.
Beetroot: Uniform shape and size. Globe beetroot preferably 60-75mm dia., cylindrical beetroot approx 150mm in length, The judge may decide to cut to assess for through colour and any disease. Roots must be intact, (side hair roots may be removed) and foliage to be trimmed to approx 75mm.
Stage side by side with the root ends facing the front.
Other root vegetables: as above. Size and shape to be appropriate to the variety.
Tomatoes: Ripe, “Standard” ie medium varieties should be approx 60mm dia. Large (beefsteak) 75mm dia or more.
Keep on the calyces (the green sepals at the attachment of the fruit to the stalk) – these should be fresh.
Stage with the calyx uppermost.
Truss of cherry tomatoes: These should be 35mm in dia or less.
Cut the truss as near the main stem as possible. At least 1/3 of the fruits must be fully ripe.
Onions, shallots & garlic: Should be “dressed” with roots (keep root plate) and foliage removed. They should have clean unbroken, unblemished skin.. The specimens should all be the same size if possible, uniform (not lop sided) and without thick necks.
Stage onions and shallots with the necks tied with natural raffia, stage garlic as complete bulbs
Cucumber: Straight, tender, uniform in thickness & colour with a short “handle” and the flower end completely developed. May be shown with or without flowers.
Lettuce: Do not over-trim outside leaves. Roots must be left on (washed).
Stage with the hearts facing the front.
Radishes: Trim foliage to approx 30mm.
Courgettes: Should be approx 150mm in length or 75mm in dia if a round variety. May be shown with or without flowers.
French & Runner beans: Cut from the vine making sure each pod has a uniform length of stalk attached. The bean seeds inside should not be visible. The judge will “snap” one of the beans to assess freshness.
Stage in a line with the tail ends facing the front
Sweetcorn: Good, even grain set and tip fill. Trim stalks
Stage with silks attached and the cob peeled open to expose approximately ¼ of its grain.
Sweet & chilli pepper: Mature specimens preferred
Cabbage: Retain outer leaves and any “bloom”.
Stage with washed roots, trimmed back to approx 75mm and with heads facing the front.
Head of calabrese, cauliflower, spears of broccoli: Calabrese & cauliflower with solid curds and even head with foliage trimmed to expose the curd. Calabrese and broccoli buds should be tightly closed. Broccoli spears should be approx 75–100 mm long.
Stage cauliflower as cabbage, stage all with heads facing the front.
Fruit
Stalks: Apricots, nectarines, peaches and blueberries should have the stalks removed – all other fruit should have a stalk attached.
Apples: Stage with the eye uppermost, stalk end downwards. Do not cut the stalks
Pears: Stage with the stalks towards the centre of the plate
Plums, gages, peaches etc: Be very careful not to destroy any bloom.
Blackberries, raspberries & hybrid fruit: to have fresh calyx and stalk. (So cut, not pick!)
Grapes: The bunch to be balanced in shape, individual grapes to have been allowed room to develop. Cut from the vine with approximately 50mm of stalk (which may include a piece of lateral shoot from the stalk).
Flowers:
Generally: Exhibits to have a good proportion of flowers fully developed and on well balanced sprays or stems. Foliage to be fresh, clean and undamaged. Oasis may be used. Apart from the bunch classes, exhibits are to face the judge.
A bunch of mixed blooms: Do not use foliage from plants other than those being exhibited. A minimum of three different types of flower are required, but more is much better!
Sweet peas: Stems to be as long & straight in proportion to the bloom size. Blooms to be well spaced and fully open and ideally with four to a stem.
Dahlias: All florets intact. Flower colour to be clear and well defined or evenly shaded or tipped according to variety. Do not remove all the foliage from the stems.
A stem rose: On original new growth which has not been ‘stopped’ and with no lateral growths (these may be removed). Do not add extra foliage.
A bunch of mixed herbs: Herbs are culinary ingredients added for flavour. Seed providers such as coriander, dill and root providers eg Florence fennel are not classed as “herbs”.
Preserves and bakery
Flavour is paramount. If entries are neck-and-neck, flavour will dictate a winner.
Use the freshest ingredients you can find. Slightly stale nuts in a cake will knock marks off.
To avoid “rack marks”, line the cooling rack with a tea towel and cool your cake on the filling side.
It is best to use cane sugar and whole fruit for jam. If using frozen fruit, add 10 per cent more fruit to the recipe.
Slow cooking before adding sugar and very rapid short cooking afterward is the key to jam making.
Leave marmalade to settle for 20 minutes, then stir gently before potting.
Good luck everyone!
