After last year’s hiatus the village show is going ahead this year (at least it is at the time of writing). Saturday the 18th of September is the big day and don’t forget that there are cooking and handicraft classes and a special children’s section as well as the traditional fruit, vegetable and flower classes. The more entries there are, the better the spectacle in the hall.

There are classes for a wide range of fruit, vegetables and flowers.  Some like giant vegetables, potatoes and carrots are a bit more demanding of growers’ skills, while others like tomatoes and chilli peppers are ideally suited for the beginner.  The “Any Other Vegetable” and “Oddest Shaped Vegetable” classes give you the chance to show off the wierd, whacky, spectacular and not quite right.

A new class making its debut a year late this year is for a basket of allotment produce. With three different allotment sites in Cookham, there ought to be plenty of people who can have a stab at this “no rules” class.  Can anyone beat this offering we saw at the Malvern Autumn Show a couple of years ago?

A Trug full of Produce

Entry Forms are in the Cookham Dean Fete programme or from the new organiser Helen Philip (07549 519246 helenphilip@hotmail.co.uk). Entry forms need to be with Helen by 6pm Thursday 16th September at 50, Whyteladyes Lane Cookham Berkshire SL6 9LP with entry fees (50p per class).

The show is a competition, but a very friendly one and all entrants whether new or experienced are welcomed with open arms. Staging takes place from 9am to 11am on the Saturday morning and there will be lots of friendly and supportive people around to help any newcomers and indeed old stagers who can’t remember how to assemble the flower vases (guilty).

If you’re not entering this year, pop in and have a look and either be inspired by your neighbours or convinced that you could do better yourself next year. Finally, make sure that you are around for the after show auction to get the chance to buy the very freshest and most local of produce.