Does Size really matter?

Finally, we may get to enter the Vegetable competition at RHS Tatton Park. As you know if you have read my previous posts, we have said for the last few years, that we will have a go. With hours to spare, we managed to secure an entry slot. We just need something to put in the show.
Yesterday Kate and I had the afternoon off work, to gather in our competition entries.
Kate is Very Competitive. I was in trouble for not having put in enough effort to make the vegetables on the plot "show standard". You can imagine that giggling was not the best response I could give.
Does size really matter?
It is a consideration, but more points seem to be awarded for having equal size and shape across the specimens. My opinion? Size doesn't matter too much. Kates opinion? 
Broad Beans - Rejected - too bent
Onions - Rejected - Still growing, not big enough
Celery - Rejected - too small
Potatoes - Rejected - Damaged Skins
RedCurrants- "what red currants, the birds have eaten them"
Cabbage - Rejected- " I am not showing that scrawny thing"

And so it went on. I couldn't help giggling. Lots left for the table :) I think there are quite a lot of our vegetables that are good enough to show, the main issue is that you need to have enough to be able to match the size of multiple examples to be competitive, and ours are all shapes and sizes, none matching each other. I think the only solution is probably to grow more plants of each variety, giving more to choose from.

My famous first ever carrots?

They look delicious! I chose 3 to show, along with a couple of Lettuces, some Blackcurrant Dragon Eggs (see previous post) and some Goosegogs.

We took the entries back home, and washed the carrots, sized the Blackcurrants and Gooseberries, and wrapped the lettuce roots in tissue and cling film. Then carefully packed them in boxes with tissue to protect them on the drive to Tatton Park.

The drive over went smoothly until we tried to find the one entrance which was open for exhibitors. This it turns out is the one which says "No Entry, Exit only". It only took an hour to figure this out. Anyway, we eventually got through, and once in the park itself, we managed to try entering the show by the exit route. Wrong again. We were not the only ones though, and by the time we got on the right track, we had ourselves a convoy of Vans and Trucks following us, because we obviously know what is going on!
Arriving at the Contractor entrance point, we were made aware that access could only be allowed if we were wearing Hi-Viz jackets- oops! I guess I missed that detail. We charmed our way passed security pleading stupidity, and we are in! 5mph down to the show tent, passing all the stands which will be obscured by the high number of visitors later in the week. We took pictures, but it would be unfair to post them before the show opens. I will put them up later.

We arrived hot and bothered at the Vegetable competition tent, and were warmly greeted by Georgina from the RHS. She was very helpful, and really explained well what was required. One of the requirements was to be very quiet, as the BBC was filming inside the tent. We said Hi to Carol Klein, who seems very nice, and then were treated to seeing the producer fall to the floor with head in hands- Last hours filming had been Formatted, or forgot the memory card. ( I have to confess that I was close to giggling again).

So, instructions given, it was time to unload and display our entries.
You know how they say "size isn't important"? Another competitor brought his 3 carrots in, holding the tops at shoulder height, so the roots didn't catch on the ground! Of course, I had to ask Georgina if ours should be shown. "Definately stump rooted" was the reply :( This meant we could compete against smaller carrots. Smaller! Our 75mm trim of the foliage was as long as the carrot itself!

They don't have smaller plates, I did ask
The Lettuce look okay

After much to-ing and fro-ng with Kate as to wether the Blackcurrants needed the stems trimming, it was decided that they would stay as we had brought them. I think they look okay.

 

And as a final entry we had our Gosseberries

So that was that. We will find out just how far off the mark we are later today.

The whole thing was great fun. I have no expectation that we will get any prizesa lot to try and remeber for next time.
Quite apart from trying to figure out how to grow our vegetables to a standard Kate will accept for showing, we need to remember;

1. Raffia to tie the Foliage
2. Hi-Viz to get in
3. Prepare the Onions a couple of weeks in advance

We finally got home around 10pm, tired, but at least one of us was happy. The RHS provided us with tickets for entry to the show on Sunday, to collect our entries.