Page 59 - Simply Veg 1 2024

Jersey DA
Autumn
Jersey’s autumn fair organised by the
Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society is traditionally an opportunity for the Island’s gardeners to show off their specimen fruit and vegetables and win awards for their produce’s weight and
size. This year two records were broken by the States of Jersey Prison Service, which produced the longest leek (24 inches) and the longest beetroot (103 inches). They also received a merit award in the show classes for their red cabbage. Only one pumpkin was submitted this year, brought to the event by Richard Le Sueur. Although he is the current record holder, having grown a 979lb pumpkin in 2018, he failed to improve on that, with the scales recording a weight of 625.24lbs this year.
In the show classes, the supreme award went to Stephen Le Feuvre for his entry
of Golden Barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonii). This was his third best in show win this year. Reserve place went to Tom Robinson for his table-top display of home-grown fruit, flowers, vegetables and preserves Steve Falle won the section rosette for vegetables with a display in a trug and David Pope was supreme in the fruit classes with a fine bunch of Muscat
of Alexandria grapes. Over 1,600 people visited the event, which was held at the Royal Jersey Showground, and which also included craft and gift stalls, cattle show and a show organised by the Jersey Poultry and Ornithological Society. Following the lifting of avian flu restrictions on the Island, this was able to include poultry and bird classes for the first time in over two years.
Results
Heaviest produce.
Apple: Winner – Robert Perchard (1lb 4.5oz). Beetroot: Winner – Trevor and Felicity Rabet (11lb 12.4oz).
Cabbage: Winner – Trevor and Felicity Rabet (20lb 2oz).
Courgette: Winner – Tom Robinson (9lb 3.5oz). Pumpkin: Winner – Richard Le Sueur (625.24lbs).
Onion: Winner – Tom Robinson (3lb 8.1oz). Truss of tomatoes: Winner – Geoff Myatt (1lb). Turnip: Winner – Tom Robinson (5lb 7oz). Longest produce.
Leek: Winner and new record – States of Jersey Prison Service (24 ins).
Parsnip: Winner – Nicola Masters (34.5 ins). Beetroot: Winner – States of Jersey Prison Service (103 ins)
Summer Show
The Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society also held a summer flower and produce show with the supreme award at this event going to Kevin Roberts for his excellent display of flowers and vegetables, grown at his allotment at the
FJ Ahier Country Gardens. Set against
a backdrop of asparagus Gynlim, they included everything from runner and
dwarf beans, carrots, onions and beetroot to dahlias, gladioli and calendula. Tom Robinson headed the vegetable classes with a large basket display of his produce and David Pope again took best in section for fruit with his outstanding lemons. The junior section award went to Rhys Gould for his fruit and vegetable crown.
A panel of judges came together at this show to determine which locally grown variety of tomato has the best taste. The winner proved to be the Sungold cherry
tomato, a variety with a tangy sweet taste that ripens to a golden orange in colour. The next most popular was Sunrise – a variety with Jersey origins, with samples from different growers taking second and joint third places. The competition was organised by the Jersey Farmers’ Union in conjunction with the Jersey Association
of the National Vegetable Society. Panel members included Collette Bisson, Helen Michel, Molly Queree, Donna Le Marrec, Doreen Le Marquand, Maureen Pinwill, Neil Faudemer, Graeme Pallot and Colin Binet. We were given 12 varieties to consider– some grown outdoors and some indoors
in tunnels or under glass. These included four samples of Sunrise grown by four different people and two samples of Devon potato leaf tomatoes from two growers. Points were awarded out of ten, taking
into account flavour, texture and general appeal. Flavour was influenced by the fruit’s balance of sugar and acidity content – too low and the taste was a little bland but evenly balanced or a little on the sweet side proved definitely more appealing.
Collette Bisson
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