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Giant Pot Leek Show at well-known seaside resort

15/9/2014

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That is a ten pence piece next to that leek, folks. So, as you can see, this wasn't a giant show, it was a show of giant leeks! The black mark is magic marker, denoting the height above the roots where the girth of this monster was to be measured.

Pot leeks are grown for girth, not length, and some exhibits were disqualified because the distance between roots and the 'button' - the point where the leaves divide - was too long.
Where was this stunning variation on the village flower show? At Seahouses on the Northumbrian coast, a lovely little fishing port amongst stunning beaches just a few miles from Bamburgh Castle. The show was in a marquee in the garden of the Old Ship Inn, overlooking the harbour, as you can see from the photos on the left. Too far to pop up for the day, sadly - though a lovely spot for a holiday.
Produce show at SeahousesPicture
Seahouses harbour from the Old Ship InnPicture
It was a real thrill to stumble upon this show - literally we just saw a blackboard with the worlds 'Leek Show Marquee' chalked on them and an arrow pointing past the pub. For two keen allotmenteers it was the icing on the cake. So read on to see more of the Giant Leeks, not to mention onions the size of cabbages and Chrysanthemums as big as your head.
show crysanths at seahousesPicture
Show chrysanths at seahousesure
Here we have the biggest Chrysanths you've ever seen. And, on the right, the same in pink, just in case you couldn't believe your eyes. Both by the same grower, who also won the prize for the leeks - and several of the other classes. We didn't ask the secret of his success as we thought it highly unlikely he'd tell us! But, believe me, we were awe-struck. But more about those leeks . . . here is a selection of photos to give you a faint idea of their stunning hugeness.
Picture A Warnaby's giant leeks
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The leek nearest the camera is the same one as in the first photo, with the 10p coin next to it. Scary!
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And if you want something other than leeks, here are a few other scary vegetables . . .
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I admit it, there are few leeks there too. But spot below the 'Disaster Class' Perhaps we should have this for our summer show next year? What do you think?
Picture R Nelson Jnr forked carrot
Mr R Nelson Jnr was very keen to claim proud ownership of this spectacularly unsuccessful carrot. One wonders if he inherited his specialist skills at carrot-nobbling from R Nelson Snr? An example to all of us and proof that there is hope of prize success for everyone. I should say thaT Mr Nelson's other entries were superb, by the way! We've got to run a 'Disaster Class' next year, surely!

For the show report in the Northumberland Gazette click here.
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Superb new plot outside Asda

14/9/2014

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We are very pleased to see that the broken concrete monstrosity on the Asda roundabout has finally been removed - it has been an eyesore since shortly after it was erected as a piece of 'art'. Council contractors have been hard at work and have now transformed the site, with the soil reduced to a fine tilth making this one of the most covetable raised beds in the borough.

It is a shame the work could not have been done a little earlier in the year, as it is now too late to get in any brassicas or autumn carrots. However, we are delighted to see that a section has already been set aside for soft fruit, and look forward to seeing some autumn-sown broad beans and peas going on during October.
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Fed up with the Premier League/

31/8/2014

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If you're disllusioned with the multimillion pound farce of the premier league, where semi-fit spoiled brats change teams for sums which would build a new school, fix the infrastructure problems of a small Third World country or solve the Ebola crisis, then rediscover football the way it used to be. Follow West Allotment Celtic's battle to stay in the FA cup. Latest result: West Alltment Celtic 1, Knaresborough nil.
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CUP NEWS - congratulations West Allotment Celtic

26/8/2014

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West Allotment Celtic 2 Hebburn 0

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It's not often we have the chance to cheer on an allotment team in the early rounds of the FA cup, but West Allotment Celtic's defeat of Hebburn in the replay at home sees them drawn to play Knaresborough next weekend. You may have heard of Knaresborough; you may even have worked out, from the comedy series starring Gina McKee and Jim Moir that Hebburn is somewhere in the North East, but I can now reveal that West Allotment Celtic now play at Whitley Bay, Tyneside's seaside resort.
The match seems to have been dramatic, with what is described as a "bizarre goalkeeping erro" contributing to the result. I quote:
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The defence was less assured as half-time approached, playing their part in one of the most unusual goals in recent memory. Kallum McGlen looked lively with the ball to feet, but his cross from the right wing was hopelessly shanked into the stratosphere. A seemingly easy take remained for ‘keeper Gary Rogers, but an untimely collision with a teammate saw the ball escape his grasp, bobbling unexpectedly over the line and literally gifting Celtic a welcome buffer at the break.'

It sounds like a more exciting match than many in the Premier League, and a full report, only slightly biased I'm sure, can be read on their website.

For those who really care about these things, West Allotment Celtic really were an allotment team, formed in 1928 by the merger of
West Allotment Primitive Methodists and West Allotment Juniors. Their history is a wonderful story and can be read on their website. Generations of football enthusiasts have kept the team going through thick and thin in this obscure corner of amateur league soccer. Do visit their website and learn more.

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I want one of those!

7/8/2014

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What every allotmenteer needs - an automatic pea podder! Taken from "Eccentric Contraptions", a book of mad-looking gadgets from 1851 to 1951. Did it work, or did it simply create a rather  iron-flavoured pea puree? As only one example is known to survive, we'll never know. Look out for it at bootfairs!

Click on the picture to go to the book on 'Amazon'

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