I was reading this article about a gardener being banned from exhibiting at his local county vegetable show and it occurred to me that I need to keep an eye out for local agricultural events to include in my diary. I think that it’s important to support your local show even if you are not exhibiting. Quite often you will find that the events include the opportunity to discover and buy delicatessen products such as home-made jams, cakes or chutneys.

I have previously exhibited vegetables at a local amateur vegetable show and did win a couple of small prizes for some of my peppers and cherry tomatoes. But most of all I enjoyed watching what other people grow to get new ideas. The morning of the show is always an exciting moment for me as I go round the garden selecting my best looking vegetables. I am not very experienced at showing vegetables – having exhibited my garden produce only twice at the local village show. Sadly this year the horticultural show will not take place in my village due to lack of interest but hopefully next year it will be scheduled again.

This weekend is forecast to be largely sunny in the UK so if you are not busy watering the garden and harvesting crops you may wish to visit a local show.

One of the largest events to take place soon is the Malvern Autumn Show on 26th & 27th September. And if like me you also enjoy learning about activities related to the land, and you are visiting the region of East Anglia then the Grandsden Agricultural show (26th September 2009 – Cambridgeshire) may be of interest too.

As the days are drawing in and getting colder there are fewer opportunities for outdoor sowings in September. Having just come back from holiday I will need to take the time to do the following sowings before winter stops me in my track.

Lambs Lettuce: my recent sowing has started to sprout. I like Lambs Lettuce (also called Corn Salad) because it’s one of the very few lettuces which keep well throughout winter and I can keep pinching off the leaves until the frost arrives. Mizuna and Rocket are another of these lettuces which are often used in exotic mixed salads and can be sown in September.

Winter spinach: I have a nice supply of spinach and chard which can make up for the lack of greens in winter.
Winter cabbage: having noticed that my brussels sprouts are being eaten by the White Cabbage Butterfly caterpillars I may need to dig them out and replace them by winter cabbage or cauliflowers which can be sown now.
Last sowing of culinary herbs (parsley): my recent sowing has just come up and I find that you always need parsley to flavour a great many dishes.

Calendula & Clarkias: I have just noticed that my packet of seeds indicate later sowings in September. I did sow these flowers in Spring and enjoyed the blossoms in summer but apparently a September sowing would allow for earlier blossoms next year. Something to really look forward to in 2010.