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Exhibiting Vegetables
Wash root vegetables carefully to remove soil. Use soft cloth and plenty of water. Brushing will damage the skin. On other vegetables retain the bloom, wherever possible.
Beetroot (Globe) - Select beetroot (not too large, between 60 and 75mm) with smooth skins of even size and uniform dark colour. Remove side roots, but retain full length or tap root. Trim foliage to approx 75mm. Judge may cut beetroot to check internal condition.
Cabbage - Select good shape with fresh, solid heart. Retain surrounding leaves intact with bloom but remove outer discoloured leaves. Stage with approx 50mm of stalk and head towards the front.
Carrots - Select full length roots of good shape, colour and size
Free from side roots and from green at the crown. Stage with approx 75mm of foliage.
Cauliflower - Select heads with symmetrical, close, solid, white curds, free from stain or frothiness. Prior to judging exclude light from curd. Normally staged with approximately 50mm of stalk and leaves trimmed back to the level of the outside of the curd.
Courgettes - Select young, tender uniform fruits approx 150mm in length and 35mm in diameter, or if round approx 75mm. Display flat, with or without flower still attached.
Cucumber - Select fresh, young, straight fruits of uniform thickness, with short handles and with or without flowers still attached. Retain waxy bloom.
French Beans/Runner Beans - Select straight tender pods of even length and good colour, with no sign of seeds. Exhibit with stalk intact.
Leeks - Select solid, thick, long-shafted, well blanched, tight collared leeks with clean, blemish free skins and no bulbing. Avoid excessive stripping of outer leaves. Wash carefully. Stage with roots to the front.
Marrows - Select young, tender, uniform fruits which should be less than 350mm long. Or if round approx 500mm in Circumference. Stage directly on the bench after wiping clean.
Onions - For “dressed” (trimmed) class, select uniform well ripened bulbs of good colour. Avoid over skinning. Necks should be firm and thin. Tops should be tied with uncoloured raffia. Trim roots to the base of the onion. May be staged on rings or soft collars. For “as grown” class , wash and exhibit with roots and leaves intact.
Parsnips - Select well-developed, well shouldered, smooth skinned white roots. Roots should be full length and free from side roots. Stage with approx 75mm of foliage.
Peppers - Select fresh, brightly coloured fruit - stage with stalk
Potatoes - Select equally matched, medium sized (between 175g and 225g) tubers with shallow eyes. Should be free from skin blemishes. Stage on plate with rose end outwards. Cover with cloth to exclude light until just before judging.
Rhubarb - For show purposes this is a vegetable. Select fresh, straight thick sticks. Trim leaves back to approx 75mm, but do NOT trim foliage of “Forced” rhubarb. Cut off any bud scales and wipe clean.
Shallots - Bulbs should be well ripened with thin necks. Remove loose skins and cut roots back to basal plate. Tie or whip tops neatly with uncoloured raffia.. Stage on dry sand in saucer or tray. Picking shallots are subject to ring size, Usually 30mm (check schedule)
Sweetcorn - Select fresh, cylindrical cobs with fresh green husks and intact silks. Grains should be well set up to the tip in straight rows and contain substance of the consistency of cream. Pull down one or two husks to expose approx a quarter of the grains. Neatly tuck these husks under the cob.
Tomatoes - Select medium sized (approx 60mm diameter) Ripe but firm richly coloured fruit with firm, fresh calyces attached and natural bloom. Avoid over ripe fruit or those with “greenback”. Stage on plate with calyces uppermost.
Tomatoes (small fruited/cherry) - Fresh, ripe but firm, well coloured, fruits not exceeding 35mm in diameter, with fresh calyces attaché and natural bloom.
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