It's been a phenomenal year for gooseberries in my garden this year. I've filled my freezer, we've had crumbles and fools and I've made gooseberry curd, gooseberry jelly (jam), and gooseberry pickle. So yesterday I decided to visit some of the the mid-Cheshire Gooseberry Shows....
First stop was at The Crown at Lower Peover (pronounced Peever unless you want to annoy the locals). Goosebeeries are weighed in pennyweights and grains. 24 grains = 1 pennyweight and 18 pennyweights = 1 ounce. The first premier gooseberry here was won by P Riley (variety Edith Cavell weighing 28 pennyweights and 15 grains).
Next stop was the Victoria Club in Holmes Chapel.
The premier gooseberry here was won by B Stafford (variety Mr Chairman weighing 35 pennyweights).
Then on to the Red Lion at Lower Withington.
Below is a picture showing the gooseberries being weighed.
The premier gooseberry here was won by K Archer (variety Edith Cavell, weighing 38 pennyweights and 14 grains).
I finished up at The Crown in Goostrey.
I have to say this one was was my favourite. They have 38 members (6 none growers) and this society insists that members have to be a householder in Goostrey or some surrounding parishes (some other societies allow outsiders to join).
A leaflet was given to me explaining that "The Drama starts on the Friday night when the berries are picked in the presence of a witness". They are then put into boxes, the one I photographed here is 90 years old:
and tied with string and the knot is sealed with wax and stamped. The seal must be intact when brought to the show.
There is a dedicated person who weighs the berries, and a carrier who carries the members' berries to the scales. Scrutineers are appointed to resolve disputes over varieties.There's a Premier Class for the heaviest gooseberry, a Twin Class for two berries on a single stem, Coloured Classes to find the heaviest Red, Yellow, White and Green berry and finally the Plate Classes for the twelve heaviest berries on one plate.
All the berries are placed in a showcase which will be displayed in the Crown until Monday evening when they will be sold.
If you want to visit a Gooseberry Show there's another four coming up soon in Cheshire, and one in Egton Bridge (near Whitby) in North Yorkshire.
All the berries are placed in a showcase which will be displayed in the Crown until Monday evening when they will be sold.
If you want to visit a Gooseberry Show there's another four coming up soon in Cheshire, and one in Egton Bridge (near Whitby) in North Yorkshire.
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