We went to the Great Yorkshire Show yesterday. Up at 6, on a train by 7:20 and not getting home til about 5. We only sat down once and that was for a cuppa at the Women's Institute hall. I hurt everywhere today. All that walking and heavy backpack carrying have done me in. To add to these aches I also cut my finger on a bolt right at the beginning of the day and it's a tad on the swollen side today. Might just have to keep an eye on that.
So aches aside how was the show I hear you all ask. Well it was.....ok. I was expecting it to be much more farmy that it was. Sure there was livestock (including alpacas!) but we picked Thursday as it was poultry day. Unfortunately for us this consisted of one small barn full of mainly roosters who were there for competitions. Nothing else at all! There was a lot of agricultural machinery but it was all of the gigantic nature used at the super farms that we really don't want to be a part of. There was a lot of food but not much of it was what I was expecting either. We did manage to pick up some chutneys and cheeses plus a nice port. However there was a lot of big chain type people there rather than the little local artisans I was expecting.
Other than that it was all shops really. Lots of tweed and outdoor clothing which is certainly applicable to the lifestyle. But jewellery, cookware, handbags, perfume etc. You've lost me. Now don't get me wrong, I don't really shop anymore but I do still kinda like window shopping. But I didn't think I was going to an open air market so I was a tad disappointed. There was an amazing basket shop but I was able to resist. Even when Spadger said I could buy one. I'd love some baskets but I haven't really got the room now. Plus I'm kinda looking forward to owning Spadger's first attempt at making them.
We've decided that we're gonna have a look out in future for some of the smaller local shows in the hope that they are a bit more what we are looking for. We want friendly folk who can talk to us, tell us about their farming, let us sit at their feet as it were.
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We got the latter experience while on a (sausage making) course at Old Sleningford farm (http://www.oldsleningford.co.uk/index.html) up near Ripon a couple of months ago - loving people with a real passion for farming a smallholding. Not a show/event but very worthwhile and interesting.
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