Milton Annual Potato Growing Competition 2024
In April seed potatoes were distributed to competitors and Saturday, 13th July was the day of the “weigh in”.
Villagers assembled in the garden behind The Swan as the potatoes began to arrive in their numbered bags.
Each bag was emptied and weighed with nervous growers looking on…. hoping they would have at least some potatoes and not become the recipient of the booby prize – a wooden spoon.
As each bag yielded up its contents there was encouragement and applause from onlookers and the tension mounted as the leading position for both the heaviest single potato and heaviest yield changed constantly during the proceedings.
There were gasps of amazement when the eventual winner’s bag was tipped out, with large potato after large potato appearing out of the compost. Congratulations to winner Darren Dennis with an incredible total yield of 12lb 7 ounces and the heaviest single potato weighing 1lb. Darren won 2 cash prizes (which he kindly donated to the Village Hall improvements fund) plus the brand new winner’s cup. Runners up for the heaviest total yield were Ian and Sue Tittershall and Paul (5lb 11.5 ounces) and for the heaviest single potato Mandy Avery (10 ounces).
Thank you to Gary and Ann for organising the event, to Olly at The Swan for hosting the event and also providing very well received chips for all after the event.
A lovely community fun afternoon which included twin babes in a pram through to more senior citizens, not to mention 4 dogs which, while being completely baffled by the whole event, certainly enjoyed a chip or two.
