Is nothing Sacred ...

[nick the grief]

A sorry tale indeed ...

BBC NEWS | England | Tyne | Leek show chopped by rising costs

[amandaandherveg]

What a shame.

[lynda66]

yeah its a shame ...... but OMG how big was that leek

[Hans Mum]

another victim of the credit crunch

[di]

And the smoking ban!

[Snadger]

Yep I spotted that article as well Nick.

Unfortunately it's not only the Ashington show but lots of other smaller leek clubs are feeling the pinch!

Watch out though, it will be chrysanth and dahlia shows that are hit next!

[Nicos]

I know big prize money can be an incentive to enter a show, but the prize money is VERY high!

.....for me the pleasure would be to get placed ( or being realistic..actually producing anything reaching show standard!!!!)

Do you think these shows would continue with just a token award for the winners????

[Snadger]

I know big prize money can be an incentive to enter a show, but the prize money is VERY high!

.....for me the pleasure would be to get placed ( or being realistic..actually producing anything reaching show standard!!!!)

Do you think these shows would continue with just a token award for the winners????

It's a bit like the M&S advert 'These leeks aren't just any kind of leek' they are nurtured and carressed.

Most are grown under ''growlights' for the beginning of there life, then in heated greenhouses and finally in 'leek trenches' with polytunnels built over them.
To some of the top growers these are their 'babies'. They spend all day, and sometimes all night with them, cosseting & preening them. If you say anthing insulting about their leeks it's like insulting one of there family and you'll probably get a smack in the mouth!
The fuel costs are phenominal, to get 'pips' of a top strain you'll also pay a fortune.
With the cost of compost, fertiliser and all the other secret ingedients it takes to produce a top notch product, the top leek growers HAVE to be in the top 10 of the show, just to break even.

Without the big shows and the big prize money in my opinion the top leek growers will cease to exist!

[Nicos]

Hadn't realised that.

[lynda66]

don't think i'll bother tring to grow huge leeks then ...... i'm more a plant em and chop em down when they are ready sorta girl ...... think i'd rather get a puppy.

[bluemoon]

...... think i'd rather get a puppy.

Probably less hassle by the sound of it and at least a puppy can love you back........though, of course, you can't eat them.

[lynda66]

Probably less hassle by the sound of it and at least a puppy can love you back........though, of course, you can't eat them.

tell that to my local chinese apparently they taste like cat ...... errr i mean chicken

[phil the shed]

the father of a past girlfriend of mine was a competitive leek grower he grew pot leeks (the short fat one in the picture) and blanche leeks ( tall with lots of white ) and talk about competitive i was only allowed to look through the greenhouse window when he uncovered it. he didn't want anybody checking out his babies before the local shows began.
there was once a couple of cases of espionage and other strange happenings the police weren't interested until one of there senior bods a grower himself was attacked then it seemed the whole north yorks force were on the case. sad i know but i never knew how much these people devoted in time and energy to the champion vegetables.

[Alice]

I'm sure it's a cultural thing I just don't understand but I don't see any point in leeks that size. I prefer them young and tender as a vegetable for the table. Just lovely sauteed in butter.
But if it is important to the competitors then they can do it without the big prizes. I know it costs money, but so does everything else. Maybe they just have to organise their priorities.

[Snadger]

I'm sure it's a cultural thing I just don't understand but I don't see any point in leeks that size. I prefer them young and tender as a vegetable for the table. Just lovely sauteed in butter.
But if it is important to the competitors then they can do it without the big prizes. I know it costs money, but so does everything else. Maybe they just have to organise their priorities.

I think the people who used to frequent the shows are of the same opinion Alice hence the fall off in visitors........

It's a shame, but the pits are mostly defunct now putting the pitmen out of work, so the pitmans shows will surely follow..........