All photos: Peter Everard Smith
UNITE Rural life
WORKING AT THE ‘COW WASH’
Thrills and spills of this year’s Royal Norfolk Show
If you believe some commentators, the British countryside is set in a 1950s aspic. Breaking news: old England isn’t dying, it changes, it lives.
The Royal Norfolk Show proudly shows off traditional pastimes, food and work alongside modern twists and a dynamic future. The fun and traditions linger, will they ever leave? Not at all.
Yes, they power hose cows to spruce them up for best in show competitions. I even mistakenly thought - for only a second, I promise - that yellow woollen jumpers were made from the wool of yellow sheep. Yes, the grumpy prick-eared pigs have a separate competition to the friendlier floppy-eared variety.
And horses staying in the shade showed more intelligence than us daft humans suffering under a strong sun.
Food and drink is a big theme this year. Someone grows the ingredients, rears the animals for food and adds some magic (and more jobs) in production.
There is honey still for tea. And nearby there will be a Church clock that stands at ten to three. But nostalgia mingles with the past, present and the future.
Local Norfolk honey is showcased. And jams and jellies.
Yes, there was the traditional ales and some with a Cornish and Belgian twist from Adnam’s brewery.
Ciders, perries and non-
alcoholic juices abound, some from the orchards of the Royal Sandringham Estate.
All you can eat and drink is here. There is nothing set in aspic.
There are twists. I counted seven gin, vodka and rum distilleries that have sprung up as local farms diversify. And three small wineries offering still and sparkling varieties.
They can’t take on the European producers on quantities. Champagne, Prosecco and Cava are safe for the future. But the quality is extremely high as I found out (in the interests of research).
And while the Scotch whisky industry can breathe easy, the Norfolk-based English Distillery (drawing on Scottish distilling expertise) produces some very decent whisky (again, in the interests of research, I tried a few).
34 uniteLANDWORKER Autumn 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
