Thursday, May 28, 2009

A day at the Suffolk Show

Despite the somewhat inclement weather, yesterday saw me at the Suffolk Show, the annual 'agrifest' of sheep, cattle and agricultural equipment. Don't ask me to explain what most of the latter does, but it is fearsomely complex looking stuff...

For two days every year, town meets country, and you can see the difference. The bourgoisie of the county set, in (often garish) jacket, tie and chinos, farmers in hard wearing yet practical outfits and the Ipswich locals, keen to enjoy free samples of local food, drink beer and point at weird and wonderful farm animals, mingle under the supervision of gentlemen in bowler hats, wearing old school or regimental ties, known as stewards. There are women in hats and heels (odd, considering the grass), in their finery.

And yet, the show is a vital event for the county's economy. For the farming community and its suppliers, it is an opportunity to seek new customers, market new products and network. For food producers, the chance to attract new consumers, to increase market share offers an opportunity to ride out the recession. Indeed, despite the recession, the only obvious sign of distress was in the luxury furniture pavilion, which did seem rather emptier than it had the year before.

Naturally, I took the opportunity to buy some more beer from St Peter's Brewery, plus a couple of bottles of lager, brewed in Coddenham Green, not far from Creeting St Peter. Which reminds me, it's high time I got back to the Elmhams to restock...

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