DID you take up the opportunity to show off your thriving veggie patch as part of the Ballarat Show\u2019s Kitchen Garden Competition?<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society has announced its winners for 2020, with Invermay\u2019s Terri Creelman taking first prize in the Best Kitchen Garden category, with Alfredton\u2019s Susan Pitman placed second and Buninyong\u2019s June Vann third.<\/p>\n
In Best Organic Kitchen Garden, Sebastopol\u2019s Sarah Stockdale placed first, Ballarat\u2019s Paula Foote and Lou Ridsdale were second and third respectively.<\/p>\n
Delacombe Primary School has received $75 for winning the Children\u2019s Kitchen Garden section.<\/p>\n
Terri Creelman\u2019s rural property is packed full of patches and trees baring nutritious goodies.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a herb garden right next to my home and 20-metres away I have a general veggie patch with standard veggies, although this year we are trying chickpeas, Murnong native yam daisy, tomatillos and cape gooseberry,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a hothouse which has amazing cucumbers, tomatoes, capsicums and chillies, but also ribbon plant and water chestnuts in our water section.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a reasonable sized orchard with a variety of trees, a big raspberry patch, brambleberries and blueberries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following a period of \u201csignificant ill-health\u201d Ms Creelman has been even more passionate about her kitchen gardening.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s her \u201cexercise with a purpose,\u201d and watching things grow in the garden each day brings her a lot of joy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s helped me mentally and physically recover wonderfully,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know what you\u2019re putting on your food, there\u2019s no pesticides, it tastes better, and you\u2019ve got food to share with family and friends, which we do a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t buy much fruit and veg during the year, because we preserve what we grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
First prize for Best Kitchen Garden was a $250 Growmaster voucher, second was $100 to spend at the same business, and third won a family pass to an event at the Ballarat Showgrounds in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe competition has come at a perfect time. Government regulations have changed for fruit-tree bird netting, so with the voucher, we\u2019ll buy a complete new set of bird netting by September,\u201d Ms Creelman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to replace it all to make it compliant.\u201d<\/p>\n
BAPS executive officer Elizabeth van Beek had the idea for the competition in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n
She said receiving the entries, judging them, and contacting the successful gardeners has been a \u201cdelightful task,\u201d in a year where the annual Show didn\u2019t run due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n
First prize for Best Organic Kitchen Garden was a $250 voucher to Lambley Nursery & Gardens, second was a $100 voucher to the same business, and third was a family pass to a 2021 BAPS event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DID you take up the opportunity to show off your thriving veggie patch as part of the Ballarat Show\u2019s Kitchen Garden Competition? The Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society has announced its winners for 2020, with Invermay\u2019s Terri Creelman taking first prize in the Best Kitchen Garden category, with Alfredton\u2019s Susan Pitman placed second and Buninyong\u2019s […]<\/p>\n