Day Nine

 Another big day of judging including the Hams, Preserves, Apples, Wines and Eggs just to name a few.

Southern's winning Granny Smith apples

 The Preserves looked wonderful as usual, with Irene’s preserves doing very well in the judging.

The egg judging is fascinating to watch.  Each exhibit provides a minimum of two trays of eggs which are judged on internal quality, yolk colour, size, typed, texture of shell, cleanliness (bloom), uniformity of shape, size and colour.  The internal quality is measured using the Hoar method.  Southern also came out on top with the eggs.

Assessing yoke colour

Measuring the egg white

Assessing texture, size and uniformity

On the deck we made stands for the 100 odd pot plants that are to be set up tomorrow.  The stands then had to be installed and levelled.

Day Eight

Today was a busy day for judging, nothing as exciting as the record breaking pumpkin from yesterday.  Grains, Cucurbits, Ginger, Honey, Nuts, Stone Fruits, Pulse Crop, Green Maize, Forage Sorghum and Potatoes.

The fences were constructed then removed for painting and seeding.  Grasses of various varieties were added to simulate garden beds. 

Garden bed with sunflowers in the background

Pumpkins, grammas and melons were also added.  Now this is no mean feat, lifting a pumpkin that can way up to 100 kgs on to the deck.  Joe, Kenny and Steve have invited a new game called Pumpkin Twister.  This is the process involved in added the smaller pumpkins for artistic affect.

Wide angle view of the deck.

Day Seven

Joe polishing the record breaking pumpkin @ 395kgs

Today it was announced we had the record breaking pumpkin, a whopping 395 kg.

Fine merino fleece from Cooma

As well as the pumpkin judging, this morning the Wool was weighted and judged.  Southern Districts did well in the cross breeds and broader merino sections.

The Wool Team

A few statistics: the deck measures 17m across the back, 12 m across the front and is 15 m deep and rises a soaring 5 m at the rear.  A total area of 5 square metres is decorated.

Construction continues

Day Six

More pumpkins arrived today

 More volunteers arrived today along with more pumpkins, melons and grammas.  Watch the news on Sunday (Channel Ten) with the announcement of the heaviest.

 

Joe polishing THE PUMPKIN

The pumpkins can be very heavy......

The fleeces also arrived today for judging tomorrow.

 

Items have been moved to the floor for seeding

On the deck construction, resizing and leveling was still occurring, with a lot of importance being placed on the perspective of Margie’s design.  And as usual painting, gluing and seeding (of course).

Emma is seeding a pigeon using grey and black sunflower seeds, canola and rice.

Day Five

Southern Districts Deck as construction continues

 Construction continued on the deck and more seeding of course.

Looking over the our work area to the other District work areas and decks

 Judging of the fodder and hay was conducted this morning.

Hay bales with oat, triticale and wheat sheaths ready for judging

Grasses and clovers ready for judging