[0]Many BOG members are involved with the large number of village shows which occur around the region from mid Summer to late Autumn. There are always fantastic displays of fruit, flowers and vegetables, and usually crafts, livestock, teas, music, exhibitions and all sorts of other interesting things which make it a great family day out.

The trouble is that the produce on show may be organic, but usually there is no way of telling. This is why, in 2007, BOG started the BOG prize for village shows. The prize really took off in 2008 with many more shows joining in.

If you have a local show near you, why not suggest to the organisers that they include the BOG prize in their list of competitions? The prize is £10 and a year's free membership of BOG. The category is "a tray/basket of organically produced vegetables to include at least four different varieties". This can be modified by mutual agreement to accommodate other types of produce or requirements of specific shows.

Yes, I know, most of us grow organic produce because it tastes better, contains fewer man-made chemicals and is kinder to the environment, and usually aren't too bothered about growing the biggest, longest or most evenly matched, but this is an area where we amateur organic growers can show our friends and neighbours that organic gardening should be taken seriously. We might eventually even get competition judges to start considering the taste of fruit and vegetables! So get in contact with your local organiser, and get your produce onto the show bench at show time!

Shows involved for 2009- West Linton, Newcastleton, Newtown St. Boswells, Southdene, Norham, Etal.