10 Wairarapa Midweek Carterton Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Prizes for record spud haul Erin Kavanagh-Hall
Carterton
erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz
Potatoes of various shapes, sizes, colours and textures were the stars of the show at the 2022 Spud n Bag competition in Carterton – though their growers didn’t fare too badly either. A keen crowd of gardeners descended on the Carterton RSA Memorial Club for the annual Spud n Bag Weigh In event – bearing close to 150 bags of freshly dug potatoes to display for the judging panel. The competition, held early last month, is organised each year by the Lions Club of Carterton – with all proceeds going towards community groups and projects in the Carterton district. Six months before the Weigh In, competitors plant seed potatoes, using the soil and fertiliser of their choice, in planter bags – with the resulting crop eligible for a range of awards across two sections, junior and adult. At the Weigh In, also affectionately known as “Judgement Day”, prizes are allocated for the heaviest individual potato, most potatoes grown per bag, and “most unusual” potato, among others. This year, seed potatoes and bags were provided
A competitors planter bag produces a decent haul.
free of charge by event sponsor Garden Barn – with a “record” 220 tubers collected ahead of the competition. Lions Club member Steve Cretney said the event has been running since the early 1990s, with some competitors having taken part since the early days. This year’s Weigh In featured several generations of growers – and some good-natured rivalries between young and old. “It does get quite competitive among families — the kids love to try and outdo their parents,” Cretney said. “We’ve got a few families that have been doing the competition for
years — and the parents are now passing down their ‘recipes’ for growing potatoes to their children, who are also now competing. “It’s fantastic to see it continuing throughout the generations.” At this year’s event, some of the most successful growers came from the Fauvel family – with patriarch and longtime Lion John Fauvel passing on his “secret formula” to his children and grandchildren. Cretney said John was “one of [the club’s] most successful Spud n Bag competitors — having worked out the science to growing the perfect bag of spuds”. Four members of the Fauvel family were declared victorious at the Weigh In– with John’s grandson Liam winning the award for the heaviest total
The results from the 2022 Spud n Bag competition are: JUNIORS Heaviest Total: Liam Fauvel Heaviest Individual: Axel Mitchell Most Potatoes: Ella Herrick Smallest Potato: Wyatt Fauvel Most Unusual: Aleah Mitchell Least Potatoes: Grace Arnold number of potatoes two years running. “John has done very well to keep his secret recipe in the family — and has now created another generation of award winning potato growing professionals,” Cretney said. “John came out of retirement to compete again this year — but he could not surpass his family’s entries!”
ADULTS Heaviest Total: Amanda Fauvel Heaviest Individual: Bailey Rose Most Potatoes: Ben Herrick Smallest Potato: Andrew Fauvel Most Unusual: Emma Rafferty Least Potatoes: Amanda Morgan Cretney said “a large amount of prizes” were presented at the event, made possible by sponsorship from various Wairarapa businesses: including Carterton New World, Keinzley Agvet, PGG Wrightson, JNL, Wairarapa Eggs Ltd, and Little Africa. With the combined proceeds from entry fees ($5 per seed potato planted) and a “Spin the Wheel” raffle, the Lions Club raised over $2,700. “It’s just a really fun day — and, of course, we return all our profits to the Carterton community,” Cretney said.
The entries get weighed by judge Faye James. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED
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