1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

In all exhibits plant material must predominate. Natural plant material comprises foliage, flowers, fruit, vegetables and seaweed. Backgrounds, bases, containers and drapes may all be included.

1. A day at the races (60cm x 60cm x height 25cm max)
2. Birthday celebration (45cm x 45cm x height 25cm max)
3. Last of the summer wine (may incorporate leaves and grasses – 35cm x 35cm x height 25cm max)
4. Arrangement in a teacup
5. Precious jewel (10cm diameter max)
6. Floral arrangement predominantly roses (35cm x 35cm x height 45cm max)
7. Novice arrangement in a basket (max diameter  25cm)
   A novice is an exhibitor who has not won a prize for flower arrangements at Christow Show during  previous 2 years.

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p     Except class 8: £10, £5, £3

8. Top vase (competition rules apply)
9. Vase of 5 roses (HT one or more varieties)
10. Single stem hybrid tea rose in vase
11. Single stem floribunda/cluster rose in vase
12. Collection of 10 stems of flowers in vase (3 varieties)
13. 5 fuchsia flowers (one variety, in a block of oasis)
14. 7 stems of sweet peas in vase
15. 3 stems of hydrangea in vase (one colour)
16. 3 cactus dahlias in vase
17. 5 pompom dahlias in vase (blooms not exceeding 7 cm diameter)
18. 3 decorative dahlias in vase
19. 5 asters in vase
20. Flowering plant in pot (max pot diameter 18cm)
21. Potted plant  – non-flowering (max pot diameter 18cm)
22. Miniature garden with a pond (max 45cm x 45cm)
23. Cactus or succulent (max pot diameter 18cm)

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

Work must have been completed in current year. Exhibitors to use their own recipes.

Under 5s

24. Finger painting – birds in flight (A4)
25. Decorated gingerbread men (2 on a plate – judged on decoration only, gingerbread may be homemade or bought)
26. Picture – predominantly made from pasta shapes (A4)
27. Animal made from fruit or vegetables

Age 5 – 7 years

28. Miniature garden (seed tray or similar, max 36 cm x 25 cm)
29. Decorated wooden spoon
30. Show Day (drawing or painting on A4 paper)
31. Junk modelling – figure (maximum length 30 cm)
32. Decorated fairy cakes (3 on a plate – judged on decoration only; cake may be homemade or bought)
33. Animal made from fruit or vegetables

Age 8 – 11 years

34. Miniature garden (seed tray or similar max 36 cm x 25 cm)
35. A mosaic (any material)
36. Illustrating the World Cup on a postcard (approx. 15 cm x 11 cm)
37. A bird feeder (may be made from kit or imagination – 30 x 30 cm max)
38. Cheese straws (5 on a plate)
39. Animal made from fruit or vegetables

Age 12 – 16 years

40. Portrait (A4)
41. An item made in the last 12 months
42. Desert island on a dinner plate (max 28 cm)
43. A birthday cake
44. Animal made from fruit or vegetables

Other Children’s Classes

45. An arrangement of garden flowers (restricted to children within the show district of primary school age)

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

Open to all: adults, teenagers, and children.

46. A knitted garment or item (not previously entered)
47. A crocheted garment or item (not previously entered)
48. Any machine or hand-sewn item made in the last 12 months (quilting, applique, dressmaking or similar)
49. Portrait – any medium (A4 excluding frame)
50. Seascape or beach scene – any medium (A4 excluding frame)
51. Painted pebble
52. Stuffed animal/toy (maximum height 30cm)
53. Anything made from any other material during the past 12 months (e.g., ceramics, wood, ironwork)

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p     Except class 54: £10, £5, £3

Classes 85 – 87: Prize Card (no points)     Class 96: Cup (no points)

54. Top Tray (see competition rules)
55. 5 potatoes (coloured)
56. 5 potatoes (white)
57. 3 carrots
58. 3 onions (8oz or under)
59. 3 onions (over 8oz)
60. 3 red onions (any size)
61. 5 spring onions
62. 5 shallots (under 30mm pickling)
63. 5 shallots (over 30mm culinary)
64. 3 garlic bulbs
65. 2 giant garlic bulbs (min diameter 8cm)
66. 5 runner beans (one variety)
67. 2 cabbages (one variety)
68. 3 beetroot (round)
69. 3 courgettes (under 150mm)
70. Vegetable marrow pair (380mm or under)
71. 5 stems of parsley in a jar
72. 5 pods of green peas (one variety)
73. 5 pods mange tout peas (one variety)
74. 2 lettuces
75. 3 sticks rhubarb
76. 2 ridge cucumbers
77. 2 indoor cucumbers
78. 5 French or dwarf beans
79. Tomatoes (5 with calyx)
80. Tomatoes, small or cherry (5 with calyx)
81. Tomatoes, plum (5 with calyx)
82. Tomatoes, yellow (5 with calyx)
83. Jar of home grown fresh culinary herbs
84. Any other vegetable not included in previous classes
85. Longest runner bean
86. Heaviest marrow
87. Strangest shaped vegetable
88. Dish of 5 apples (cooking)
89. Dish of 5 apples (dessert)
90. Dish of 5 plums (with stalks)
91. Dish of any other fruit with stalks (not included in other classes)
92. 2 aubergines
93. 2 capsicums (sweet peppers – green, yellow, or red)
94. 2 chilli peppers
95. 1 pumpkin/squash
96. Best kept allotment in Christow
    All allotments will be judged on Show Day. Last year’s winner is not eligible.

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

Classes marked * have specific recipes. Exhibitors may not use their own recipe if one is provided.

Click on classes marked * to view the recipe.

97. Chocolate cake (vegan) *
98. Portuguese custard tarts * (3 on a plate)
99. Dutch apple cake *
100. Samosas* (3 on a plate – recipe given but may use own recipe if preferred)
101. Flapjacks (5 on a plate – own recipe)
102. Loaded brownies (3 on a plate – own recipe)
103. Open cake competition (any size/shape/flavour, but not cupcakes)
104. White bread loaf (1lb approx.)
105. Wholemeal bread loaf (1lb approx.)
106. Sourdough (any type – 1 lb approx.)
107. Soda bread (1 lb approx.)
108. Cheese scones (5 on a plate)
109. Raspberry muffins (own recipe – 3 on a plate)
110. Jar lemon curd
111. Jar strawberry jam
112. Jar gooseberry jam
113. Jar fruit jelly
114. Jar orange marmalade
115. Jar fruit marmalade (other than orange)
116. Jar caramelised onion chutney*
117. Fermented vegetables (Guidance provided in recipe section)
118. 5 eggs (any colour)

Men’s Classes

Cup & wooden spoon

119. Coffee and walnut cake (iced) *

President’s prize

120. Teign Valley Champion boiled egg

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

Wine to be presented in clear glass bottle, preferably punted, with flanged cork for easy removal and label approximately two inches from the bottom.

121. Bottle red wine (any type)
122. Bottle white wine (any type)
123. Bottle of beer, cider or perry
124. Bottle of any other alcoholic beverage
125. Bottle kombucha (may be plain or flavoured)
126. Bottle of any non-alcoholic beverage

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

127. 454g jar of clear honey
128. 454g jar of consistently set honey
129. Product made from pure beeswax
130. One comb of English honey for extracting

1st: £2, 2nd: £1, 3rd: 50p

131. Under 16 years – At the seaside
132. 16 years & over – A Dartmoor day

Subjects for 2027

Under 16 years – A Day in the country
16 years & over – Nightlife

These recipes are to be used for those classes marked with an * in the cookery and men’s cookery sections, except for Class 100 where the recipe is optional. All children’s cookery this year are ‘own recipe.’

Class 97 Chocolate cake – vegan

Ingredients

Dry

• 250 g plain flour
• 350 g white sugar
• 70 g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

Wet

• 360 ml plant milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 120 ml oil
• 120 ml strong coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
• 120 g vegan yogurt

Vegan Ganache (for filling and icing)

• 400 g vegan dark chocolate
• 330–335 ml vegan cream or thick coconut cream
• Pinch salt

Method

For the cake: Preheat oven to 175°C and line/grease two 20 cm round cake tins.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

In another bowl, mix plant milk with vinegar and leave 2 minutes. Then add oil, coffee, vanilla and vegan yogurt and stir well.

Pour wet into dry and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix. Split batter between tins.

Bake for 28–35 minutes until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool fully.

For the chocolate ganache: Finely chop the vegan dark chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the vegan cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, making sure all the chocolate is covered. Leave it to sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to allow the heat to gently melt the chocolate. Stir slowly from the centre outwards until the ganache becomes smooth, glossy, and silky. Let cool at room temperature until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. This usually takes 30–45 minutes.

Assembling:

Once both layers are completely cool, spread the first layer with a thin, even layer of ganache. Place the second layer on top and use the remaining ganache to spread over the top and sides of the cake. Let the cake set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Class 98 Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pastel de Nata)

Ingredients

• 1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• pinch salt
• 115 g caster sugar
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 tbs cornflour
• pinch cinnamon
• 400 ml whole milk
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 180°c and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin.

For the pastry: Roll out on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle about 45 x 30 cm. You want the pastry to be thin and even, but not so thin it tears easily. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges and then cut into 12 squares. Place a square over each hole in the muffin tin and gently ease into the hole, making sure that the bottom and sides are all covered.

For the custard: Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a small saucepan until well combined and smooth. Then, gradually whisk in the milk, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick and bubbly (10 – 15 minutes). Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Once the custard is ready, remove from heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl which will remove any lumps and ensure a silky texture.

Assembling: Using a spoon or ladle, fill each tart with 2 – 3 tbs of custard so that they are almost full. Place the muffin tin in the pre-heated oven for 18 – 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and crisped and the pastry is set and browned on top. If the tarts are cooking too fast you can cover them with foil or lower the oven temperature slightly. When done, remove from oven, cool, and dust with icing sugar.

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Class 99 Dutch apple cake (in memory of Mike Van Kann)

Recipe updated: 10.08.26 to include missing ingredients!

Ingredients

Streusel

• 100 g plain flour
• 75 g light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 75 g cold butter

Cake

• 175 g softened butter
• 175 g sugar
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2-3 tbs milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large apples (preferably cooking)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a 20 cm loose-bottomed tin.

Make streusel by rubbing cold butter into flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Chill.

For cake, cream butter, and sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

Fold in flour and baking powder. Add milk until batter ‘drops’ from spoon.

Spread batter in tin. Arrange thin apple slices on top. Scatter chilled streusel over apples.

Bake 40 – 50 minutes until the centre tests clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the tin.

Mistakes to avoid

Issue	Why it happens	How to fix it
Streusel melted into cake	Butter wasn’t cold enough	Chill 15-20 minutes before baking
Middle was soggy	Apples released too much moisture	Pat slices dry and test with a skewer in the centre
Apples sank	Batter was too thin	Add milk slowly – stop when batter ‘drops’ from the spoon
Streusel fell off when slicing	Removed cake from tin too early	Let it rest 10 minutes before unmoulding

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Class 100 Samosas (optional recipe)

Ingredients

Filling

• 270 g potato or sweet potato
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 130 g fresh or defrosted frozen peas
• 1 garlic clove grated
• ½ tsp fresh ginger grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• pinch of salt

Pastry

• 130 g flour plus more for kneading
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• Warm water

Method

For the pastry: Mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil and a little water. Using a fork mix until the dough starts to stick together, adding water a little at a time as needed. Use your hands to make a ball and transfer the dough ball to a floured surface and knead until smooth (about 1 minute) – the dough should not be sticky or dry. Cover well with plastic wrap or similar and set aside for 30 minutes.

For the filling: Cook the potato/sweet potato until tender when a fork is inserted. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash – you need 270 g (1 cup) of potato. In a non-stick sauté pan add the oil over medium heat. When it starts to ripple, add peas, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala. Toss to mix and cook for 1 minute. Add the mashed potato and mix well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Assembling: Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a ball. Take 1 ball and roll out to a 15 cm circle (approx.) and cut the circle in half. Repeat with the others.

Take one of the halves and make a cone by taking the two ends of the cut side and folding them into the centre so that the centre of the cut side makes the point of the curve. Wet the edges with warm water using your finger and press the edges firmly together making sure they are well sealed. Don’t be afraid to manipulate the dough and shaped.

Hold the cone gently between thumb and first finger and fill with 1 tbs of the potato mix. Wet the open edges and pinch together to seal, fold twist on itself to finish the triangle shape. Repeat until all samosas are made. Then, if deep frying, heat the oil to 180°C and working in batches of four, fry the samosas until golden brown, about 4 – 5 minutes and then turn and repeat. Drain on a paper towel. May also be shallow or air fried.

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Class 116 Caramelised onion chutney

Ingredients

• 750 g red onions finely chopped
• 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 250 g light brown sugar
• 250 ml red wine vinegar
• 90 ml balsamic vinegar

Method

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and chopped onions. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes until onions start to soften and become translucent. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, allspice, and chili flakes, stir well and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in the light brown sugar, red wine and balsamic vinegars. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for at least 20 minutes. The chutney should reduce in volume and become dark and sticky. While the chutney is still hot, transfer into sterilised jars and seal. Store for at least two weeks before eating.

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Class 117 Fermented vegetables

Ingredients

Suggested are sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, carrots, garlic, beetroot, cauliflower, radishes, green beans – but the class is open and any fermented vegetable is eligible.

Method

1. Start with the freshest produce you can find, the fresher the food, the livelier the ferment. Chop roughly where appropriate; smaller vegetables may be left whole or halved.

2. Create your brine or salt mix: For brined vegetables such as pickles or carrots, dissolve 2-3% salt by weight in clean water – 2-3 grams per 100g water. For dry salted ferments like sauerkraut or kimchi, sprinkle salt directly over chopped vegetables and massage until enough liquid has been released to cover themselves in their own natural brine.

3. Submerge the vegetable completely as fermentation takes place below the surface. Press ingredients down and keep them completely under the brine line.

4. Loosely cover or use an airlock lid. Place the jar somewhere dark and stable at 65–75°F (18–24°C).

5. Fermentation times for vegetables is typically 5 – 21 days. There’s no single “right” flavour — once the taste is correct for you, put it in the fridge, where the fermentation will slow down drastically.

Common errors and how to avoid them

• Not Enough Salt: Too little, and spoilage organisms take over before the good microbes can do their work. Stick to 2–3% salt by weight unless a recipe says otherwise.
• Floating Vegetables: Anything above the brine line is exposed to oxygen which invites mould. Always press or weigh down your ingredients so everything stays submerged and safe.
• Too hot: Fermentation thrives in steady, cool warmth — not summer sun. Above 27°C, textures soften and batches can spoil. Keep jars in a shaded spot between 18–24°C for best results.
• Sealing the jar: If the lid is on tight, the gas has nowhere to go. Use an airlock lid or take tops off the jars for a few minutes daily during the first few days.
• Impatience: Each day of fermentation builds more depth, flavour, and health benefits. Let time and nature work — your only job is to taste, trust, and wait.

Normal Fermentation Signs

• Bubbles: These show CO₂ is being released, a good sign
• Cloudy Brine: Perfectly normal; it means bacteria are active.
• Tangy Aroma: Should smell pleasantly sour or earthy, never rotten.
• White Film (Kahm Yeast): Harmless — skim it off if it forms.

When to Discard: Everyone loses a batch now and then. Discard if you see:

• Fuzzy mould (white, green, blue, or black): Don’t confuse mould with harmless surface films like Kahm yeast — a thin, flat, white layer that can form on top of brine and is perfectly safe to skim off.
• Pink or orange discoloration
• A rotten, rancid, or chemical odour

If in doubt, toss it!

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Class 119 Coffee & walnut cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 225 g caster sugar
• 4 free-range eggs
• 50 ml strong espresso (or instant) coffee
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 75g walnuts

For the buttercream icing

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 200 g icing sugar
• 50 ml strong espresso (or instant) coffee
• 12 walnut halves to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. In a bowl beat together the butter and sugar until very light and pale. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture, beating well to completely incorporate each egg before adding the next. Add the coffee to the mixture and stir well. Add flour and walnuts and stir to completely combine. Spoon the cake mixture into 2 lined and greased 20cm layer cake tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the cake is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar together in a small bowl until pale and light. Add the espresso and mix well. Spread the buttercream over the top of each layer, then place one on top of the other. Decorate with the walnut halves.

Horticultural Secretary, Jan Deane

01647 252915

jedeane@outlook.com

Northwood Farm, Christow, EX6 7PG

Last date for email enquiries is the 13th of August. After this date please telephone.