Days out - Truro Primestock Show

The first Wednesday in December sees "the country come to town" as the rural community descends into the centre of Truro for the Christmas Primestock Show.  The show has been going for well over 100 years and is an opportunity for local farmers to show off their best looking beef cattle before they are offered for sale to the butchers.  The butchers then prepare and sell the wonderful beef to their customers who in turn cook it for their lucky families for Christmas!  The show is thought to be the only agricultural show to be held in a city centre; where else could you see a cattle lorry unloading outside Marks and Spencer but Cornwall! 

 
As well as cattle the show also sees the judging of sheep as well as farm crops and veg. 

The popular domestic section contains competitions from handicraft and floral art to cookery and children classes; the skill on show is phenomenal and I always look forward to the 'set recipe' class as this is always popular - this year Cherry Cake - I've never seen SO many cakes in one place!


Imagine judging this lot!

 

 

 

 

 

The atmosphere in the marquee is always buzzing and wonderfully Christmassy; when show day arrives it always feels like the festive season has properly begun.  As well as the cattle and sheep being auctioned off, at the end of the day all the cookery entries are also sold to the highest bidders with the proceeds going to charity - in recent years there has been a trend for husbands and boyfriends to bid obscene amounts of money for their lady's Victoria Sponge - it has not unknown for cakes to go for £50-£60!

The show is organised by the Truro Christmas Primestock and Produce Society and I have been on the committee for a number of years now and was show secretary from 2010-2013. This band of cheerful volunteers are incredibly proud (and rightly so) of this splendid show and the work that goes into it continues throughout the year. 

After the day of the show (and the clean-up!) the marquee is then used for a local food and craft show which is a great opportunity for a bit more Christmas shopping.  If you would like to find out more about the show visit their website here.

Kate
Poltarrow Farm
Self Catering Cottages and Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Cornwall