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Leuchars automn show hailed as best ever (Nov, 2009)
6/Nov/2009
Leuchars and District Gardening and Crafts Club held its Autumn Flower Show in the Burnside Hall, Balmullo, last Saturday. The show, which incorporated the Fife Beekeepers Association and Dunfermline and West Fife Beekeepers Association annual honey show, attracted exhibitors from around the country and was one of the best the chairman could remember.
Extra staging had been erected for the chrysanthemum and vegetable sections which were well filled and all other sections were also well supported.
The judges felt that the exhibits were of the usual high quality at this show, and the public were impressed with all the exhibits, especially the size and quality of the chrysanthemums.
The flower show trophies were presented by Willie Melville, a well-known member of the local farming community and this year's winner of Balmullo Citizen of the Year.
The honey show trophies were presented by John Durkacz, president of Dunfermline and West Fife Beekeepers Association.
This year there was also a demonstration of apple pressing by the North Fife Orchard Group, allowing the public to sample the juice of local apples.
The group will be returning to Burnside Hall on Thursday, November 12, at 7.30 p.m. to give a talk on its activities.
The honey show was also a success, in spite of the continuing difficulties affecting beekeeping.
Along with the varroa infestation which is now endemic, this year saw outbreaks of European and American foulbroad around the country all of which including poor weather and forage have resulted in poor honey crops causing beekeepers to reassess their husbandery in order to maintain and safeguard their stocks of bees.
Bill Duff, the chairman of the gardening and crafts club, thanked the committees of the organisations and all the helpers who come along to set up the show for all the work they do.
He also thanked hallkeeper Lynn and, of course, the exhibitors without whom there would not be a show.
Bill also made an appeal for more people to come forward to help run what is a successful show to ensure its continuation in the future.
Source: Fife Herald, Friday, November 6, 2009.
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