The delights of the country show are many. For me, though, it’s all about the vegetables. Specifically the vegetables dressed as animals, or people. All the rest of pales in comparison.

Last week I was lucky enough to catch the Kiama show, south of Sydney. Kiama is where we’ll be hosting Joel Salatin’s upcoming Masterclasses, in the Showground Pavilion. Last week however, the Pavilion was in full flight, doing what it does best.. hosting the pride of the regions produce, its finest animals, and a banana octopus.

Love a good miniature seaside garden

U 16s decorated arrowroots category…

A show is not a show without its pumpkins

The rest of the Vegetable Character entrants

First Prize! Go Solomon.

Second place, sad face. I would have gone with equal first, myself. Onion pandas are awesome.

Solomon Gates also cleaned up in the U 16s scarecrow category

My other fave Kiama Show category – longest piece of Kikuyu grass! Only 3 entries this year…

Hmm. Could this Solomon’s brother? Methinks the Gates’ family are toasting their show successes this year…

The entire illawarra region depicted on a single quilt

Puppet show. The kids faces were the best bit. Some of them were so into it, while others were completely un-convinced

There’s no way around it, show dahlias are amazing feats of nature. Oh, to be a bee!

Whew. Having grown up in Kiama, this show is something I’ve been going to off and on for over 30 years now.

To be bringing a happy avalanche of farmers and folks from all over to the Kiama Showground Pavilion in two weeks with Joel Salatin will be a treat, and something I never suspected I’d be doing, when I was growing up here.

May both the regenerative small farm revolution and the vegetable animal category forge paths towards an abundant future. At Kiama, and beyond. Viva!

>> More posts about off-farm adventures