At the Nags Head in Peterchurch, Herefordshire, the Eskleyside Agricultural Society held its annual silage competition. The pub, a hub for locals including potato growers, sheep farmers, and even Thomas the cat, hosted the event where the smell of fermenting crops was too potent for indoors.
The competition featured five categories: baled silage, baled haylage, grass pit, maize pit, and whole crop pit. Unlike some contests that rely on laboratory analysis, here judges assessed entries by crumbling, rubbing, and sniffing the silage, testing for sweetness, texture, and colour.
Winners included Eric Gwatkin for baled silage and Simon Bigley for baled haylage. A judge noted that despite the summer drought halving tonnage per acre, the quality of the silage was high this year.
The event highlighted the community spirit of the Golden Valley, with attendees cheering and heckling as prizes were handed out around 8.30pm. Organisers hope the tradition continues, supported by local young farmers, even as smaller hill farms face amalgamation into larger holdings.
