PENCARROW FAYRE

Saturday 25th May, Pencarrow

Transition Lostwithiel participated in the Pencarrow Fayre, which supports and promotes local small producers. Joy Cheeseman, from the Cornish Guild of Smallholders, gives her account of the event:

"Despite the weather our Smallholders' Country Fayre and Farmers' Market on 25th May proved a great success with local producers of food, woodwork, crafts and entertainments all gathering for our pleasure. We charged a small amount at the gate to ensure that more could be spent at the Fayre, thus keeping money inside the local economy. The Kennel Club joined us this year for the first time and this added to the enjoyment. Having a local event where people can enter their dogs helps keep the road miles down, as did the mini buses coming from various villages.

As prices at other events soar through the roof we have been able to keep our stall prices down and so encourage small producers to gather amongst the larger producers and gain the expertise so necessary in small businesses. It gave added value to the event to have the Federation of Small Businesses present with senior advisers on hand to talk about the difficulties of running small independent businesses in the current climate. And of course Duchy College were there with the cups they have sponsored to encourage small food, horticultural and rural businesses in general. The panel of judges went around the show incognito so that no-one was aware of their presence. The great leap that one small business had taken in 12 months was duly noted, but it was the smaller enterprising businesses that caught the judges' eyes. One business that had learned from comments made last year won a top award this year. This encouragement of small businesses to make our rural communities sustainable is a very important part of our work.

It was good to see the increase in small forestry businesses. Young people taking an interest in harvesting fallen wood, its many different uses, the quality of the craftsmanship and the knowledge that went along with it all was a pleasure to see. The end of May was chosen for our annual show because it gave our plant people a final opportunity to sell for Spring planting and this was very evident on the day. More plants and shrubs were sold than ever before and they were all grown locally and sold by people who know local soils and weather.

The tea and the coffee were Fair Trade; the meat in the burgers, sausages and the hog roast had all been reared, slaughtered and butchered within the Duchy; the food in the refreshment marquee was all made locally. This is Transition for me. Local enterprise by local people for the benefit of us all."

For more information about CGOS email joy@cgos.co.uk or visit www.cgos.co.uk.