Hi lovely, I’m Aimée, a soulful copywriter . Here, on my Substack, I share seasonal tales from my little corner of the Cotswolds. I write about food, heritage, books, travel, creative living, and whimsical musings. Come on in, take off your boots, and cosy up by the fire. I’ll pop the kettle on.
September is all a-glow with harvest bounty, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate the land’s fayre. Village produce shows are a time-honoured tradition in rural England, dating back to the 19th century. Originally established to encourage good farming practices, these events became community highlights, offering villagers a chance to showcase their finest homegrown fruits and vegetables, homemade preserves, and flowers.
There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about an English village produce show—rows of vibrant, wonky vegetables, gleaming jars of homemade chutney, and tables laden with carefully arranged flowers and golden Victoria sponges with their cream and jam dripping down the side.
If you (like me) love the quiet idyll of country life, then you know that a Saturday handling big courgettes and plump pumpkins is the best kind of day out. Here’s my guide to running your own harvest produce show.
1. Choose where to host your produce show
A spacious garden makes a beautiful backdrop for an intimate show. Alternatively, the village green offers an idyllic outdoor setting that evokes the spirit of old-fashioned village life. The village hall is a great option for larger gatherings, providing space for a bigger crowd and protection from the unpredictable autumn weather.
2. Invite people to enter their fayre
Encourage people to enter their homegrown vegetables, freshly baked bread, or homemade cakes by sending out invitations well in advance, either through a community noticeboard, social media, or local word-of-mouth. Make it clear that all skill levels are welcome, from seasoned growers to first-time bakers and little ones, too.
You’ll need to choose a panel of green-fingered, tomato-discerning judges to score all the produce. If you’d like to keep it friendly (and democratic), you could hand out sheets and ask everyone to vote for their favourite entries.
3. Set the scene
Create a cosy photo booth area with hay bales, scarecrows, pumpkins and other seasonal props where people can take autumnal pictures.
Set up seating with a few tables for people to enjoy food and drinks, and leave space for stalls where local artisans can sell their goods.
4. Choose harvest-themed categories
Focus your categories around harvest produce. Traditional choices might include:
Best homegrown vegetable
Tastiest homemade chutney or jam
Prettiest autumnal flower arrangement
Best loaf of bread or cake
Biggest or most unusual vegetable
Best-decorated biscuit/cupcake (for the kids)
For prizes, you could hand out simple rosettes or even decorated plant pots with the winner’s name. Harvest corn dollies or small rag wreath garlands also make heartfelt, handmade prizes that fit the harvest theme.
5. Sell artisan produce
Invite local makers to sell their goods. People love stalls that sell woollen goods like cosy scarves and blankets, wood-turned items such as bowls or ornaments, and hand-poured candles made with locally sourced ingredients.
6. Showcase local provenance
No harvest celebration would be complete without an abundance of local food and drink. Consider setting up a hog roast as the centrepiece of the event, offering hearty, flavourful meat fresh off the spit. You could also invite a local butcher to serve homemade sausages. Pair these with a stall featuring local cider, perry, or mead, allowing folk to savour traditional autumn drinks alongside their meals.
7. Bring in a Bee Keeper
Why not invite a local bee keeper to bring along their hives? They can share fascinating insights into the role of bees in pollination and offer tastings of local honey. They could also bring jars of honey to sell.
8. Make a pet corner
Set up a small area where kids can meet friendly farm animals, such as rabbits, goats, or chickens, or invite locals to bring along their well-behaved pets for a mini pet show. You could also include a few hands-on activities, like feeding the animals or learning how to care for them.
9. Organise autumn games
Keep the little ones entertained while their adults are busy fondling the veg:
Apple Bobbing – A classic autumn game where kids try to grab apples floating in a tub of water using only their mouths.
Scarecrow Dressing Contest – Provide old clothes and accessories, and let kids build and dress their own scarecrows. The most creative one wins!
Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin – Let kids (and adults) guess the weight of a large pumpkin, with a small prize for whoever comes closest.
Wheelbarrow Races – Pair up kids for a fun race, with one acting as the "wheelbarrow" while their partner holds their legs, racing across a short course.
10. Hold a tombola
Support local businesses and raise funds for a good cause by organising a tombola. Reach out to local artisans, shops, and producers to donate prizes such as handmade crafts, baked goods, or gift vouchers. Set up a colourful stand with raffle tickets and display the prizes to entice participants.
11. Auction off the produce
A produce auction is a wonderful way to wrap up your harvest show. Once the judging is done, auction off the vegetables, fruit, jams, and baked goods that were entered into the show. It’s a great way to ensure nothing goes to waste and lets people take home fresh produce grown by their neighbours. Plus, the money raised can go towards the parish council or a local charity, giving something back to the community while everyone enjoys the harvest.
At its core, a harvest produce show is about enjoying the simple, seasonal pleasures of rural life. Whether it's sipping on honey-sweet mead or tucking into a warm bowl of apple crumble, it’s all about connecting to the land - and the community- that nourish us.
What a great idea. I love a produce show and all these cake pictures are making me hungry.
So wonderful and whimsical and magical! I want to do it all! xx