London’s Harvest Festival - Editor Liz Wright is one of the judges (From Smallholder)

London’s Harvest Festival - Editor Liz Wright is one of the judges

3:00pm Thursday 1st September 2011 in News

A unique UK festival, with all the fun and atmosphere of a traditional rural county show, but featuring animals and producer from inner city London takes place on September 17.

Now in its 13th year, the City Harvest Festival is the one time in the year when the hard work and dedication of talented farmers and gardeners from across London are celebrated.

This year, animals and produce from a wide range of London’s 16 city farms and more than 100 community gardens will be showcased at the event. Visitors to the festival can see Golden Guernsey goats from Newham, honey from Walworth, pumpkins from Kentish Town, Indian runner ducks from Vauxhall, Bengali kerala from Shoreditch, and blackcurrants from White City. The festival takes place in 30 acres of gorgeous grounds at Capel Manor in Enfield and is a great family day out. Ducks, geese, rabbits, ponies and livestock compete for the Best in Show, while there is a dazzling array of both familiar and exotic fruit and vegetables in a variety of produce competitions, all sourced from London farms and gardens.

Event organiser Catherine Miller, Development Co-ordinator for the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, said: “Visitors will be amazed at the variety of produce grown at London's community projects and at all the different animals kept. This popular family show truly is where the city meets the country.”

More than 2,000 people are expected to flock to the festival. The day includes a fiercely competitive tug of war, a contest for the biggest pumpkin, the most unusual looking fruit or vegetable and even a competition for the animal that looks most like its handler - last year won by a rabbit called Fay.

Talented blacksmiths, potters and woodworkers will all demonstrate their crafts and the community garden displays always boast beautiful flowers that reflect the truly cosmopolitan nature of London.

Food will be a strong theme at this year’s event. The event is a celebration of food produced in London and there will be advice for visitors on growing and cooking food as part of a project funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food programme.

For more information on city farms and community gardens open to visitors around London visit: www.farmgarden.org.uk