Grassland starts

[Ley253]

Agree, there was a little confusion last year - we were tpold to treat it as stubble!! I shan't have a go though, I do think Brailsford is one of the best matches out there, if only for the food!!!

You have struck a hidden nail fair and square! Nothing seems to emphasise the falling standards of matches as much as the food,followed up by the prize schedule.Not so many years ago, at every Hereford match, you had a cooked meal in the village hall, or a barn on the site farm. Now so often you get a paper bag of onion flavoured offerings, onion flavoured because they dont wrap the onion separately! Onion flavoured cake, anyone? Or a wrapped paper plate bearing similar culinary delights including a second or even third onion!
The match with the worst food, in my opinion, was also the match with the most high profile caterers, Windsor Castle kitchens no less! The match was the Royal East Berks, which was more or less "kidnapped" by the crown reps after Prince Phillip informed them that the match would be held on crown lands nr the castle. We were supposed to be having game stew from the castle kitchens, which I expected to be served with a few spuds at least. What we got was carrot stew, with the odd (in more ways than one) bit of meat and an armour plated bread roll!
The burger van did a roaring trade, whilst the stew was largely untouched!

 

[Tafe Tractorman]

Agree, there was a little confusion last year - we were tpold to treat it as stubble!! I shan't have a go though, I do think Brailsford is one of the best matches out there, if only for the food!!!

I quite agree with you on that one charlie brailsford is the best match i go to throughout the year the food is excellent for the ploughmen and a warm hospitable approach to the ploughmen from everyone i enjoyed ploughing the clover at last years match i treated the opening as a arable opening as shallow as possible whilst i was at the match i spoke to a gentleman who was stewarding my class and he said that they had sites arranged for the next five years at least im sure he was a director of the match as he wore a green brailsford tie and lived nearby

 

[Tafe Tractorman]

You have struck a hidden nail fair and square! Nothing seems to emphasise the falling standards of matches as much as the food,followed up by the prize schedule.Not so many years ago, at every Hereford match, you had a cooked meal in the village hall, or a barn on the site farm. Now so often you get a paper bag of onion flavoured offerings, onion flavoured because they dont wrap the onion separately! Onion flavoured cake, anyone? Or a wrapped paper plate bearing similar culinary delights including a second or even third onion!
The match with the worst food, in my opinion, was also the match with the most high profile caterers, Windsor Castle kitchens no less! The match was the Royal East Berks, which was more or less "kidnapped" by the crown reps after Prince Phillip informed them that the match would be held on crown lands nr the castle. We were supposed to be having game stew from the castle kitchens, which I expected to be served with a few spuds at least. What we got was carrot stew, with the odd (in more ways than one) bit of meat and an armour plated bread roll!
The burger van did a roaring trade, whilst the stew was largely untouched!

only 3 years ago i had an excellent 3 course meal after trumpet ploughing match last years match the food was attrocious after leaving most of what i was offered i went outside and had a ice cream with james mcindoe from scotland and both agreed the food wasnt fit to feed pigs i think i lost two stones that day

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

only 3 years ago i had an excellent 3 course meal after trumpet ploughing match last years match the food was attrocious after leaving most of what i was offered i went outside and had a ice cream with james mcindoe from scotland and both agreed the food wasnt fit to feed pigs i think i lost two stones that day

Forest of Arden has got to be up with the best food wise

 

[Tafe Tractorman]

Forest of Arden has got to be up with the best food wise

yes fair comment tim what i had at last years match was very good

 

[massey765]

wooley edge or barugh is best for grub that ive been to

 

[Mydexta]

3 course meals after ploughing matches??????


You lads don't know you're living!!!!!!

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

....and one of the worst match foods (despite its bank balance) is the Cheshire! Professional caterers do the lunches for all the important people, bit like Brailsford do, and all the ploughman get plastic sandwiches, crisps, etc in a brown bag to eat wherever you can find a seat.... Plus you generally have to queue to get on the ground and then queue to get off!

Agree, barugh is cracking, I'm trying to think what the forest match food is now, even though I go every year! Staffs district matches are all pretty good, lots of nice ploughman's lunches......and all that cheese you can eat at burton!

I hope nobody gets the impression I choose my matches by the meals on offer!!!!

 

[madmatt]

I quite agree with you on that one charlie brailsford is the best match i go to throughout the year the food is excellent for the ploughmen and a warm hospitable approach to the ploughmen from everyone i enjoyed ploughing the clover at last years match i treated the opening as a arable opening as shallow as possible whilst i was at the match i spoke to a gentleman who was stewarding my class and he said that they had sites arranged for the next five years at least im sure he was a director of the match as he wore a green brailsford tie and lived nearby

I spoke to the judge in our class at west hallam he was a Brailsford committee member when i told him i had missed the deadline for brrailsford he told me not to worry as they were geared up for years to come with sites. I went as a spectator this year it looked a well organised event and a good walk round even in the awful weather.

 

[massey765]

where is Brailsford near and when ?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

i think this will be it Ben

http://www.brailsfordploughingmatch.org.uk/

 

[madmatt]

Thats the one

 

[massey765]

just trying to work out if i could do it in my self imposed 2 hour travelling limit.....if theres a good dinner i mite have a serious word with myself and just go

 

[Ley253]

only 3 years ago i had an excellent 3 course meal after trumpet ploughing match last years match the food was attrocious after leaving most of what i was offered i went outside and had a ice cream with james mcindoe from scotland and both agreed the food wasnt fit to feed pigs i think i lost two stones that day

I remember trumpet now, the food was a bus ride from the parking, but no bus provided, and when you saw it, you could see why, it was indeed vile! I staggered down to the tent( bad leg playing up) looked and staggered back to the caravan!

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

I think my uncles on the committee, he may actually be a life member, he's ploughed at Brailsford without fail for about 50+ years, last year he wasn't so well, so the family arranged for a tractor to be driven over for him to plough in the reversible (he usually ploughs high cut there).

 

[Tafe Tractorman]

this years brailsford match is to the west of derby off the A 52 at mackworth im sure brailsford match was there some years ago im prety lucky where i am as its central to most matches and i would say its one hour and fifteen minuites drive for me anyone who has not ploughed at brailsford match before its is the best match of the year but you need to get your entries in early as the closing date is at least three weeks before the match see you all there

 

[Tafe Tractorman]

I remember trumpet now, the food was a bus ride from the parking, but no bus provided, and when you saw it, you could see why, it was indeed vile! I staggered down to the tent( bad leg playing up) looked and staggered back to the caravan!

i guess you can remember that vile stew and about 3 new potatoes a dozzen peas and 3 carrotts then harry it stunk of vinegar and was stone cold too when i described it to my wife she said it sounded like a ingredient to brake the tough meat down and was probably a bit of tough old bull or barren cow on the plate

 

[Ley253]

i guess you can remember that vile stew and about 3 new potatoes a dozzen peas and 3 carrotts then harry it stunk of vinegar and was stone cold too when i described it to my wife she said it sounded like a ingredient to brake the tough meat down and was probably a bit of tough old bull or barren cow on the plate

Honesty Fred, I took one look and nearly provided a new twist on Ceasars quote, I Came, I saw. I vomited!

 

[mike.l]

Hi i guess i will stay over here we have a short plowing season we arrive in the morning with our tractor and plow
fill out a entry form pay our entry fee $10 or 5 pounds and wait to draw lands with free coffee and donuts supplied
we do a double split if on sod or arable land at the end of the day we get our sit down supper.
more often than not meat tatoes and veg cooked by the local church ladies and a helping of apple ,peach ,blackberry pie ,or other with ice cream.
. then we get the results of the days plowing , prize money and most pay down to last place more often than not its your entry fee back .
most of the money comes from local companies we all do our share of looking for sponsors and there is a host of special gifts as well
so i think we have it real good over here we go to most matches within a 2 hour radius of home
other than when the worlds come to canada our highlight is the international plowing match that you have to have
a reasonable score in the last year to enter
we plow for 4 days and get a final supper and prize money for the match .
Most of our local matches we have a good turnout . with a few horse teams . a good show of drag plows 12 -15 antique mounted approx the same. few single furrow and a couple of 3 furrow jobs. about 6 world class modern and a small mix of reversible and multi furrow jobs 50 to 60 plowmen
and of coarse we have no gardening whatsoever you make a mess you leave it. even the experts get bad days and its all left to view mike

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

Hi i guess i will stay over here we have a short plowing season we arrive in the morning with our tractor and plow
fill out a entry form pay our entry fee $10 or 5 pounds and wait to draw lands with free coffee and donuts supplied
we do a double split if on sod or arable land at the end of the day we get our sit down supper.
more often than not meat tatoes and veg cooked by the local church ladies and a helping of apple ,peach ,blackberry pie ,or other with ice cream.
. then we get the results of the days plowing , prize money and most pay down to last place more often than not its your entry fee back .
most of the money comes from local companies we all do our share of looking for sponsors and there is a host of special gifts as well
so i think we have it real good over here we go to most matches within a 2 hour radius of home
other than when the worlds come to canada our highlight is the international plowing match that you have to have
a reasonable score in the last year to enter
we plow for 4 days and get a final supper and prize money for the match .
Most of our local matches we have a good turnout . with a few horse teams . a good show of drag plows 12 -15 antique mounted approx the same. few single furrow and a couple of 3 furrow jobs. about 6 world class modern and a small mix of reversible and multi furrow jobs 50 to 60 plowmen
and of coarse we have no gardening whatsoever you make a mess you leave it. even the experts get bad days and its all left to view mike

Mike, it would be great to see some photos of ploughing matches over the pond...