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It could have been chips with everything at the Salty Dog Inn, Snells Beach on Saturday, December 13, when the hotly contested annual community potato growing competition was judged.
This year, there were 106 entries weighing more than 130kg to be assessed and measured – four more than last year and many sackfuls more than the first spud contest 20 years ago, when there were just 25 potato-growing participants.
The contest started in September, when each entrant was given an Agria seed potato to see what they could produce in their gardens, grow-bags and pots.
As ever, two prizes were up for grabs – the heaviest haul and biggest individual spud.
On the day, Kerry Jenner proved her star gardening credentials with an impressive five kilos of potatoes from her single starter spud, while the biggest individual prize went to Martin Hill for his monster 604 gram specimen.
The results were announced at a packed prizegiving and barbecue by competition convenor and judge Vince Anaki, plus special guest MC Mr. Potato Head, who bore more than a passing resemblance to Salty Dog Social Club secretary Jez Scull.
As well as the top two trophy winners, every entrant got to claim something from the prize table, which was packed with festive fare, and there was even a ‘Sod All’ trophy for the worst (best?) failure to grow anything.
Contest entry fees go towards food for the prizegiving and the prizes themselves, with anything left over donated to the Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade, which this year was around $300.
