Metfield Graze and Buy
LOCAL FIESTA

BIG thanks go to all but especially to Rachel, whose brainchild this wonderful event is!

Since Rachel isn’t writing this report, we can sing her praises a bit this year. Each year she enthusiastically takes it upon herself to put a huge amount of effort into organising and publicising the Graze and Buy event… ensuring that there is stock in the shop to match demand created by the tasting tables… paper plates, serviettes, plastic beakers… volunteers… to man the stalls and cook the food… to put up and take down tents… empty rubbish bags… organise the parking… put up signs on the roads… ensure there is local press coverage… collect raffle prizes.

Rachel does all this virtually single-handed until the week before, when the volunteers are briefed for the day itself. And, hey presto! Another Graze and Buy event takes shape and is over in a flash!
WELL DONE RACHEL!

Thanks to all who helped in any way, to stallholders and suppliers for donations and samples, to Julie for use of her garden, to Eddie for sterling work on the garden and in moving tables and chairs with the help of, among others, Dave and Roger, to Lorraine for producing the most amazing roast pork despite raging toothache, to Joey Peck for lending us his field for the car parking, to Peter Mortimer for taking the microphone to keep punters informed and to all who came to spend and enjoy the day.

Julie’s garden transformed by working parties, dogs locked up safely, fences taken down, apple trees pruned, grass cut, cones on the road, signs put up, shop fully stocked, volunteers at the ready.

Tents and gazebos borrowed and erected, tables and chairs laid out, tasting samples unpacked and cut into bite-size pieces. Bar set up and bottles for tasting opened. Stallholders in position. Cars directed to the free parking in Joey’s field.

The sun shone on the hardworking on this, our 4th annual Graze and Buy Local Food Fiesta. Rain didn’t come until the end of the day and crowds of people enjoyed all that was on offer.

Barbecued apple and pork burgers and sizzling rare breed sausages were the first aromas to waft over the site. Colourful and freshly picked vegetables from the allotments and Wakelyns Agroforestry… side by side with the delightful Nips and Crumpets display of good old-fashined cup cakes, sandwiches with the crusts cut off, lavender meringues and oh, so much more…

Beer aficionados were presented with an array of wonderful variations on their favourite brew… Adnams gave away tastings and takings… Opa Hay quickly sold out… St Peter’s and James White samples flew off the table… Beetroot and apple juice produced pink tongues…

Ladies in pretty dresses clutching Eddie’s beautiful roses… Wakelyns’ herbs… Suffolk Apple Juice… and new this year to Metfield, Massagistic’s jars of exfoliating and moisturising potions made with Hillfairs rapeseed oil…

Peter Mortimer’s prize-winning roasted pork with Lorraine’s homemade stuffing and Jules and Sharpie’s apple jelly in soft white rolls from Flixton’s Old Barn Bakery… Village Kitchen vegetarian pizza with Waveney mushrooms or tomatoes or chili…

Tasting tables a triumph as always – Fairfield crisps… Pinney’s of Orford smoked trout and chicken, smoked salmon pâté… Metfield Bakery cakes and bread… Marriage’s flour made into bread by volunteers… focaccia… so many things to taste but plenty of time to enjoy.

Bucketfuls of talent at the Art Exhibition at the Village Hall… local artists featured… astonishingly high standard set for the future… lots of red dots… homemade cakes and cream teas to tickle the tastebuds… Rooster artists’ cards… somewhere to enjoy the artistic offerings and rest the legs… to chew the cud and refresh the palate… a terrific effort in support of the Graze and Buy event.