Days out - the Smallholders' Fair at Builth

Here are a few photos from last year's Smallholders' Weekend at Builth Wells. I go every year with a friend of mine from the next village. There is always so much to see, and a lot of wonderful stalls intended to part you from your money! This time I bought a fleece for spinning, some lovely coloured locks of rare-breed wool for craftwork, plants for the garden, and something tasty for lunch - a venison-burger, which definitely hit the spot! It takes place in the middle of May and as you can see, is well worth a visit or even a planned weekend away to Wales. The dates this year are 17th and 18th May. Here's the link in case you want to know more:

www.rwas.co.uk/en/garden-festival/the-smallholder-garden-festival



There are always dozens and dozens of cages of various breeds of chickens and bantams for sale, as well as trays of fertilized eggs ready to go under a broody or in an incubator. Sometimes there are broody hens and chicks together, offered.

There are also hundreds of ducks and geese for sale, anything from chicks a few days old, to point of lay or mature birds.

These Alpaca were enjoying the sunshine, but not the attention of several toddlers who wanted mum to hold them up so they could stroke the Alpacas. This one looked downright cross!

There is a gardening section too, which has lots of stalls and individual garden layouts which are like a mini-Chelsea. I nearly always bring something new home for my garden. I wish it looked as good as this stall.

This is a scene from times gone by. The pink machine is a belt-driven (powered by steam) apple crusher, which would have been used on farms a hundred or so years ago to crush apples for cider making. The apples are in the white bags.


One of the craft stands. This one dealing with woven and knitted garments and rugs, from natural undyed fleeces. Judging by the picture on the rug on the wall, probably alpaca wool.

In fact, it could have come from these two, who were looking very superior in their "stable". There is always a good entry of various Camelids - Llamas, Alpacas and perhaps Vicunas? Camelids anyway . . .

There are showing classes for various breeds of sheep, goats and cattle. Here is a rather lovely Jacob ram, horns polished, coat beautifully groomed.

My husband would have spent a long time at this stall, which has a fascinating selection of old woodworking tools, and old farm tools. It was like a honeypot to all the men on the showground.

This is one of the beautifully restored old tractors. Entries are always high, and later in the day (after they have been suitably drooled over by all the blokes who spent some time at the tool stall above) they parade in one of the side rings.