The doors of St Lawrence Parish Hall were opened on 18 May to welcome in this year’s competitors of the Genuine Jersey, Jersey Royal potato growing competition, sponsored by Homefields, for the last in a week-long series of potato weigh-ins. Starting in late January, primary schools, media, the Women’s Institute, Constables and for a second year, Occupation VIPs from each parish, have been nurturing their seed potatoes provided by the Le Maistre family of Master Farms, in a bid for potato growing glory. This year their buckets were also filled with soil from Infrastructure, Housing and Environment’s green waste facility.
John Garton, chief executive officer of Genuine Jersey, said: ‘It’s hard to believe that we’ve come to the end of another Genuine Jersey, Jersey Royal potato growing competition, the last 12 weeks have flown by. We’ve had a busy week gathering the results from our competition entrants throughout the Island and the final weigh-in is always a fantastic opportunity to bring everyone together to see how both the media and Constables have fared as we dig their buckets in front of our other winners, this morning was particularly eventful with a very last minute arrival once the Constables winner had been announced. Once again though the Jersey Royal really is the winner!’
‘In the school’s competition, which involved all of the island’s primary schools, St Michael’s School Class 2B won the greatest weight with 1,532g and were joint winners for the 49 Jersey Royals they grew in their bucket, the same numbers as Grouville School Class 4K with 900g and 49 Jersey Royals, an incredible achievement.
For the second year running the Constable of St Lawrence’s bucket yielded the greatest weight at 1020.2g and they also scooped the greatest number of tubers at 33, making it a double victory for the Parish
This year’s media competition saw a very mixed bag of results, with some buckets not even making it to the weigh-in as they’d died before the big day and low numbers all round from those who did take part. After being crowned winners for the last two years sadly ITV’s bucket yielded zero potatoes but in a triumphant comeback the double victory went to Gallery Magazine with a winning weight of 137.9g and 16 tubers.’
[As for RURAL magazine’s entry: don’t ask. As the old joke has it ‘Those who can, grow; those who can’t, write about it – ed.]
‘This year we had 105 Occupation VIPs participating in the competition, with representatives in each parish participating. The winner of the greatest weight was Mr Alan Romerill Roffrey from St Mary with 1,470g (28 tubers) and three buckets from different parishes yielded 35 tubers each, Mrs Daphne Tingley, Eileen Palmer of St Lawrence and Mr Vincent of St Saviour were our joint winners.
‘Once again the efforts of the Women’s Institute were impressive and for a second year the heaviest crop was grown by Phyliss Gouédart of Le Hocq with 28 tubers weighing 1,134g but she was pipped to the post of the double win by Rose of St Martin’s WI Group who grew 30 tubers (295g) in her bucket.
‘With support from our sponsor Homefields the Genuine Jersey Products Association is already looking forward to next year.
FULL Results
OCCUPATION VIPS
WINNER – St Mary – Mr Alan Romerill Roffrey greatest weight 1,470g (28 tubers)
Winner with the highest average number of tubers per bucket:
Trinity – Mrs Daphne Tingley 35 tubers (953g)
St Lawrence – Eileen Palmer of St Lawrence with 35 tubers (674g)
St Saviour – Mr Vincent of St Saviour with 35 tubers.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Class growing the heaviest weight of tubers in one bucket:
WINNER
St Michael’s School Class 2B with 1.532g and 49 Jersey Royals – first for weight and joint first for number of tubers grown
JOINT WINNER – Grouville School – Class 4K with 900g and 49 Jersey Royals
ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL RESULTS here https://www.genuinejersey.je/competition-results/primary-school-results/
CONSTABLES
WINNER – Yield and weight – St Lawrence – greatest weight 1,020.2g and 33 tubers.
MEDIA
WINNER – Yield and weight Ben Davies Gallery – 137.9g and 16 tubers
WOMEN’S INSTITUTES
WINNER (weight) – Phyllis Gouedart of Le Hocq 28 tubers weighing 1,134g.
WINNER (yield)- Rose of St Martin’s WI Group 30 tubers (295g)
