Start the oven and bottle the beer, Roma Show is almost here

There is still time to enter your food, craft or animal, and even yourself in the 2019 Roma Show.

TASTY: Glenda Hacker and her team of volunteers can't wait to man the Roma Show Society cake stall. Picture: Jorja McDonnell

THE Roma Show is only one month away, which means the time to practice making cakes, creating handicrafts, or even grooming a guinea pig is now.

Closing dates for various sections of the show are coming up fast, and organisers are encouraging locals to get involved.

Those who love to make the taste buds tingle are encouraged to enter the cookery competition, which is judged under the watchful eye of Glenda Hacker.

"I've been running the cookery section for 40 years plus, and this year we are judging on May 9,” Mrs Hacker said.

"Some of the categories are definitely more competitive; chocolate cake, fruit cakes and orange bar cakes are all up there.

"They are the old stayers, for sure.”

The cake expert offered some tips for would-be entrants, and considers simplicity to be best when it comes to making a winning cake.

"It should be pleasing to the eye, have few air bubbles and not be sunken in the middle,” she said.

"When we are judging we always look for a cake to be well cooked.

"If a cake is under-done it will sink in the middle, and if it is cooked too much it cracks on the top.

"Really, we are looking for a nicely-presented cake that is iced according to the directions in the schedule.

Closing dates for all show entries fall in early May, with the exception of Stud Sheep, which must be entered by April 26.

MAY 1:

• Miss Showgirl
• Rural Ambassador
• Poultry
• Cattle

MAY 3:

• Photography
• Youth Exhibits
• Primary Handwriting.

MAY 6:

• Art
• Sheep Dog Trials

MAY 8:

• Handicrafts
• Home Brew

MAY 9:

• Cookery
• Wool
• Farm and Garden
• Horticulture

MAY 10:

• Guinea Pigs.

MAY 11:

• Ute Muster

Originally published as Start the oven and bottle the beer, Roma Show is almost here