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This just made us laugh. Yes, a banner for pig racing. And sleeping pigs.
Pembrokeshire, Wales, is known for the sea and outdoors; visitors can find surfing or kayaking, all sorts of fishing and boating, adventuresome coasteering or scenic hiking. In addition these, the area has embraced agri-tourism wholeheartedly. Or, rather, agriculture is so much a part of the area, any visit is touched by it.
The small, rural, and historic experiences are available everywhere. Local ice cream is sold from concession vans and cafés at trailheads. Old weaving mills offer demonstrations, riding stables, farm stays and country B & Bs can be found along sometimes-single-lane roads lined with hedgerows and vibrant green fields dotted with sheep or cattle. (Remembering to stick to the left side of the road, an adventure in itself for me…)
When we realized the Pembrokeshire County Show (read: county fair) was this week, how could we pass it up? Older farm women selling their chutneys and cookbooks in the poultry barn, ribbons displayed proudly over sheep pens, judges looking at goats, musicians, demonstrations, cotton candy. In the end, it was not that different than walking through the livestock barns at our own Deschutes County Fair, but somehow it made us feel closer to the farms we hike through or pass as we wind down the narrow roads.
The pickles we bought were so, so, but typical of most of Europe. Salt and vinegar. They don’t know or don’t like the pickles we have at home with garlic, peppers, grape leaves, mustard, etc.. However the homemade horseradish is awesome. The kind lady who sold us the goodies also had a cookbook. A cookbook that used all the ingredients that mother nature provided, mostly in hedgerows. I loved it but did not buy it since I don’t have a hedge row at home.:)