Given that we’re getting more feedback about our sunflower competition and the knitting of a jumper than anything else posted on this blog, I thought you’d better have an update on the current state of affairs in the former.
This is the very latest photograph, taken in just the last half hour. I’m no horticultural expert, but I guess the state of play won’t have altered much in that time…
The clear leader is still CO, Alex Patchett. You can see his entry over towards the right of the pic. I’ve avoided using the term ‘new boy’ about Alex again there (well, sort of) because he’s actually now a fully-fledged, qualified and let loose on the organic world certification officer. That alone deserves our congratulations, but I suspect, given how things have been going on the feedback front, that he’ll be earning more kudos for his growing prowess than his ability to assess an inspection report!
Apparently Lorraine, one of our quality systems admins, is done and dusted as far as our competition is concerned. Her somewhat stunted effort has apparently reached its terminal height and is good now only for harvesting and certainly not for contesting the most hotly fought sunflower growing competition this side of the River Severn.
Of course, at the end of the slightly tortuous process there has to be a victor. I hope the excitement among the contestants isn’t flaring too fiercely because I’m told the 2009 champion shouldn’t be expecting to walk away with a new car and a lifetime supply of booze as their reward!
competition, sunflower
Rivalry is growing in the OF&G offices as obsessive sunflower measuring becomes the order of the day.
Apparently it’s upstart new boy, producer CO Alex Patchett, leading the competition to produce the tallest helianthus annuus (don’t you just love Wikipedia?!). Alex has achieved a whopping 28cm. It’s a far cry from his widely ridiculed poor start.
Prize for the most useless effort so far also resides in the producer certification office, as Nicola Mason’s attempt was dealt a devastating blow in an unfortunate encounter with a bunny. There will be, we are told, no coming back from that!
After making all the noise in the early running with their gaudily decorated pots, the processor department ladies obviously aren’t doing enough talking to their delicate charges and have been left behind.
So here, in all its glory, is Alex’s whopping, strapping, field-leading sunflower. Don’t get too excited.
competition, growing, sunflower
The intra-office sunflower growing competition is well underway now, with green shoots of success starting to emerge for some of our contenders (though, bizarrely, our composting CO’s are having less luck than most!).
While there’s not much of interest to see quite yet, an opportunity has emerged for some ribbing of our new-boy Certification Officer, Alex Patchett, who seems to be having some, er, trouble in the upright department…
Please note: No sunflowers were harmed in the making of this blog post and the one you see pictured above has now been rescued with a stake (which unfortunately makes it less funny, but there you go).
Certification Officer, competition, sunflower
