VIDEO AND PICTURES: Stroud Potato Day 2013 a huge success

The rich diversity of the humble spud was celebrated in Stroud last weekend, when Transition Stroud and Down to Earth hosted their third annual Potato Day.

Fast becoming a regular date in the Stroud gardener's calendar, Stroud Potato Day forms part of a UK-wide network of events designed to encourage more people to grow their own.

Potato Days offer experienced and first-time gardeners alike a wide variety of different seed potatos from which to buy as many or as few as they wish. 

The 20-plus different varieties of potato at last Saturday's event proved a huge draw with shoppers in Merrywalks, who crowded round to handle, contrast and compare the different types of seed potato on display - all of which were kindly supplied by Chris Evans of Dundry Nurseries, near Cheltenham.

PICTURES: STROUD POTATO DAY

The Stroud and Down to Earth volunteers were on hand to answer questions and offer advice throughout the day.

As in previous years the event almost sold out of seed potatoes, selling an entire 25kg sack of one particular variety within an hour of opening, and more than half a tonne in total by the end of the day.

Shoppers were also invited to sample free slices of lemon cake (made with potatoes instead of flour), buy copies of the Stroud Potato recipe book and have a go at the Transition Stroud raffle to win a potted rowan tree.

* Stroud Community TV has a fabulous film of last Saturday's event that you can watch online here.

* Find out more by reading the Stroud Potato Day blog here.