At 5:30 AM on the morning of Gonerby YFC's annual summer show, while most of the village is still fast asleep, Margaret Thornton is already elbow-deep in pastry. By the time the first competitors arrive, she and her team of volunteers will have prepared enough food to feed a small army – which, given the appetite of young farmers after a day of competition, isn't far from the truth.
Photo: Gonerby YFC, via i.ytimg.com
"People see the finished spread and think it just appears by magic," Margaret laughs, wiping flour from her hands. "They don't realise we've been planning this feast for months."
The Mathematics of Mass Catering
Feeding 400 hungry visitors isn't just about scaling up your Sunday roast recipe. It's a logistical operation that would make military quartermasters proud. The numbers alone are staggering: 60 kilograms of locally-sourced beef, 200 Yorkshire puddings, 80 litres of gravy, and enough vegetables to stock a small greengrocer.
Tony Fletcher, who coordinates the catering logistics, keeps detailed spreadsheets that track everything from cooking times to serving temperatures. "You can't just guess when you're dealing with these quantities," he explains, consulting his well-worn notebook. "One miscalculation and you've either got hungry visitors or enough leftovers to feed the village for a week."
The planning begins in January, with the catering committee meeting monthly to refine menus, source ingredients, and coordinate volunteer rotas. Local suppliers are booked early – the beef comes from Johnson's Farm just outside Gonerby, while vegetables are sourced from three different local growers to ensure variety and support the broader farming community.
The Kitchen Brigade
Behind every successful YFC event stands an army of volunteers, many of whom have been perfecting their roles for years. There's Jean Morrison, whose job it is to ensure the tea urns never run dry (a cardinal sin at any rural gathering), and David Pearson, whose barbecue skills are so legendary that people plan their show attendance around his burger schedule.
But it's not just the experienced hands who make it work. Each event becomes a training ground for younger members, with teenagers learning everything from food safety to crowd management.
"I started helping in the kitchen when I was 15," recalls 22-year-old club member Katie Wilson. "Now I can plan and execute a three-course meal for 200 people without breaking a sweat. Try explaining that skill set to a university careers advisor!"
More Than Just a Meal
What makes Gonerby YFC's catering special isn't just the quality or quantity – it's the way food becomes the social glue that holds community events together. The shared meals create natural gathering points where farmers compare notes on crop yields, parents catch up on local news, and young people forge friendships that last decades.
"Food brings people together in a way that nothing else can," observes longtime volunteer coordinator Sandra Hayes. "You can have the best competitions and entertainment in the world, but if people are hungry and uncomfortable, they won't stay. Get the catering right, and suddenly everyone's relaxed and ready to enjoy themselves."
This philosophy extends to the club's approach to dietary requirements and inclusivity. What started as simple meat-and-two-veg affairs have evolved to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, and various food allergies – a reflection of changing rural demographics.
The Economics of Community Catering
Run purely by volunteers and operating on minimal margins, Gonerby YFC's catering operation is a masterclass in community economics. Ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, supporting neighbouring farms and businesses while keeping costs manageable for attendees.
The club's "pay what you can afford" policy for certain events ensures that financial constraints don't prevent anyone from participating. Surplus funds from profitable events help subsidise activities for younger or less financially secure members.
"We're not trying to make money from the food," explains treasurer Mike Stevens. "We're trying to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and well-fed. If we break even and everyone goes home happy, that's a successful event in our books."
Learning Life Skills
For many young members, working in the event kitchens provides their first taste of commercial-scale food preparation and service. The skills learned – time management, teamwork, quality control, customer service – prove valuable far beyond YFC activities.
Several former members have gone on to careers in hospitality, while others credit their YFC catering experience with giving them confidence in professional kitchens and corporate event planning.
"Working those busy lunch services taught me to stay calm under pressure and work as part of a team," says former member James Crawford, now a sous chef at a Lincoln restaurant. "The principles are exactly the same whether you're feeding farmers at a village show or dinner guests in a city restaurant."
The Secret Ingredients
Ask any regular volunteer about the secret to Gonerby YFC's catering success, and you'll get surprisingly similar answers. It's not about fancy equipment or exotic ingredients – it's about preparation, teamwork, and genuine care for the people you're feeding.
"The secret ingredient is always the same," Margaret Thornton reflects, surveying the bustling kitchen as volunteers prep for the lunch rush. "It's people who care about their community and want everyone to have a good time. You can taste the difference when food is made with that kind of intention."
As the morning progresses and the first hungry visitors start queuing for lunch, the kitchen team hits its stride. Orders are called out, plates are filled with practiced efficiency, and the satisfied murmur of well-fed people drifts back from the dining area.
It's a scene that plays out at YFC events across the country, but at Gonerby, it feels particularly special. Perhaps it's the way three generations work side by side, sharing skills and stories. Or maybe it's the knowledge that every meal served strengthens the bonds that hold this rural community together.
Whatever the magic ingredient is, one thing is certain: when Gonerby YFC throws a feast, nobody goes home hungry – and that's exactly how they like it.
