Bleating, neighing and snorting fill the air at Buskett for Mnarja

Under a scorching sun and a cacophony of farm animal sounds and cries, hundreds of people milled around at Buskett yesterday to catch a closer look of the exhibits at the traditional Mnarja agricultural festival.

As in previous years, this year's 160th edition of the farming manifestation was organised by the Agrarian Society.

Sheep bleated, cows mooed, horses neighed and bulls snorted as they were moved around to be examined by the hawk-eyed judges.

Children seemed to look askance as these beasts moved about, wondering perhaps whether they would make a good pet.

The section dedicated to vegetables, fruit and herbs was a feast for the eyes. Quality was the underlying motif at the Mnarja celebration.

Two local councils, Rabat and Dingli, brought a particular touch to the festival. Charles Abela, a councillor on the Dingli council, who is in charge of agriculture, said that the council's aim was to promote homemade preserved vegetables and fruit.

The stand included plain and peppered gbejniet (cottage cheese); gbejniet in red pepper sauce; preserved peaches; olives, cucumbers in garlic and tomato paste which seemed tasty enough to tempt the appetite for hobz biz-zejt of the most dedicated sticklers to diet.

This is the third time that the Dingli council took part in Mnarja and this year's participants in the preserved food section were provided with standard jars to improve its overall presentation.

The odd thing was that people could not buy any of the stuff because the items were meant for display only. It would make a lot of sense if the council were to hold a sale of the items on a Sunday after Mnarja on the main square in Dingli.

Mr Abela added that they had been encouraged by the Ministry of Agriculture to set up a stand with the preserved foodstuffs.

Anglu Seychell, 70, known as is-Sisulin, of Zejtun, was one of the exhibitors who had three German sheep, one of which won the milking competition after producing 3.5 litres of milk.

Mr Seychell said that usually he incinerates the sheep's wool because there is no demand for it but a friend of his has asked him for the wool of one of the sheep which he (Mr Seychell) will shear in one piece.

His friend intends to turn the wool into a purkar, a form of blanket. Gozitans still use the wool after it is spun to make jerseys to sell to tourists.

He said that when he was much younger, hundreds of sheep used to be slaughtered for human consumption but the demand for their meat has dipped sharply.

"Today, you won't see a sheep being slaughtered at the abattoir. You only get a few liri if you sell a sheep for meat," he added.

The agricultural feast came to end with the presentation of trophies to the winners of the various sections by President Eddie Fenech Adami.