THE season of misty mornings, mellow fruitfulness and the sound of tractors in the hop yards is here and its time to underline Malvern Autumn Show, Saturday-Sunday, September 29-30, in your diary.

This year the two-day event suffered a hiccup when foot-and-mouth restrictions cancelled some of the animal favourites, but for anyone who likes anything with fur or four legs or that flaps its wings, there will still be plenty to see.

Donkeys, ponies, foals, ducks, geese, rabbits and guinea pigs in the Millers Ark area will be on display, as will native pony breeds such as Connemara, highland, New Forest, fell, Exmoors and Shetlands, together with spotted ponies, heavy horses and all kinds of dogs from Siberian huskies and leonbergers to greyhounds, lurchers and Newfoundlands.

The two day event on the Three Counties Showground usually attracts about 60,000 visitors and thanks to the warm spring and wet summer this one should provide a bumper display of fruit and veg.

With Worcestershire and Herefordshire's orchards groaning under one of the biggest and best apple crops for ages and vegetables growing like athletes on steroids, the judges in the Harvest Pavilion will have their work cut out picking the winners.

But, of course, with its 650 tradestands the Autumn Show is now much more than a horticultural extravaganza.

Celebrities will be there in force. Like television chef and the Great British Village Show frontman James Martin, who has just finished filming a new series called Eating With The Enemy and will be appearing in the show's cookery theatre on the Sunday.

Then there will be brilliant writer, cook, broadcaster and teacher Sarah Raven, who is indisputably a dab hand at everything from vegetable gardening to flower arranging.

Sarah will be appearing in the cookery theatre on both days, where, among other things, she will be creating an unusual and beautiful floral decoration for the festive dining room in her own inimitable style.

Most importantly, however, Sarah is at Malvern to promote the health benefits of eating home grown produce, and the satisfaction derived from sowing, growing and harvesting food from the garden for the plate.

The show will feature three edible display gardens for the first time ever this year, by way of encouraging the "grow your own" culture sweeping Britain.

For those with their pets in mind, television vet and expert dog nutritionist Joe Inglis, who starred in the BBC series Vets In Practice, will be there with his beloved pooch, Jack, to demonstrate the art of healthy home-cooking for dogs.

Armed with his kitchen set, a few doggylicious' ingredients and of course, his trusted four-legged taster, Joe will be cooking up some of the recipes from the Joe & Jack's natural pet food range, live on stage, and answering visitor questions about animal health.

At the other end of the spectrum, members of the forgotten skills group will bring a touch of yesteryear to the show with a working exhibition of old rural crafts and forgotten' pastimes. They will be inviting visitors to watch and take part in displays of net making, pole lathe working, wool craft, blacksmithing, stick making, chainsaw sculpting, wood turning and country art.

The Malvern Autumn Show is now in its 13th year, and is an eclectic mix of autumn flowers, harvest produce, animals and family entertainment.

l The show is being held over the weekend of September 29-30 and is open 9am-6pm both days. Admission from £12.50 adults and £5 for children 5-15.