The historic contest has once again become a popular event on the city's calendar - more than 180 years after it began - and it's now so trendy that organisers have been forced to find a bigger home.

Last year the usual pavilion almost burst when more than 300 entries across a wide range of produce categories turned up for judging.

With similar entries expected this year the competition will now take place in the substantially larger McDonald Pavilion, under the historic grandstand, with new shelving to showcase the food.

The Flora section - where all the plants and flowers have their turn in the limelight - will also be displayed in this pavilion.

A Good Food Cafe, filled with local produce tastings, will also run over the three days to help connect the paddock to plate theme.

Horticulture Chief Steward Amorelle Dempster said the Slow Food Earth Market and the COVID-19 pandemic had enticed more people into the garden to grow their own food.

"The show is such a good way of celebrating what is now available," Ms Dempster said.

"It's a way of allowing people to see this array of beautiful produce and being able to do that together as a community. And it's also a way of people being aware of the quality of what is being grown and how much enjoyment they are getting out of doing that.

"With the wonderful volunteers we are creating this beautiful display where people will be able to come in here and feel very proud of what is happening with our food system here in Maitland."

Ms Dempster said she was hoping for at least 300 produce entries this year and around the same in the flora section.

She said the display would also feature a Resilience exhibit which had been sourced from the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

"The flora section is important as well and we need it because of the pollinators - and it brings great beauty as well and also a lot of pleasure for the people who are gardening and having flowers bloom. It's all important for the environment," she said.

Ms Dempster has taken over the reins from longtime horticulture steward Adele Cockburn.

Farmers Austin Breiner and Matthew Dennis will judge the produce section, Brod Vallance will judge the eggs and Jeff Hicks will judge some of the flora section.

Entries close at 5pm on February 14. Click here to download the form on the show website or phone 49335052 to have it emailed or posted.

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