The fruit of months of toil was yesterday lavished on visitors to Buskett, where the yearly l-Imnarja saw the woodland abuzz with picnickers, folk music, food stalls, animals on display and their proud breeders.

It is one of the oldest traditional feasts, believed to date from before the time of the Knights and still very popular among the Maltese.

Buskett was packed yesterday as thousands of visitors, including many tourists, mingled with cows, horses and hunting dogs taking part in the yearly competitions.

There weren’t just beauty contests but also involved activities like the milking of goats and sheep.

Fruit and vegetables were stacked in neat displays under the big white canopy, a popular landmark with picnickers who had to give up their spot in the shade to rows of caged rabbits and birds.

However, not all the animals at Buskett were alive – some were served on dishes to hungry visitors who could choose from rabbit, pork and snail stew. And, of course, there was no shortage of ‘bread with tomatos’ and cheesecakes – ftajjar biż-żejt, pastizzi, qassatat – as well as the date-filled fried imqaret.

The food stalls, as in every Maltese festa, proved very popular and, by 11am, some sellers were already running out of supplies.

Apart from the animals, local produce and food for sale, the event also hosted traditional music and dance, including the ever popular għana which reverberated through the woodland.

Children – some for the first time – were also able to witness the making of the Maltese qoffa, or wicker basket, which risks extinction unless something is done to revive interest in the dying craft.