What are you bringing to the fair this year?

[HotPepperQueen]

As some of you may know, bringing produce and homegoods to the fair is one of my FAVORITE things! I wanted to start a thread to see what others are bringing to their local fairs this year and see how they placed. This should be fun!

This year I am bringing this to the county fair-

Produce: Green Beans, Carrots, Pickling Cucumbers, Slicing Cucumbers, Mixed Gourds, Parsnips, Peppers, Heirloom Tomato, Red Tomatoes, Vegetable Novelty, Red Potatoes, Fingerling Potatoes, Basil, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Raspberries

Canned Goods: Applesauce, Raspberry Jam, Plum Jelly, Pepper Jelly, Dill Pickles, Sweet Chunk Pickles, Dilly Beans, Sliced Beans, Sauerkraut, Tomatoes & Green Chilis, Tomato Juice

 

[so lucky]

What am I bringing to the fair? My granddaughters! I am sure they will win a prize.

 

[ninnymary]

so lucky, that's a cute one! I'm bringing "nada" but I don't think that will win me a ribbon.

Mary

 

[vfem]

lol@Mary

I sure do the fair each year too. Ours isn't until October and I start filling out my entries next month. In a couple of weeks I'll be starting some 'recipe' tests for the recipe contests I do each year as well.

This year I only know I'm entering what may be a MONSTER watermelon from the garden, along with a few jams and sauces. We'll see once I get the prize sheet from them next week to see what entries I can make. I'm selective because I do care about the prize money!! hahahah

 

[Jared77]

THis is a cool thread great idea Hot Pepper. No entries here this year things got behind with things and then the deadline closed. Next year!!!

 

[Collector]

DW wants to enter some of her jams and other canned goods, I was thinking my giant pumpkin until it died off. Maybe I will just enter the perfect dozen of eggs!

 

[Smiles Jr.]

What am I taking to the fair(s) this year? My grands, both are Jr. 4-H'ers. They love the entire fair experience each year. We went to a fair on Wednesday after noon and another on Thursday morning. We've been interested in the goat shows this year. I must say that the vegetable and fruit displays are the sorriest I have ever seen. I always feel sorry for the young people who have to bring puny stuff for competition. There was one paper plate with 5 carrots about 4" long and about as big around as a fat pencil. There were several plates of partially dried out pea pods, Lima bean pods, green bean pods.

Now a person may say that it's a way to teach the kids that mother nature is in control and that they shouldn't expect a good harvest every year. And I believe that's true. However, in the 30 years that I have been involved in 4-H I have witnessed more unfavorable results from bad harvest years than favorable results. The young person is embarrassed to show something that is not worthy of a prize. They get very discouraged and some give up. We all know how fragile a young person's feelings are and the peer pressure is great (or at least they think so). We try to teach and encourage the youngsters to "buck up" and try to do good next year. But to some the failure factor is too great to try again. What a shame. Some even turn to those electronic hand-held game things and then they are lost to all of mankind when that happens.

 

[Jared77]

Those kids should be proud of what they grew. I know I'm proud of everything my kid grows even if whats produced is small or only get a fraction of a crop when I know if I had tended the plant. I give pointers when nessecary and will offer suggestions but its ultimately their decision.

And if they want to enter it at the fair I totally support it. Sure I feel a little bad that some of the kids may not have the best entries, but I also commend them for sticking to and seeing a project through.

How do you tell the kids that their efforts are not worth entering? Sorry but your hard work isn't worth it and we dont want you to embaress yourself? All the hard work you put into what you got doesn't warrant a space on the entry table?

Sorry Id rather have them at least have something to enter, and try to encourage them to try again and maybe try things a little differently so maybe they can have better results. Sure sometimes we don't always get the results we want. For example last year I had gorgeous romas. This year? They are not half as good as I grew last year. But thats the breaks. We need to fail sometimes. We need to be humble, and realize that things are out of our hands. I think its up to the parents to help those kids. Run the hose for a bit when its dry, spread some compost, some manure, maybe a touch of miracle grow or some tea. Its not always about winning. I just hope that the parents know that so they can teach their kids that.

 

[HotPepperQueen]

Today is the day that I bring my entries in to the fair office! Tomorrow at 2:00pm I should know the results. My potatoes are quite embarassing due to their size but I figured "what the heck, why not?" so those are being entered. I pulled up my huge parsnip greens only to find non exsistant parsnips underneath, so those won't be going. Other than that, my tomatoes are blemish free but kind of small compared to usual but I'll take what I can get with this pheasant problem I've got going on. As for right now though, I think I'll start loading up my car. Then I'll drop off my things and enjoy the rabbit show :bun

 

[HotPepperQueen]

Better late than never! Check out my blog for a picture and my results from the Mille Lacs County Fair

http://raisingyourown.blogspot.com/