County fairs are just around the corner, and they offer a great opportunity to share your green thumb. Consider entering your flower and garden bounty in the open horticulture and floriculture at your county fair. Entries are judged on the following criteria: freedom from injury, quality, condition, uniformity, and fair preparation. Freshness and quality are also important in a fair exhibit. Take the time to carefully harvest your produce, choosing items that are in prime condition, of marketable size, and uniform shape. Use a soft brush or a damp cloth to clean your produce but avoid excessive scrubbing. Follow the cleaning and trimming instructions for each exhibit.
Beware of a common mistake made when exhibiting produce at the fair and have the correct number of items in your exhibit. For instance, the number for carrots is five regardless of their class. However, if you are entering cucumbers, the number needed for the exhibit varies according to class. Slicing requires two, and pickling requires five. Don’t risk missing out on a ribbon by displaying the incorrect numbers in an exhibit.
The 4-H county fair books are full of information on exhibiting your items. Tomatoes should be exhibited at the fair without stems and should be displayed blossom end up. Vine crops such as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon should have stems left on and trimmed to the length recommended in the fair book. Kale and chard should be exhibited with stems in a jar of cold water, as well as herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
Finally, your 4-H county fair book is a guide to placing your vegetables in their proper class. For instance, peppers have six classes; squash have ten; tomatoes have seven. This helps speed up the check-in process and ensures your entry will be judged in the appropriate class.
For additional information, contact your local Nebraska Extension office.
