Committee chair shares tips for fair projects
If your thumb is green you might be able to win a ribbon at the county fair.
Larry Kill, chairman of the Auglaize County Fair’s Horticulture Committee explained how participants can win a ribbon at the Auglaize County Fair by growing plants and preparing food. Kill offered a presentation at the St. Marys Community Public Library in collaboration with the Heritage Trails Park District, which is also holding a gardener swap and share this month at the library.
Kill outlined the registration process.
“When you enter, put down whatever you think you are going to have,” Kill said. “If you don’t have it, don’t bring it.”
Kill said everything in the building is a product of horticulture, and includes wine and beer making as well as fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Entrants are required to obtain a $30 season fair pass.
He explained how to fill out fair entries, which can also be done online at FairEntry. com. Kill said some people fill out multiple pages worth of entries. Kill says his cutoff for entries is two days prior to the fair so that judging can take place. He recommends storing plants in vases or beer bottles as they are entered.
“The biggest thing is to get them cut fresh,” Kill said.
While a flower can be near perfect, he said judges pay more atten
tion to the complete plant and might choose a plant with no holes in leaves over a plant with a nicer flower.
“They want to see good growth of new flowers coming on and some at the top that haven’t opened up yet,” Kill said.
With dahlias, for example, judges look for roundness and fullness. Dahlia flowers are further classified by sizes as well as pom-pom and regular
When judges are looking at Black-eyed Susans ,the flower needs to be looking up, as they are supposed to follow the sun.
Flower classes include house plants, flowers, dahlias, cut roses, Hostas and grasses.
When it comes to judging tomatoes, Kill said judges look for uniformity on a plate of three. He said to keep part of the stem on it to show judges it didn’t come from the grocery store. Kill added that color can help too, depending on the vegetable. He said last year an usually big head of broccoli did well.
He said zucchini entered should be about 6 inches long, and in the second stage of growth as it will be less hairy.
Each year, the number of fruits or vegetables being judged will vary for each item.