Master Gardeners In the Garden
-
Show off your garden’s bounty at the county fair
By Jenaleigh Fox
WSU Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener
Jenaleigh Fox – WSU Extension Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener NCW Fair exhibit info is available online
The NCW Fair in Waterville officially opens on Thursday, Aug. 27 and continues through Sunday, Aug. 30.
Those who plan to enter Open Class exhibits, including horticulture, floral, arts & crafts, agriculture, baking, food preservation, and fabric & fiber arts, can find out more information by visiting bit.ly/ncwfairexhibitorguide.
The WSU Chelan-Douglas Master Gardener Program will staff a booth in the commercial building during the fair’s four-day run. Stop by to chat with WSU Master Gardeners about gardening in general or you can ask questions about issues impacting your garden this year.
— WSU Chelan-Douglas Master GardenersGardeners, I hope you’ve had fun working in your gardens this spring and summer. Before fall officially arrives, we can celebrate our hard work at the upcoming Chelan County Fair (Sept. 10-13). And it really is a celebration.
The Master Gardener program was created by Washington State University to empower agricultural communities with science-backed gardening information, and there is no better expression of our agricultural roots than gathering to show off what our community has grown. I always feel inspired and proud of our region when I walk among the exhibits. And who wouldn’t feel empowered with a ribbon on their zucchini?
There’s a long tradition behind that feeling. County fairs have been part of American life since the early 1800s, bringing rural communities together for agricultural commerce, education, and celebration.
“The county fair is the ultimate time of harvest where you get to show off what you worked really hard for, learn about different fruits and vegetables, and get ideas for your next garden season,” says Master Gardener Alina Cibicki, superintendent of the Boswell building where fruits, vegetables, flowers, and home brews are displayed. “I love that it is a fun way for the generations to intermingle. At the fair, gardeners can pick each other’s brains, and Master Gardeners and community members share a lot of helpful gardening tips and tricks.”
There is no cost to enter exhibits, and we accept submissions from everyone; whether you show every year or you’ve never set foot in the fairgrounds before, we want to see you and your garden entries this year!
The fair is rolling out online entries this year, so you can register your exhibits online or in person at the Boswell Building on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Chelan County Expo Center in Cashmere. Master Gardeners will be there between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. to help you enter your flowers, fruits, vegetables, and home brews. As you prepare your exhibits, the main thing to get right is the quantity for each entry. For specific requirements, check out pages 24-33 of the Chelan County Fair exhibitor guide (bit.ly/ccfairexhibitorguide).
You can choose for your entries to be judged or for display-only. Judging is based on how closely each exhibit matches the standards of an “ideal” model, rather than how it compares to the other entries. Every entry that meets all standards for its class will receive a blue ribbon. Entries that meet many but not all standards receive red ribbons, and all other entries receive white ribbons. The ribbons are tied to “premium points.” Any exhibitor who receives at least $5 worth of points receives a check. So go for it and submit multiple entries … there is even a prize for the most entries!
Exhibitors can receive a discount on their tickets to attend the fair. The theme for this year’s fair is “Stars, Stripes, & Carnival Lights – Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary.” In addition to produce and flowers, fair attendees can expect to see all manner of farm animals and handicrafts, watch rodeo and live music, and experience the thrill of the carnival. Participating in the fair is a way to honor the hard work of growing food, and it’s a lot of fun, too!
A WSU Chelan and Douglas County Master Gardener column appears weekly in The Wenatchee World. To learn more about your local Master Gardener program, visit bit.ly/wsucdmgprogram or call (509) 667-6540.
More Garden Advice
View archives