Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Gardeners are encouraged to enter their blue ribbon best in the Fields and Gardens Department at the 2021 Fair.
One of the fair's original competitive departments, Fields and Gardens will yet again have another great year of showing.
"Through the times of struggle with Mother Nature and all, we are still hopeful for a good turnout on produce and exhibits for fair," Superintendent Jerry Groenewold said in a news release.
The Fields and Gardens Department will have the Largest Pumpkin Contest, where producers can enter the largest weighing pumpkin from their patch and see who will win the title. Along with this contest, there is also the Best Corn Contest where an exhibitor can bring in their best 10 ears of corn to be judged.
Although vegetables are a large portion of the Fields and Gardens Department, there are fruit classes as well. The apple division has a best tray contest where the exhibitor with the best five apples can win the prize. Other fruit categories are plums, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and watermelons.
Entries are not limited to just fruits and vegetables. There are categories focused on people's creative skills through the garden scarecrow and yard people contest. This contest is open for all ages and any groups that would like to participate. Other contests within the department not focused around produce are birdhouse gourds and decorative corn with husks.
Check out the exhibitor handbook online at http://www.claycountyfair.com, or pick one up at the fair administrative offices to find the rules and guidelines to enter your work at the fair. Pre-registration for all exhibits is encouraged and can be completed online, by mail or in person by Aug. 29. For those who choose not to pre-register, registration can also occur when entries are accepted at the Fields and Gardens Building on Wednesday, Sept. 8 (5-8 p.m.) and Thursday, Sept. 9 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) with judging scheduled for Friday, Sept. 10.
