I am very excited today to be heading to Sedalia to the Missouri State Fair. Tony Anderson, with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, contacted me back in February to see if I would be interested in being the judge for the Horticulture Contest at the State Fair this year. You Bet! For those of you who have never attended the fair, it is held every August in Sedalia at the fairgrounds. Sedalia is an hour and a half drive from the City Market just east on highway 50. When I arrived about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning the fairgrounds were bustling with activity. Different organizations where busy hauling in their supplies for the 10 day event, August 11-21.
I met Tony in the Agriculture Building and got busy judging the basket category. There were three different basket categories, Farmers’ market/Community Garden, Commercial or Market Grower Basket and the Home Grown Basket display. I had to pick a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner with prizes ranging from $200- $30.
Judging the baskets was a little tough but nothing compared to judging the tables of produce. There were nine categories to judge, Vegetables, Heirloom Tomatoes, Root Vegetables, Pumpkins/Squash/Gourds, Melons, Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Most Unusual Fruit or Vegetable and Fruit. My favorite categories to judge were the Melon and Tomatoes since I just had to try them all. The winning melon was WONDERFUL! It took about two and a half hours to work my way through the categories and I had a great time.
Before heading out of the fair I took a few minutes to walk around the grounds and check out all the rides, assortment of food and the animal barns. I am sure the place will be hopping when the gates open on Thursday. For more information go to www.mostatefair.com.
Since I was already half way to Fortuna I thought I would visit one farm before I headed home. Not too far off highway 5 south of Tipton is a beautiful nursery ran by Betsy Nolt. Betsy’s specialty is crape myrtle’s, she has 53 varieties in all colors and sizes. The plants have really been struggling with all the heat but still looked beautiful. The butterfly bushes were covered with butterflies; the picture does not do them justice. Betsy is really struggling with coming to the City Market or not. It is about a 3 hour drive and she will have to pay a driver for the day add that to the price of gas and stall fees and you really would have to sell a lot of perennials and house plants. Hopefully things will work out; I think Betsy and her family would be wonderful additions to the Market.
Time to head back to Kansas City since I have a long drive ahead of me. Not sure where I will be heading next week, possibly Manhattan Kansas.
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