Local Master Gardeners will host a free class on Thursday, June 29, at 6 p.m., to answer questions about how to enter items – like these corn stalks – in the Faribault County Fair.

Do you have a crop, batch, craft or creation you are particularly proud of this summer?

Do you wish you could enter your pet project at the Faribault County Fair, but aren’t sure how? 

Not to worry, the Faribault County Master Gardeners are hosting a free class on Thursday, June 29, at 6 p.m., which will answer all of your questions about the fair entry process.

Though the class is geared toward participants who are entering horticultural items at the Fair, Master Gardener Cindy Lyon says the class will be useful for anyone in need of guidance as they enter items for judging – whether those items are jams and jellies, photography, arts and crafts or field crops.

“It’s the same procedure for all of it,” Lyon explains. “We’re also hoping 4-H kids come. It’s all the same process and you fill out the same registration.” 

The registration Lyon is referring to is the Faribault County Fair Open Class Entry Form, which is chock-full of open class entry dates and times, departments and classes, and procedures to follow throughout the entry process.

The form will be available in the Fair Premium Book upon its publication. The form is also available at CCF Bank and First Bank Blue Earth, Farmers Trust & Savings Bank in Bricelyn and Global Innovations Bank in Kiester.

Additionally, Lyon anticipates the form will soon be posted on the Faribault County Fair’s website, at www.faribaultcountyfair.com.

However, even after they have obtained an Open Class Entry Form, Lyon says prospective entrants often have questions about the process. This is where next week’s class, on June 29, comes in.

“People come and they’re unsure (about the entry process), so they struggle, which makes the whole process kind of painful,” Lyon recalls. “We want people to enjoy it.” 

The class will be led by an experienced troupe of Faribault County Master Gardeners who represent areas all over the county. Lyon and Master Gardener Wilma Bittinger are from the Blue Earth area, while Master Gardener Wendy Nickel hails from Kiester. Deb Ramsley is a Minnesota Lake local, Deb Trio is from Easton and Sara Voges is from Bricelyn.

On June 29, all six Master Gardeners will meet prospective entrants in Oldfather Hall at the Faribault County Fairgrounds to go over the basics of entering items at the Faribault County Fair, which is slated to take place starting Wednesday, July 26 through Saturday, July 29.

The Master Gardeners intend to answer common questions about the entry process during the class. They will review the requirements and preparation for bringing in specimens and guide participants through the process of filling out entry sheets and tags.

The class will also cover the ins and outs of Entry Day, which is scheduled on Monday, July 24, from 3 to 7 p.m. Judging Day – slated for Tuesday, July 25 – will be discussed as well, along with the judging process.

Finally, the Master Gardeners intend to discuss what happens at the end of Fair Week, and walk participants through the process of collecting winnings and entries once the week has concluded.

The class will also cover more specific points of confusion about the entry process. For example, Lyon explains some entrants assume that they should share a number with their spouse if they both submit an entry to the Fair. However, spouses are actually issued separate numbers for their entries if they each choose to enter a project.

Lyon says another point of confusion is the distinction between amateur and professional work, the latter of which is subject to different rules than the work of an unpaid hobbyist.

“Anybody that’s ever been paid to do a service, they are a professional,” Lyon explains. “You need to get yourself in the right league.” 

That being said, Lyon says many entrants – even if they are typically unpaid amateurs – are unaware that a small payment awaits them at the end of Fair Week.

“A lot of people don’t realize they get paid (for entering), and will have a check waiting,” Lyon says. She adds the procedure is a great way to earn funds to invest in next year’s Fair project.

“If you enter a fair amount of vegetables, for example, you’ll get a nest egg – enough to invest in your vegetables next year,” Lyon explains.  

Apart from remembering to collect their check at the end of Fair Week, Lyon says entrants will be reminded that they can collect – and keep – their ribbons at the end of the week.

The Master Gardeners will also answer questions specific to horticultural entries at the class on June 29.

Lyon notes that people who enter horticulture items at the Fair are offered a Fair-issued vase for their arrangement. However, if they choose to submit a sample in their own vase, entrants are requested to collect and empty their vase at the end of Fair Week.

Lyon says other rules specific to the arrangement of horticultural entries sometimes flummox entrants, as well.

“You’re not supposed to have any foliage down at the base,” Lyon observes. She adds, “You’re supposed to grow them yourself – you’re not supposed to make an arrangement with (purchased) flowers.” 

Lyon says the Master Gardeners will highlight additional opportunities for involvement at next week’s class, some of which fall outside of Fair Week. As always, they will encourage class participants to consider becoming Master Gardeners themselves.

Additionally – whether a person is a Master Gardener or not – the group will never turn away offers for help during Fair Week.

“We’re always looking for people to sit in the building,” Lyon says.

She encourages anyone with additional questions about the Fair Week entry process to contact Megan Cook at the Faribault County Extension Office. Cook can be reached at cookm@umn.edu, or at 507-526-6240.

To learn more, you can also visit the Faribault County Extension Office’s website at extension.umn.edu.