Clallam County Fair Week

Years ago... I mean, really YEARS ago, I was a 4-H'er and took part in the county fair where I lived in New Hampshire. So it's been a long time since I entered anything into any kind of judging environment.

Wayne sets up his floral entries in the Dahlia category.

Wayne's Hollyhocks

My new companion, Wayne, has (for all the years I haven't been in fairs) been doing them with his late wife, Barbara. They used to enter flowers, vegetables as well as canning, and before that he was entering livestock as well. So he is very experienced in fair requirements for all categories.

Wayne's Pink Stargazer Lily entry.

This week he was intently focused on getting his entries in place and encouraged me to enter a couple of my canned items as well.

So I entered my raspberry jam, my strawberry jam and the plum syrup (which was supposed to be jelly) that we both made. He said it looks like we have done very well with blue and red ribbons for all the Home Arts entries!! (I will post an update later.)

He entered some salmon he caught and canned, peaches, jam and one of the plum syrups, along with at least 30 or 40 floral entries.

All those blue ribbons for Wayne!!

Wayne's White Stargazer Lily.

On Thursday (Aug. 17) he went to volunteer in whatever locations that he might be needed. I think this is a difficult time for him because it is the first year in two decades that he is not doing it with Barbara and while initially he was not going to do much of anything at all, it appears that my encouragement with the canning was the catalyst for him to step up and out and be at this year's Clallam County Fair.

Wayne was 'in charge' of cupcakes
for the little ones' competition.

Two of Wayne's dahlias were blue ribbon
entries; others got reds.

Sunday, Aug. 20: And his entries have done very well... many blues, some reds and lots of compliments from folks who know him well. Including trying to prevail upon him to do some big work next year.

For me it is a delight to realize that all these years after I watched and learned from my mother about making jams, I learned enough to produce a top quality product, competing with some of the best! And honestly, I want my grandchildren to learn these skills, too, not just for the fair, but for their own fare. I really love my jams on hot toast, with a nut butter or on ice cream... ever tried hot raspberry jam on vanilla ice cream?

Fair days are about over in Clallam County, but there is still a big fair in Ellensburg over Labor Day weekend where Wayne's grandson will be entering a hog for judging, following in his grandpa's footsteps.