While showing livestock may be a large part of the fair experience, there’s more to the St. Francois County Fair than just animals. This year’s fair is Wednesday through Sunday.
Exhibits for horticulture, including field crops, home economics and floriculture are accepted on Wednesday — the day that is the real kickoff of fair week — at the Exhibit Building from 3 to 6:30 p.m. No prior entry fees are required, and no out-of-state entries will be accepted. A person can submit one entry per class.
Exhibits must be removed Sunday by 11 a.m., and cannot be removed before 8 a.m. on Sunday unless previously arranged. Any entries left at 11 a.m. on Sunday are not the responsibility of the fair association and may not be returned.
Where applicable, the youth division exhibitors must be between the ages of 7 and 13, while the tot division exhibitors must be between the ages of 3-6. Both divisions are ineligible to enter the Department J – Junior Show.
Under horticulture, the broad categories include vegetables, including beans, green beans, carrots, okra, and more vegetables. Fruits are also included under horticulture, including apples with red, yellow, and green all allowed, peaches, pears, plums, and other fruits.
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Field crops are also under the horticulture section, and include the categories of hybrid corn, grain and seed, plants, and baled hay. Under the grain and seed category, all grain and seed must be in a one-quart jar, while baled hay must be a half bale of the current year’s hay.
Under the home education section, there are numerous categories for participation. All canned good entries must follow the University of Missouri Extension guidelines, and all canned foods must be exhibited in standard containers bearing the names of the mason plus the trade name.
Under this section, the categories include canned fruits and vegetables, preserves, butter, marmalade, jam, jellies, pickles and other preserves, bread, cakes, cookies, pastry, candy, handicrafts, Christmas ideas, art, oils, charcoals, pencils or pastels, acrylics, ink in art, tile, ceramics or plaster, embroidery, painted embroidery, crewel embroidery, applique, needlepoint, counted cross stitch, cross stitch, crochet, knitting, apron, textile painting other than wall hanging, placemat and potholders, rugs quilts, afghans, infant clothing, children’s clothing, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, photography within the current year and wood.
Categories for floriculture include cut specimens, container plants and houseplants including potted, hanging, or dish, flower arrangements, and garden art.
With floriculture, underneath the cut specimens category, all specimens must be garden-grown by the exhibitor, must include foliage when possible, and be a single stem unless other notice is given. All exhibits underneath the cut specimens group are required to be well-groomed, insect free, and no oiling or dressing of foliage is allowed. All exhibits must be in clear jars or bottles in a good proportion to the size of specimen, and absolutely no cans and no colored bottles or jars are allowed.
Under the category of container and houseplants, this category includes any potted, hanging or dish plants. All containers must be clean and be decorated and potted by the exhibitor. Plants must be well-established and maintained by the exhibitor for 90 days or more prior to entering the exhibit. Judging will be on abundance of blooms at their peak, foliage, clearness of color, size, and form of the plants in according to variety, grooming, and cultural perfection.
Under arrangements, all arrangements must be done by the exhibitor. Fresh flowers must be garden-grown, but do not have to be grown by the exhibitor. This includes an arrangement of fresh flowers, silk flowers, miniature fresh or dried flowers and cannot exceed five inches in any direction.
All garden art entries must be garden-related, and includes stepping stones, wind chimes, photography, ceramics, and others.
The youth division for home education is for youth under the age of 13 who may not enter exhibits in 4-H or Future Farmers of America, and will be judged on the Danish system in which everyone will receive a ribbon.
Under the floriculture section, there are two sections for those under the age of 16, one for youths ranging from ages seven to 15, and tots ages 3-6. Both the youth and tot sections will be judged by the Danish system.
If there are any questions, contact Chairperson Faye Worley, 573-756-2951.
Danielle Thurman is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be contacted at dthurman@dailyjournalonline.com or 573-518-3616.
