BROWN COUNTY — This year’s Brown County Fair Horticultural Division offered 400 entries to view. There were 138 vegetable, herb and fruit specimens, 162 flower specimens, 41 artistic arrangements, 10 Senior Citizen entries, eight bouquets, seven oddity vegetables, one sculpture entry, and two children entries.

The Brown County Master Gardeners were on hand from noon to 10 pm daily to answer gardening questions and direct gardeners to the University of Minnesota Extension website for further information on many topics. The top questions by gardeners seemed to be about pollinator gardens and dealing with the wet spring and summer. The free seed give away was also a big hit. Runnings donated this year’s left over seed packages.

There were also 10 planters and 21 garden photos of display. The artistic category changes themes every year. This year’s theme was “Let’s Go On Vacation.” The 12 categories listed different states with their identifiable attributes. Entries were judged on Wednesday evening by the judges competent in their areas of knowledge, with the Brown County Master Gardeners clerking for the judges. The Brown County Fair Board is generous with the ribbons allowed and every entry receives a ribbon. This is not the case at some county fairs with only a first, second and third place ribbon allowed in each category.

Entries are in the air conditioned Civic Center on the Fair Grounds. This helps the vegetables and flowers stay in better condition than if they are displayed in a warm environment.

There were 31 different entrants that had entries that deserve placement on the Honors Table. A blue ribbon is 1st place, red ribbon 2nd place and white ribbon 3rd place. Then the judges peruse the blue ribbon winners and choose a Champion and Reserve Champion of each Division. Honorable Mention ribbons are also given out to more deserving entries in each category. These entries are moved to the “Honors Table”. Six-seven entries made it to the Honors Table.

Individuals attaining Champion Ribbons were: Calla Tallness, Mark Bregel, Myron Fluegge, Tony Guggisberg, Lynn Hacker, Heather Kressin, Marianne Schotzko, Caeli Schumpberger, Deb Steinberg and Cynthia Surprenant.

Reserve Champion winners were: Calla Ahlness, Phillip Gill, Tony Guggisberg, Lynn Hacker, Jerine Hoffmann, Charley Nelson, Marianne Schotzko, Carlila Schumpberger, Teresa Seidl, Deb Steinbeerg, Cynthia Surprenant, Evelyn Wolljer and Jerome Zitzman.

Rounding off the Honorable Mention winners were: Carrie Ahlness, Kari Beran, Holly Covington, Lauren Diggs, Jan Dittbenner, Myron Fluegge, Julie Gartner, Anna Geiger, Jakob Gill, Emily Guggisberg, Tony Guggisberg, Jerine Hoffmann, Heather Kressin, Janette Krzmarzick, Claire Kveno, Daniel Moldan, Marianne Schotzko, Stan Schotzko, Deb Steinberg and Jerome Zitzman.

The Brown County Fair Board has been working hard to improve our County Fair. This year they have offered talks/demonstrations by various groups. The Brown County Master Gardeners gave two presentations on pollinator gardening and lawns to legumes as well as inoculating ash trees to grow mushrooms.

Adults interesting in gardening to expand their knowledge by taking the classes to become a University of Minnesota Master Gardener. All classes are offered on-line and begin in January, but applicants need to be accepted by October. Call the Brown County Extension Office, ask a local Master Gardener, or go to the University of Minnesota Extension website for further information.