Fenton Friday: Ribbons and more

Last Sunday, I picked up our ribbons from the Montgomery County Fair. We won 10 total and had submitted 23 entries.

We won: no 1sts, one 2nd place, and several 3rd, 4th, and 5th places. Among our winning entries was our Lemon Basil, Potatoes, Cosmos, Coleus, and variegated petunias.

The weather has cooled off this week, but alas, we were missed entirely by the last storm front that came through the region and are drying out again -- with no rain in the foreseeable future. So I'm back to hand-watering everything again.

The cool weather has benefitted many of the plot's plants. This week I picked cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, basil, and flowers. The heat will be back next week, but this break was much needed and the plants (and I!) are grateful. 

What are you growing in your edible garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 13th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).

Fenton Friday: We Got Ribbons!

We entered the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which runs through this Saturday. From our several entries, we earned ribbons for our Garlic, 'White Currant' Tomatoes, and African Marigolds -- all grown in our little plot at the Fenton Community Garden. (The final ribbon we earned was for an Obedient Plant flower that I cut at the last second from my front perennial bed.)

This is not a post to brag, rather to inspire. Our plantings and submissions are nothing special, IMHO, but we did take the time to grow them and submit them. Next year, set aside some of your garden's bounty for competition. Mark your calendars for next year's contests and plan to enter your local agricultural fairs and flower shows. As they say with the lottery, you got to play to win! 

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

Fenton Friday: Ribbon Time!

Last week I was in Chicago for the annual garden writers conference, one of my last errands before I jumped on my flight was to drop off my entries at the Montgomery County Fair. The entry choices from my garden were slim this year with all the rains and cooler weather. I didn't enter any vegetables. I did manage to scrounge up some cut flowers to submit and here are the ribbons they earned (4 were for roses!) -- along with a special 70th anniversary fair commemorative ribbon.

Back home, I visited the garden plot and found a bounty of tomatoes had now finally ripened. How I would have loved to have entered those 'Midnight Snack' beauties into the competition. Ah well, there is always next year.

Update on the Tomato Trial:
This week I picked (pictured clockwise from top): 'Tasmanian Chocolate', 'Garden Gem', 'Midnight Snack', 'Super Sweet', 'Centiflor', and 'Sun Gold'.

Update on the Cucumber Trial:

Pictured here are 'Marketmore' and a small 'Platinum' cuke. I haven't cut the latter open to taste yet, but I am guessing it is likely very mild. The 'Platinum' vine doesn't look like it will produce any more than this puny little guy. However, 'Marketmore' earns its name with several cukes this week and many more forming.

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 7th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above

Fenton Friday: Ribbons and Melons

I went away for 12 days and to speak at and attend two international gardening conferences (GWA and IWGS) and came home to a jungle both in my own home garden and in the community garden plot! This year, I arranged for helpers to water while I went away, fearing our typical July-August drought. Well, that was totally unnecessary as we have had one heavy storm after another and the plants are quite happy. Now I am just spending time beating things back from the pathways and picking off the swollen, cracked tomatoes.

While I was out, the interns entered us into several categories at the Montgomery County Fair and we went to check on them on Monday. We won two ribbons - a second and a fourth place - both for the Celosia blooms I planted along the back border of the plot.

One big development in the plot during my absence was the appearance of several Mouse Melons (aka Mexican Gherkins) on my tiny vines. I tasted one today and it was the typical lightly-sour-cucumber flavor that I really like. It is as if it has pickled itself -- no vinegar or long wait needed.

How is your edible garden growing this week?

About Fenton Friday: 

Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 6th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)

Fenton Friday: Bean Waiting

my beans with Jesus House Church in background

Finally the record temps are falling to highs "just" the low 90s and we had some decent, soaking rains this past week. The bean trellis was knocked over twice by the strong storms, but it was easy enough to put back in place. The beans plants themselves are putting on lots of growth and flowers. I expect a big harvest any day now...

Last weekend I entered the county fair, those who have been by already tell me I won about 9 ribbons, which include 2nd place for both my Okra and the 'Sungold' Tomatoes. I think my zinnias, sunflowers, and celosia from the garden plot also placed, but I won't know for sure until they release the awards on Sunday.

I should be planting my cool-season edibles for fall now. I am procrastinating though as the heat may return and I am just not ready to say farewell to summer yet -- even in the abstract.

How is your edible garden growing this week?

About Fenton Friday:
Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 5th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)

Fenton Friday: Fair Time Again

It is Montgomery County Fair time again and I fear I will have far fewer items to enter for this cycle. The potatoes, beans, and peppers are far from ready. The only real hope I have are my zinnias and cherry tomatoes. If I have enough okra, I'll throw those in as well. Wish me luck!

(The picture above was a fair visit from several years ago with my nieces -- when they were still into pink and unicorns! I am still into both.)

About Fenton Friday:
Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 5th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)

Fenton Friday: Fair Awards

 I finally got over to the Montgomery County Fair to be able to check on my entries. I did poorly in comparison to previous years which I blame on two factors: 1. I submitted the entries on Friday evening, when I normally wait until Saturday entry time, as judging is not until Sunday. I was so booked-up last Saturday though, that I had little choice in the matter. And 2. When I put the cut flowers in the vases, the water was HOT to the touch as the pre-filled glass vases apparently sat out in the sun all afternoon. I tried to choose the coolest of what was offered, but I still think that was a very bad decision to have made in haste. I should have insisted they be dumped out and refilled with cold water. I'm sure my entry submission wasn't the only one that evening that was harmed by that snafu. Anyone who works with cut flowers knows that hot water is the death of fresh-looking blooms.

Anyway, I did win some ribbons for my efforts. A first fora  multi-flora red rose, a second for my dried herbs, and several others for my edible entries -- carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes. I took pictures of some of my winners (see them at left).

I also learned some lessons for next year's entries, like to pre-make my own fancy labels for the fresh herb submissions. I had thought that was not allowed and the judges/entry volunteers did that.

There were a few categories that I definitely could have placed in had I entered like garlic, okra, and chard, so I've noted those as well.

Have you entered home-grown items into your local fair? How did yours do? Any winning strategies and tips to share?

About Fenton Friday:
Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 4th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)