Submitting Open Class Fruits and Vegetables at the Fair

With Fair season upon us, many avid fruit and vegetable gardeners may be particularly curious at the moment about what makes a perfect specimen for a fair entry. In true fashion of my predecessor, my first inclination is to say, “It depends!” Every particular specimen entered within the fair will have its own specific requirements for display, as determined by the fair book. Regardless, there are a handful of helpful tidbits out there that are steadfast when choosing a fair entry.

To begin, gardeners should examine the overall quality and condition of the crops being considered for submission. Crops should ideally be at edible maturity and not overripe or underripe at the time of judging. They should also be free of mechanical injury or bruising, insect feeding, or disease blemishes. If submitting a bundle of crops (often required for several species), the specimens should be uniform in both color and size, and the particular size submitted should be what is typical of the specific variety that was grown. Gardeners will then want to consider shelf life, as the fair is a long, and more-often-then-not, very hot week. As such, submitted fruits and vegetables should be firm – remembering that they will ultimately be judged on their appearance, and they may have to wait a while before their judging is able to happen.

Elsewhere, gardeners should also remember not to overlook the value of submission cleanliness! Depending on the crop, soil should be washed or brushed from the submissions, and the submission as a whole should be wiped with a damp cloth. Gardeners should ask themselves, “Does this look like a perfect specimen?”

For a few pointers with common crops:
• Cucumbers should be firm, dark green, not oversized, uniform in size, and trimmed (not ripped) off the vine. They may be washed before submission.
• Zucchini and summer squash should be 6” to 9” long, unless entering a “largest zucchini” submission. Their appearance should be true to the variety type, and their rinds should not be tough or hard.
• Peppers should be deep in color, fresh, firm, and symmetrical. Non-red peppers should not have traces of red, as this indicates over ripeness. Stems should be ¼” - ½” long.
• Beans should be uniform in size, shape, color, and maturity, and free of blemishes. They should not have any broken ends from harvesting.
• Onions should be uniform in size, harvested early and allowed to dry, with a small and well-cured neck. Do NOT peel the skin. Trim tops to 1” above the bulb and roots to ¼”.
• Potatoes should be uniform in size, shape, and color, and free from skin defects. Avoid green or sunburnt specimens, and gently wash them, being sure to avoid scratching.
• Herbs will depend on the type submitted. Leafy herbs should have fresh and clean leaves. Flowering herbs should have fresh blooms with uniform color. Herb seeds should be full seedheads which do not fall apart on a plate.

Of course, there’s always more to be covered! Best practice will be to become well acquainted with all fair book requirements before submission, even for the crops you don’t plan on submitting. The more familiar you become, the better! And remember, judges like pretty! Follow these tips and make the best display possible.

by Anthony Reardon, Horticulture Small Farms Agent, 2025