Dept. 21A Sunflower Contest
BetsyBraleyandMelindaKernerco-superintendents
518-392-2121office
MailentriestoColumbiaCountyFair
P.O.Box257Chatham,NY12037
ENTRIES&PAYMENTMUSTBEPOSTMARKEDBYAUGUST20TH,2016
$2.50ENTRYFEE
JUDGINGSUNDAYAUGUST28th2016
Sponsored by Berkshire Bank
Rules:
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TwoCLASSES:Youth12andunder.Adult13andolder.
Sunflowersmustbehomegrown.
Limitofoneentry,perperson,perclass.
th
SunflowerentriesmustbebroughttotheColumbiaCountyFair,Sunday,August28 between1-2PMto
bejudge.
• Entriesmusthavea3X5card,withname&address(Town).Tapedortiedtotheirsunflower.Alsoindicate
tallestplantorlargestflower,category.
• Winnerswillbeannouncedat2:15PM
• Mustbepresenttowinandmustconsenttohavingphototakenforpublicity.
• PickupisMondaynightat9PMorTuesdaySept6th.9AM-3PM
Unlessarrangementshavebeenmade.TheFairSocietywilldisposeofleftoversonWed.
1.TallestSunflowerPlant
Thetallestplantwillbemeasurefromthebottomofstalk(soilline)tothebottomcenteroftheseedhead.Cutthe
plantfromthebaseofstalk.Leavesarenotnecessary,onlythestalkincludingFullseedhead.Ifheadis
disconnected,it’sadisqualification.
2.LargestSunflowerHead
ThemeasurementwillbetakenacrossthesunflowerheadcontainingaFULL(atleast95%)ofseeds.Thejudges
willdetermineifthesunflowerheadqualifies,ifseedsaremissing.
Headsshouldbecutfromstalk,unlessenteringthesameplantinthetallestsunflowerplantclass.
Ifyoufindyoursunflowerisalreadyripeanddying.Savethewholeplant.TheONLYcriteriaforjudgingarethe
heightofthesunflowerand/orthediameteroftheseedhead.Thedryplantcanbesavedinyourgarageorbarn
andbroughtinonthedayofjudging.
Section1:TallestSunflowerPlant
ClassA:Adult1st$50.00+rosette2nd$25.00+ribbon3rd$10.00+ribbon
ClassB:Youth1st$50.00+rosette2nd$25.00+ribbon3rd$10.00+ribbon
Section2:LargestSunflowerHead
ClassA:Adult1st$50.00+rosette2nd$25.00+ribbon3rd$10.00+ribbon
ClassB:Youth1st$50.00+rosette2nd$25.00+ribbon3rd$10.00+ribbon
TheFairSocietyisnotresponsibleforlostordamagedentries.
Whenaresunflowers“done”?
Whentheplantleavesturnbrownandtheflowerheadsdroop,theplanthasreacheditsfull
maturityandisdone.Youcanpulltheplantupandstoreituntilthecontest,oryoucanleaveit
intheground,butitcouldgetdamagedbybirdsortheelements.Theplantandheadcanbe
broughtindryatthetimeofjudging.
HarvestingandEnjoyingGiantSeedHeads
Asthepetalsfalloff,thecenterfloretdriesupandtheseedkernelsbegintoswellinthedisks,
carefullyclimbastepladderandcoveryourflowerheadwithameshonionbagorlooseburlap
orpaperbag.Thiskeepsmaraudingbirdsfromrobbingyourseedssothattheheadslook
perfectandcompletewhenyouarereadytoshowthemofftofriendsorproudlydisplaythem
atColumbiaCountyFair.
First--ChoosetheRightVariety
Thetallsinglestalkswithbigflowerfacesofgoldenyellowpetalsandchocolatebrowncenters
thatripenintoheavyheadsfilledwithseedthatbirdslove.
SiteandSoilPreparationAreCritical
Sunflowersneedfullsun;6-8hoursofdirectsunlightperday-themorethebetterifyouare
tryingtogrowthemtotheirmaximumpotential.Chooseawell-drainedlocation,andprepare
yoursoilbydigginganareaofabout2-3feetincircumferencetoadepthofabout2feet.
Sunflowersareheavyfeedersanddepletethesoilmorethanmanyothercrops-especiallyif
youaregrowingthemtoreachamassiveheightsothenutrientsupplymustbereplenished
eachseason.Workinaslowreleasegranularfertilizer.
TheRightWaytoSowandThinForSuccess
Togrowthelargestsunflowers,itisessentialtodirectsowseeddirectlyintothegarden,rather
thanstarttheminpotsofanykind.Thisisbecausesunflowershavelongtaprootsthatgrow
quicklyandbecomestuntedifconfined.Peatpotsinparticularoftendryoutandblockoffroot
growth.Despitemanygardeners’bestintentions,transplantingoftengetspostponed-sobeat
theoddsandplantosowseedsinthegroundandearlierintheyear.
FeedingandCareofYourGrowingGiant
Feedoftenandwaterregularly.Sunflowerrootscangrowto4feetbelowthesoilsurface.
Avoidpouringfertilizerdirectlyonthestems,sincethiscancausethemtorot.
GoodLuck!
COLUMBIACOUNTYFAIR
Dept.03BWoolbooth-Dept.08AScarecrow-Dept.10A&BFruits/Vegetables
Dept.14AQuilting-Dept.15ADomesticsArts&Crafts-Dept.17APhotography
Dept.21ASunflowerContest-Dept.22AAmateurCraftBeer,Wine,&CiderContest
Consulteachdepartmentforrulesofentry
Name_________________________________________________
Placethenamehere-thatthepremiumcheckismadeoutto
Address________________________________________________
____________________________________________Zip________
Signature______________________PhoneNo.________________
NOTE:Everypossibleprotectionandcourtesywillbeextendedtotheexhibitorsatthe
ColumbiaCountyFair.Buttheboardshallnotberesponsibleforthelossofexhibits,animals
andequipmentinthecaseoffire,theft,lossordamagefromanyothercause:andtheSociety
willnotassumeanyliabilityforpersonalinjurysustainedeitherbytheexhibitors,helpers,
visitorsorguests
Entries&PaymentMUSTBePostmarkedByAugust20th
PleasePrint
Dept.
Section
Class
ArticleandDescription
Entry
TotalFee Fee
ConsentForm:TallestSunflowerPlant
Date____________
I__________________________________(printname)givepermissiontotheColumbiaCountyAgricultural
Society,Inc.totakemypictureforuseofpublicity.
_________________________________
Signature
Under18yearsofage,Parent’ssignature
ConsentForm:LargestSunflowerHead
Date____________
I__________________________________(printname)givepermissiontotheColumbiaCountyAgricultural
Society,Inc.totakemypictureforuseofpublicity.
_________________________________
Signature
Under18yearsofage,Parent’ssignature