Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition

Would you like to show off the cream of your crop?

Or do you like to chat with members of the community about the great things farmers are doing to grow healthy crops all while protecting water quality and soil health?

Then look no further than the upcoming Addison County Fair and Field Days Crops Contest!

Farmer Coalition members are invited to get involved in one of two ways:

• Volunteer for a shift at the Crops exhibit during the Fair
• Enter your crops for judging

Volunteer shifts are available Tuesday, August 9 – Saturday, August 13, either 9:30-1; 12:30-4; or 3:30-6. The most traffic through the exhibit is in the afternoon. Interested? Contact Karen Gallott of UVM Extension at Karen.Gallott@uvm.edu to sign up or ask questions.

And if you’re feeling particularly proud of this year’s crop, here’s how the contest works…

1. A farm may only have one (1) entry in each class. All entries must be produced on the exhibitor’s farm. See below for the classes.
2. Bring exhibits to the north end of the 4-H Exhibit Building on Monday, August 8 between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. This is the only time to enter! Judging begins at 1:00 p.m.
3. Entries must be tagged using Field Days’ tags: name, farm name, address, and crop class.
4. Entries will be judged and awarded ribbons as follows: Excellent – Blue; Good – Red; Fair – White; and Best of Class and Best of Show.
5. Premiums Paid: Blue – $15; Red – $10; White – $5; Best of Each Class – $25; Best of Show – $50

All samples submitted will be judged on:

1. Freedom from plant defects or contamination.
2. Yield and crop quality potential.
3. Proper maturity at harvest for storage.
4. Proper moisture content for storage.
5. Conformation of size and uniformity.

Classes – Field Crops, Forage & Grain

WHOLE PLANTS

1. Corn Plants – 3 whole plants with roots.
2. Soybeans – 10 plants with roots.
3. Cereal Grains – 20 stems (wheat, barley, oat, rye)

SILAGE CROPS

• Corn Silage – 1 quart jar.
• Corn Snaplage or Ground ear corn – 1 quart jar.
• Grass Haylage – 1 quart jar.
• Legume Haylage (alfalfa, clover) – 1 quart jar.
• Baled/Wrapped Silage Hay

DRY HAY

• 1st Cut Legume Hay (alfalfa, clover) – 1 slice of bale.
• 1st Cut Grass Hay – 1 slice of bale.
• 2nd Cut Legume Hay (alfalfa, clover) – 1 slice of bale.
• 2nd Cut Grass Hay – 1 slice of bale.

GRAIN CROPS

1. Corn Grain Whole Kernel – 1 quart jar.
2. Corn Grain Ground – 1 quart jar.
3. Soybean Grain – 1 quart jar.
4. Cereal Grain (wheat, barley, oat, rye) – 1 quart jar.
5. Other Dry Grain (oilseed, buckwheat, other) – 1 quart jar.