MOTHER'S CHILDREN

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First of all, I make my garden plan in mid-February, or earlier, to insure that I have an idea of what the garden will look like and so I can order the vegetable varieties I want to plant. Part of my planning includes making certain my tall sun-loving vegetables (like tomatoes) don't shade the short sun-loving plants (like onions and eggplant). I also have to time my sowings so that my harvest comes in right at fair time.

The exact exhibiting requirements may be different where you live than they are in my home state of Minnesota, so before you plan your own garden, obtain last year's premium vegetable list from your county extension agent. Meanwhile, I'll tell you what I do, just to show you the kinds of things you might need to consider.

The size requirements for 4-H exhibits in Minnesota are 12 small specimens (like beans, peas, and limas) . . . three medium-sized ones (like beets, carrots, and tomatoes) . . . and one very large vegetable (like cabbage or eggplant). A good display will include a variety of sizes, colors, and kinds of crops. An assembly of—for instance—12 green beans, three tomatoes, one cabbage, three cucumbers, three onions, and three beets or carrots would be excellent.

Keep in mind that you'll probably have to sort through about 150 beans to get 12 that are free of blemishes and look almost exactly the same . . . so you'll need to grow more than you'll show of every vegetable. A good exhibition garden might include three tomato and three cucumber plants . . . 24 to 32 row-feet each of beets and carrots . . . four to six heads of cabbage . . . 12 to 15 row-feet of green beans . . . and two eggplants and 30 onions for "alternates".

After you've planted, weeded, and managed your garden, fair time will (finally!) roll around. The way you prepare and display your vegetables will be crucial to your exhibit's success. Pick the entry choices the night before you go to the fair, wrap them gently and carefully in toweling and plastic, and let them "cure" in the refrigerator overnight. (This will prevent wilting and improve crispness.)

Many little tricks can magically transform a passable exhibit into a blue ribbon display. For example, since beans should all be curved the same way (as well as being identical in size, free from blemishes, and lying with their stems facing the same direction), I often bend and twist my selections into shape. I may even flatten out a curvy one by placing a book on top of it when I put it in the refrigerator overnight to cure. (I always chuckle to myself as I do the "alterations", thinking, "If only the judge could see me now!" But these little cosmetic aids are completely legal.)

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