Residents submit the fruits of their labor
Published 9:43 am Wednesday, August 9, 2017
- At left, Jason Hodges and Jason Francis bring their cotton, sunflower and peanuts for judging. At right, Dianne Umphlett and Eva Ray examine produce, which was brought in earlier on Tuesday for judging at the Field Crops, Horticulture and Flowers/Plants exhibition. -- Stephen H. Cowles | Tidewater News
COURTLAND
Around noon on Tuesday is when one person right after another brought in their cotton, corn, green apples, soybeans, etc., to the Franklin-Southampton County Fair.
Earlier in the day, stalks of sunflowers that grew taller than a ladder were already propped up in a corner.
This pumpkin probably needed two people to carry it in for the show.
Another person had brought in a white pumpkin larger than the average yellow variety. Later, two other men were needed to carry in another.
They were all there to be judged in the annual Field Crops, Horticulture and Flowers/Plants exhibition, which takes place in the pavilion dedicated to all things agricultural. Scott Reiter was again called on to be the judge.
“He does it almost every year,” said Livvy Preisser, one of the Southampton County Extension agents present. She registered entries and tagged them in a way for the judge to see only the produce or crop and category, not the name.
Also present was Neil Clark, unit coordinator. He was painting a design on a large rectangular board in between arrivals.
Around the walls, colorful and informative displays about the different crops and the importance of farming and farmers have been posted.
Visitors can see all this — including the ribbon winners — when they visit the fair, which opens today at 4 p.m.
