This guide will help you to enter the Agriculture Department at the Tri-County Fair. It focuses on vegetables, however the principles work for the entire department.
The content below should match the fair book or be a good recommendation for the 2025 Fair. Remember: fair rules and classes can change every year. Always check the fair book for classes and quantities to enter.
Our fair usually allows more than 1 entry per class. Currently up to 6 are allowed, but each must be a different variety/cultivar.
Our fair judges the Agriculture Department using the American System (entries judged against each other, 1 of each kind of ribbon per class). The 4-H Department is judged using the Danish System (judged against a standard, can be multiple ribbons per class).
What to Enter
Items entered into our fair should be clean, high quality, and suitable for human consumption. Broken, leaking, split, mangled, or rotten produce will be disqualified by the judge.
You need to pre-register your entries for the Tri-County Fair. That does mean you have to guess a little on what will be ready at fair time. That's part of the challenge! Entries can be done online (best) or in-person at the fair office.
Use care when transporting produce to the fair. Wrapping items in towels works well. Don't pack produce deep in a box or things will get crushed.
The fair book will specify how many to bring of each class. When it doesn't, do your best guess. Here is a place to start.
- Smallish things (fig size or smaller): 6 to 10 uniform entries
- Medium things (apple size): 3 or 4
- Big things (melon size): 1
- A bunch, such as herbs: about 5-12 stems, depending on size. It should fit in a single bud vase.
Finally, don't put your name on anything you enter. Don't stick a label directly on the entry. Simply include a little card when checking in.
The fair usually provides the containers needed to show the exhibit: vase, basket, or plate. If you have something unusual then you may want to bring an appropriate display.
The Garden Medley Display is your opportunity to enter all the odds and ends that you didn't have enough to make a complete entry. That will be judged primarily on its artistic value. In that class, you will need to provide the container.
Harvesting Produce
All things being equal, it's best to harvest when the temperatures are cool. Mornings are best. If you have to harvest early and hold the produce, keep it in a cool location. Remember that not everything likes refrigeration. You may have to search a little for the best practice on how to hold fruit a few days.
When harvesting, you should try to cut stems with a knife or scissors. Clean cuts are something a judge will look at. Stems or tops have a certain best length. See below.
Cleaning and Presenting
Produce should be clean, but not scrubbed. The skin is an important part of most produce. It protects the produce and allows it to last longer. Too many onion entries are stripped down to the shiny, inner layers. Sometimes a soft, dry toothbrush is the best tool. (This is the best way to clean eggs for the fair. They shouldn't be washed.)
Don't assume that bits like roots should be removed. Carrots are best shown with their taproots, for example. Sometimes some stem is left.
Look at the fair book to determine how many to enter for each class. That is the minimum needed for judging. There is no reason to enter more than that; however, if you do, they will all be judged, not just the best. In practice that usually means an entry will do worse by entering extra becaue that often means less uniformity.
If it's not obvious what you entering then you should specify the variety and type of your entry. At our fair, that's usually done during entries, but you can let the receiving volunteers know during check in too. Labelling is also acceptable! If it looks like a weird melon with some ugly netting, it may get judged based on the wrong standard, like a cantaloupe, when in fact it may be some other kind of muskmelon, for example, that is supposed to look like that.
You should have exhibits ready to enter when you arrive.
What Is a Judge Looking For?
When judging vegetables a judge is looking for these things:
- Condition: should look good without faults or blemishes. No bugs or leaks. Not squished.
- Size should be typical of the type. Biggest isn't always best. A 18" long zucchini probably won't do very well.
- Uniformity: all entries should be of the same type, size, and ripeness level. It is usually better to have 6 uniform just fine entries than it is to have 4 awesome and 2 awful specimens. This is common with heirloom tomato entries where 2 will be amazing and then a third will be tiny and misshapen. Try not to do that.
- Trueness to type: it should look like the thing it is! A curled up cucumber would not do well, nor would an elongated Detroit-type beet.
- Maturity: it should be at the proper stage of ripeness. That said the timing of our local fair is less than ideal for many crops, and so we don't disqualify for underripe produce. Still, an entry that is correctly ripe will do better than one that is still unripe.
- Number: Entering the correct number is important. You won't be judged if you do not have enough specimens entered in a class. Too many is OK, but will likely hurt your uniformity if they are not all the same.
Guidelines for Preparing Vegetables
This list is adapted from the Iowa State 4-H Program fact sheet.
Not everything listed in the Tri-County Fair Book is shown below, but it's a good place to start. Remember the entry should be clean and match what the judge is looking for. When in doubt, use clean cuts on stems. Label anything unusual, if possible.
Note: these guidelines reflect our local fair, which is more permissive than the usual standard due to our harsh climate. Other fairs and judges use a stricter standard.
Beans (lima) Phaseolus lunatus
Best stage of maturity: Full size for variety, bright green, tender, fresh
Faults: Wilted, immature, variable color, rusted, or insect‑damaged pods
Preparation: Pick before seeds reach full size; seed color changes from dark to light green and they become more starchy as they mature.
Exhibit: 6 pods
Beans (snap) Phaseolus vulgaris
Best stage of maturity: Uniform color and size, straight, true to variety, small seeds no more than half grown
Faults: Cracked pods, variable color, seeds too large; disease, insect, or mechanical injury
Preparation: Brush with a soft‑bristled brush or cloth to remove dirt; leave ¼–½ inch of stem.
Exhibit: 12 pods
Beets Beta vulgaris var. crassa
Best stage of maturity: Smooth, firm, uniform color; 1½–3 in diameter
Faults: Variable color, misshapen, rough/broken skin, oversized, insect or disease damage
Preparation: Trim tops to 1½–2 in; leave up to 2 in of tap root; brush or gently wash in cold water—do not scrub. May be untrimmed if foliage is clean.
Exhibit: 6 specimens
Broccoli Brassica oleracea var. italica
Best stage of maturity: Firm heads, uniform color, tender, tight bud stage
Faults: Wilted, leaves in head, buds open/yellow, depressed center, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Rinse cold; refrigerate; remove all leaves below head; minimum head diameter 3 in; minimum stalk + head length 5 in.
Exhibit: 1 head
Brussels Sprouts Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
Best stage of maturity: Heads solid, firm, heavy for size
Faults: Light weight, loose, wilted, split; insect/disease/mechanical damage; peeled too much
Preparation: Leave two‑three outer leaves; remove from stem.
Exhibit: 5 heads
Cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Best stage of maturity: Heads solid, firm, tender, crisp, heavy for size
Faults: Light weight, loose, wilted, split; insect/disease/mechanical damage; peeled too much
Preparation: Leave two‑three outer leaves; trim stem close, leaving ≤½ in.
Exhibit: 1 head
Carrots Daucus carota
Best stage of maturity: Smooth, straight, uniform bright color; 1–1½ in diameter at crown
Faults: Purple/green shoulders, too large/small, pale color, forked/crooked/cracked roots, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Trim tops to 1–1½ in; brush or wash in cold water—do not scrub.
Exhibit: 6 specimens
Cauliflower Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Best stage of maturity: White, orange, or purple (per cultivar), crisp, solid; jacket leaves fresh, even color
Faults: Poor color, grainy, rough, wilted, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Trim jacket leaves even with top; remove older leaves; leave ¼–½ in stem below leaves.
Exhibit: 1 head
Celery Apium graveolens var. dulce
Best stage of maturity: Crisp, firm, thick, uniform petioles; uniform color for type
Faults: Wilted, small stalks, blemishes, split stalks, poor color; insect/disease/mechanical injury
Preparation: Trim leaves uniformly; remove roots; wash cold; refrigerate.
Exhibit: 1 bunch
Chinese cabbage Brassica rapa var. pekinensis
Best stage of maturity: Tight, solid heads, clean bright color, heavy for size
Faults: Loose/wilted heads, poor color, blemishes, insect/disease damage, too many outer leaves removed
Preparation: Leave 1–2 outer leaves; trim butt close; wash cold; refrigerate.
Exhibit: 1 head
Corn (sweet) Zea mays
Best stage of maturity: Kernels full‑size, milk stage, well‑filled even rows; husks fresh green
Faults: Immature/over‑mature, crooked/uneven rows, unfilled tip, insect damage, dried husks
Preparation: Remove husk on one side; trim silk to 1 in; trim shank flush with butt. (If you don't know what to do, leave it un-husked and the judge will remove one side of the husk at the Tri-County Fair.)
Exhibit: 3 ears
Cucumbers Cucumis sativus
Best stage of maturity: Straight, dark green, crisp, firm
Faults: Misshapen/crooked, insect/mechanical damage, oversized, yellowish, over‑mature, no stem
Preparation: Leave ½ in stem; wipe clean.
Exhibit: 3
Dill Anethum graveolens
Best stage of maturity: Light green with mature seed, ready to use
Faults: Immature, small size
Preparation: Cut seed heads with 10–12 in stems; tie near lower end and below seed heads.
Exhibit: 1 bunch if leaves, 2 heads if seed
Eggplant Solanum melongena var. esculentum
Best stage of maturity: Firm, shiny, medium‑large, uniform color; slight thumb dent at harvest stage; small blossom scar; calyx fresh green
Faults: Too small, off‑color, dried calyx, dull, immature
Preparation: Do not wash; wipe if necessary; leave 1 in stem.
Exhibit: 2 specimens
Garlic Allium sativum
Best stage of maturity: Clean, smooth, bright bulbs; dry necks
Faults: Rough/off‑color bulbs; green necks; missing sheaths/cloves; blemishes; roots/tops cut too close
Preparation: Leave 1 in stem; trim roots to ¼ in; brush soil; keep sheath; do not wash.
Exhibit: 3 specimens
Herbs (general)
Best stage of maturity: Fresh, clean, proper stage for kitchen use
Faults: Dirty, wilted, flowering, improperly labeled
Preparation: Rinse in cold water.
Exhibit: 1 bunch
Kale Brassica oleracea var. acephala
Best stage of maturity: Dark green, crisp leaves; bright clean stems
Faults: Insect damage, dirty/wilted leaves, seed stalk present
Preparation: Remove discolored leaves; place roots in a jar of water.
Exhibit: 1 bunch or a whole plant
Kohlrabi Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes
Best stage of maturity: 1½–3 in diameter, tender, good color
Faults: Too large/tough, poor color, misshapen, dirty, insect/disease/weather damage
Preparation: Cut leaves to 1–2 in; trim roots 1–2 in below the “ball.”
Exhibit: 2 specimens
Lettuce (leaf) Lactuca sativa
Best stage of maturity: Fresh, crisp, well‑colored leaves
Faults: Wilted, yellow, damaged, dirty leaves
Preparation: Remove older yellowing leaves; place roots in a jar of water.
Exhibit: 1 head or 6 leaves per bunch
Muskmelon Cucumis melo
Best stage of maturity: Full‑slip (stem separates easily), medium size, fragrant
Faults: Half‑slip harvest, poor color, decay, pest/mechanical damage, over/under‑ripe
Preparation: Do not wash; clean with a soft‑bristled brush.
Exhibit: 1 specimen
Okra Hibiscus esculentus
Best stage of maturity: Small, straight, uniform pods ≤3 in; consistent green or red color
Faults: Large woody pods, hard, crooked
Preparation: Leave ½ in stem.
Exhibit: 6 specimens recommended, no minimum in fair book
Onions (dry) Allium cepa
Best stage of maturity: Firm, mature, well‑shaped bulbs; small dry neck; ≥2 in diameter; uniform color/finish
Faults: Peeled, sun‑scalded, immature, double/split, large soft neck, poor color/size, insect/disease/mechanical injury
Preparation: Harvest ≈2 wks early; cure thoroughly; leave outer scales; do not wash; trim tops to 1 in and roots to ¼ in.
Exhibit: 3 specimens
Onions (green) Allium cepa
Best stage of maturity: ½–¾ in diameter, straight white stem, dark green leaves
Faults: Too small/large, crooked, poor color, dry/discolored leaves, heavily peeled, enlarged bulb
Preparation: Remove loose skin; cut tops 4–5 in above shank; trim roots to ½ in; tie in middle.
Exhibit: 12
Parsnips Pastinaca sativa
Best stage of maturity: Less than 2 in diameter and 7 in long; clean, smooth, firm, tapered root; clear color
Faults: Too small, poor color, blemished/crooked roots, side roots, green shoulders
Preparation: Trim tops to 1 in; soak and wash cool; trim side roots but keep tap root tip.
Exhibit: 3 specimens recommended but no minimum listed
Peas (edible pod) Pisum sativum
Best stage of maturity: Tender flat pods, seed just starting, bright green
Faults: Seed maturing, swollen/damaged pods, tough pods
Preparation: Pick with stems; gently brush soil.
Exhibit: 12 pods
Peas (unshelled) Pisum sativum
Best stage of maturity: Bright green, well‑filled pods, seeds in eating stage
Faults: Poorly filled, dull/whitish pods, shriveled/drying, blemished; seeds shriveled/starchy/bitter
Preparation: Pick with stem; rinse in cool water.
Exhibit: 12 pods
Pepper (bell) Capsicum annuum
Best stage of maturity: Large, firm, blocky; dark color (red/yellow/green/orange/purple); crisp, heavy, uniform
Faults: Misshapen, rough, small, off‑color, wilted, light weight, dirty; sunscald, injury, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Leave ½–1 in stems.
Exhibit: 2 specimens
Pepper (hot) Capsicum annuum
Best stage of maturity: Firm, dark color (red/green/yellow/orange/purple); crisp, uniform
Faults: Misshapen, rough, small, off‑color, wilted, light weight, dirty; sunscald, injury, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Leave ½–1 in stems.
Exhibit: 4 specimens
Potatoes Solanum tuberosum
Best stage of maturity: Firm, medium size (6–10 oz), uniform color
Faults: Mechanical/insect/disease damage; deep eyes, poor/green color, hollow heart, knobby, growth cracks
Preparation: Do not wash; dig from dry soil and brush clean.
Exhibit: 3 specimens
Pumpkin Cucurbita pepo
Best stage of maturity: Thick flesh, heavy for size; clean hard rind; true to type size/shape/color
Faults: Light weight, stem removed, atypical color/shape, scars/blemishes, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Leave 2 in stem; wipe and polish with soft cloth.
Exhibit: 1 specimen
Radishes Raphanus sativus
Best stage of maturity: Roots 1–1½ in diameter; fresh, crisp, uniform color, smooth
Faults: Wilted/soft, poor color, rough/blemished, oversized/split
Preparation: Gently wash cool; remove only discolored/injured leaves; tie at leaf bases. May be topped if foliage is ugly with 1/2" to 1" stem.
Exhibit: 1 bunch of 6,
Rhubarb Rheum rhabarbarum
Best stage of maturity: Young tender stalks, uniform color, ≈1 in diameter
Faults: Tough, blemished, over‑mature, poorly colored; lower ends cut
Preparation: Pull (do not cut) stalks; trim leaves leaving 1 in blade; tie both ends.
Exhibit: 1 bunch of 3 stalks
Spinach Spinacea oleracea
Best stage of maturity: Uniformly colored, clean, fresh, crisp leaves
Faults: Wilted, poor color, blemished, insect‑damaged
Preparation: Wash cold; pull entire plant; trim roots to crown; remove damaged leaves; place in water.
Exhibit: 1 plant
Squash (summer) Cucurbita pepo
Best stage of maturity: Soft rind; zucchini‑type 4–8 in long; scalloped types 3–5 in diameter
Faults: Stem removed, large/over‑mature, scarred, wilted/soft
Preparation: Leave 1–2 in stem; do not wash; brush clean.
Exhibit: 1 specimen
Squash (winter) Cucurbita pepo / C. maxima
Best stage of maturity: Hard glossy rind, full color; medium‑large fruits true to variety
Faults: Immature/light color, soft/damaged rind, insect/mechanical damage, stem removed/green/soft
Preparation: Leave 2 in stem; wipe clean.
Exhibit: 1 specimen
Sweet potatoes Ipomoea batatas
Best stage of maturity: Medium size (2–4 in diameter); smooth, bright color
Faults: Rough/off‑color, bruised, insect/disease/mechanical injury, poor shape, too small/large, dirty
Preparation: Dig 7–10 days early to cure; do not wash; brush or wipe clean.
Exhibit: 3 specimens
Swiss chard Beta vulgaris var. cicla
Best stage of maturity: Leaves 8–12 in; bright tender stalks; clean fresh well‑colored
Faults: Wilted, poor color, insect/disease damage
Preparation: Wash cold; place in water to prevent wilting.
Exhibit: 6 leaves
Tomatoes Lycopersicon esculentum
Best stage of maturity: Firm, heavy for size, typical of variety; uniform, ripe, smooth, well‑shaped
Faults: Poor color, green shoulders, sunscald, too large/small, misshapen, insect/disease damage, cracks, stems attached, over‑ripe/soft/leaky
Preparation: Pick mature‑firm fruit; remove stems; wipe clean.
- Exhibit (standard or heirloom type): 4 specimens
- Exhibit (grape): 10 specimens
- Exhibit (cherry): 6 specimens
Turnips Brassica rapa var. rapifera
Best stage of maturity: Roots 2–3 in diameter; smooth skin, firm flesh, uniform color
Faults: Poor color, soft/spongy, too large, rough skin, dirty, side roots; insect/disease/mechanical injury
Preparation: Leave 1–2 in tops; ≥2 in tap root; soak and wash cold—do not scrub.
Exhibit: 6 specimens
Watermelon Citrullus lanatus
Best stage of maturity: Ground spot yellowish, dull gloss, best eating stage; medium‑large, typical shape/color
Faults: Immature/over‑ripe, poor color, misshapen, blemished
Preparation: Leave 1–2 in stem; wipe with moist cloth.
Exhibit: 1 specimen