Prospecting Plymouth #6
An Exclusive Plymouth series
By Michael Spinetta
Staff Writer
Finding Facts on Fair Flowers
Fair Time
It's time for "Country Tunes and Midway Blooms" at the 2015 Amador County Fair! All those prepping on the
fairgrounds are thankful for the cooler weather this week: a turnaround from last year's Sand Fire and extreme heat. The fair theme refers to 4-H leader Evelyn Bishop, a long-term ACF volunteer who retired at the age of ninety from her much-complimented tasks of tending the flowers and overseeing the Junior Building exhibits. She passed away a short time later in 1993, but one might still catch a glimpse of her near the steps between the Junior Building and the garden-perimeter pond. Photo courtesy Michael Spinetta : Jim Schulte (L) judges the Advanced Vegetables division class while Junior Building representative Paula Short (R) introduces the categories and marks the scores at the 2015 Amador County Fair.
Two wonderful ladies replaced Bishop: Nancy Hawkins and Katie Bryant, whose brains I sometimes pick about timing blooms while they dig in the zinnias each year. Although there is not a guitar songstress serenading visitors at the Front Gate, there sure are a hundred yards of bright, beautiful flowers resounding greater than a Kacey Musgraves tune. The flowers on the midway are the best I have ever seen: full, lush, and so bright. Thank you for impressing my girlfriend, the nursery manager!
Here Comes the Judge
Jim Schulte, an adjunct instructor at Woodland Community College, acts as the judge for the Floriculture Building at our Fair. Readers of this article should search online for recent press on the Ag program expansion and about the water-wise/pollinator-friendly demonstration garden on his campus. His thirty years previous at Esparto High teaching some of the first Ag Biology classes in the region are something to think about, too. He witnessed FFA participation nearly triple in the state during that time, and wants to keep Ag sciences forefront in our youth's best interests to support the Californian economy. He uses the logic that there are forty related Ag job positions to each farmer, and if the kid's interest isn't in the dirt, it could be in field drone tech, so why not try an applied form of science instead of general to form their minds?
Schulte's floriculture judging days began 'way back when' for the Sacramento County Fair where he ruffled some feather grasses. He was brought in because the SCF believed ingénues in a subject did not judge well. It was evident the entrants hadn't been held to high quality standards for years, and thus not many deserved awards the first year. He noticed some improvement the second year at SCF and a marked difference the half decade following. In fact, local schools began prepping students for entries because it was feasible to do at the end of the school year. Since then, the quality has been more professional and inviting.
Junior Building
As Schulte was introduced to this year's junior horticulture entries, Paula Short and other representatives of the Junior Department offered concerns and interpretations about the entries and rules to him. His replies centered around that the rules of the fair book are key, but that adults should be held to a higher standard than little kids. That's reasonable. What else I caught from their chain of interactions is that the entries are treated far more than 'just this year's corn' — there was a tangible level of care.
Since they are pictured here, let's focus on the Junior Advanced Vegetables Division. In the running: a large onion, six okra, a half dozen jalapeños, three leeks, three eggplants, and six Snow White tomatoes. The Danish System of awarding is like Blackjack with no one competing against others until it comes down to 'Best of'. The eggplants and jalapeños had slight flaws, garnishing seconds; the rest are of good quality that kids can reach, but the leeks shine overall, and move on to compete against the Intermediate level Black Prince tomatoes. One tiny flaw in the bulb of the leek and cha-ching, the killer tomatoes win all.
Best Banter Award goes to the judge when he saw the Largest Vegetable winner, a zucchini of course. Everyone offered ways to cook it up and he deadpanned that it would be fodder for a vermiculture bed. My chickens get my neighbors' giants...
Floriculture Building
It's so worth opening the door of the Floriculture Building - the fragrance of this year's Featured Flower, the rose, just permeates the senses. Wow and double wow. Here, let's focus on the four classes of the Gardens Division: Sun, Shade, Theme, and Country. Again, all judged separately and no 'Best of' here — even kids and adults are competing against each other. Schulte says a display garden should look like something you want in your backyard. The rule book says the gardens must be pristine from March 1 - October 31. Pressure! I missed some of his opinions because my bum leg kept me down for a bit, so I am going to give my own. (Contestants may ask the fair office to see the breakdown of the scores.) I guess I can offer some solutions to any critique I pose here.
One group, the Sutter Creek FFA, was disqualified because folks at the fair noticed flowers added after the deadline. But that wasn't the main problem. A tree was hacked by something and no attempt was made to cover it up, and potted plants were awkwardly placed hiding the pond. These kids are good kids and have gotta just make a calendar prepping for the competition. Maybe possibly ask if the hours can count as public service hours that count toward graduation? And maybe some more decorative aspects, too?
The neighboring UCCE Master Gardeners display needed some help. The plants were all cut like Mohawks, and though it's not called for on a scorecard, there should be an educative element. My suggestion is to rip everything out after the fair, compost the ground all year until spring, and replant with the Arboretum All-Stars. This element would promote the cooperation that our county is noted for with the fair and schools and Ag department. It could even encourage the other gardens to use the drought tolerant family and butterfly friendly families of AA-S plants.
Cool melted vinyl record flowers and signs about not watering the grass in the Willow Creek 4-H garden got them a first. The Gold Nuggets 4-H didn't place the miniature replica Fair Entry before nine o'clock Tuesday, dang it!! Some comments were made about having water-loving Vinca and bog grass mixed with yucca and smallish verbena, and that the roses were in the shade while the hypoestes were in the sun...but it was pretty nonetheless. One of the shade gardens was totally new this year but still growing... next year for sure it will place first. Work harder next year, folks, it is worth it to amaze visitors. We take home the memories and hopefully educative or design techniques if you create them well.
Best Banter Award in the Floriculture Building goes to Teresa Fox for identifying the mystery plant in the exhibit hall. All the Floriculture folks were gathered around this tender, broad-leafed plant, and Theresa said it should be named after an alligator because of the look of the hard ridges on the leaves. I broke out my trusty iPhone and googled some keywords and BAM, she was right. It was a crocodile fern.
Narcissus Reflection
More folks need to compete at the fair, especially here where we are rural. Have your kids and yourself enter things, no matter the expertise level. I entered four paintings one year and didn't even get a participation award while my daughter got blue ribbons. That was a positive kind of ego tempering. Mikayla Haefele, this year's Miss Amador, summed it up better in her presentation on stage Thursday night at the Fair. Into an empty vase she placed a single cut daffodil, self-important, sad, and alone. She added flowers representing forecasted failure, success, etc., but it came down to this: no one would have heard what she said had she not given herself the platform to say it.
So enter your stuff in the fair, dear readers, because the harshest judge is one's self, and letting go of that view and having the public and a guy you never see, critique you is a pretty good way to develop a deeper personality.
Prospecting Plymouth #5
Krista Glavich, City Retrospective
Photostory Time
Last month, a few photographers and their popular sites for backdrops were referenced. Today, we are treated to an artistic selection of scenes taken in the 95669. Krista, like the other lead female business protagonists of previous articles, was raised in the Fiddletown and Plymouth area. She has a pretty organic feel for subjects; I like her micro shots specifically, and she gets that our area borders on the forest and foothills. Thank you, Krista, for illustrating and basically writing this article, and one month, I hope a similar gallery can be published that accents the beauty in plain view here.
All photos are available for purchase and if you are scrupulous and local, you will know where they were shot, but I will tell you when. Please email krista@kristaglavichphotography.com and she can guide you through her extensive website to find particular styles you might think fit your home. Sessions are available too. Visit online at: www.kristaglavichphotography.com
All photos copyright Krista Glavich, courtesy to The Gold Country Times. Please do not copy for your personal use without her express permission.
1st row: Captions for photos across:
1. This old fuel pump stands resolute in front of comatose brick edifices locals hope to see used commercially one day soon. (2012)
2. Tracy and Aaron in the fields past Greilich Road. (2015)
3. Audrey enjoying the day in downtown Plymouth. (2014)
4. Up the alleyway of Amador Vintage Market on Main Street at dusk. (2014)
5. The old oak at sunset in the field near True Value. (2013)
2nd row: Captions for photos across:
1. In Plymouth off forty nine in that field. (2014)
2. Shenandoah School Road from Karmere Winery's vineyard. (2013)
3. In Plymouth off forty nine in that field. (2014)
4. Barn-star Main at Plymouth 2012 Summer, Star is gone.
5. The calla lily 'refuge' at Amador Flower Farm on Easter. (2015)
3rd row: Captions for photos across:
1. On the Amador County Fair midway. (2012) Visit the fair July 23-26 this year!
2. Monteviña Winery barrel room in 2009
3. Plymouth clouds from the office
4. In the vineyard at Karmere Winery on Shenandoah School Road. (2013)
Prospecting Plymouth #1
Prospecting Plymouth #2
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Prospecting Plymouth #4
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