All Gardens
Great &Sma
by
York Co.
Horticultural Ag
Tom Becker
gardeners compete
for more ribbons
Gardeners will be competing
for 48 additional ribbons and priz
es at the York Fair this September.
The number of prize categories
has been increased to reflect re
cent trends in home flower gar
dening. Some of the new categor
ies include double and bi-colored
African violets; dinnerplate dah
lias; yellow, gold, orange and
white marigolds; giant and cutting
zinnias; daisy, decorative and
spider chrysanthemums; and bi
color and Old Garden roses.
To enter the York Fair obtain a
copy of the York Fair prize book.
The prize book contains informa
tion on how to enter, when to en
ter, and how entries are to be ex
hibited and judged. Prize books
are available at many local stores,
Penn State Cooperative Extension
or the York Fair office at
848-2596.
Most gardeners enter Depart
ment 13 - Vegetables, Department
14 - Fruits and Nuts, or Depart
ment 17 - Floral Exhibits. There is
no entry fee for these departments.
To organize yourself, begin sur
veying your garden during late
August and early September. In
your prize book, circle all flowers,
fruits and vegetables that you
could possibly enter into the Fair.
Be optimistic! Plan on entering
more than you actually do.
Make a list of all items you cir
cled. Include department, section,
class and item number. Note class
descriptions, such as Beans in Pod
(1 pt.). Use this list to organize
harvesting, preparing and entering
your produce.
You can simplify the entry pro
cess by talcing your list to the Fair.
How To
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Right now, you
can enjoy the delicious and juicy flavor of cantaloupes
fresh from your local market and roadside stands. But,
consumers often question, “How can I tell this is really
a good-tasting melon?”
There’s no disputing some basic ripeness indicators.
A good cantaloupe will have no trace of a stem and pro
nouced cavity where the melon was pulled from the
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If you are entering several items,
stop by the Fair office and pick up
a mail-in entry blank. If received
by September 1. labels will be
ready for you at the exhibit hall
the day you enter.
Harvest carefully.
After reading the egtry descrip
tions carefully, harvest your flow
ers and vegetables on the day you
plan to enter diem. Know what it
is and how many specimens are
needed to make an entry. Harvest
flowers and vegetables during the
coolest daytime hours, preferably
morning, to prevent moisture loss.
Harvest leafy vegetables with root
attached. Keep the root moist and
cut it off just before exhibition.
Don’t pull our root vegetables,
such as onions, leeks and carrots.
Rather, dig a trench to the side and
as deep as the roots, being careful
not to damage the roots. For best
selection, dig three or four times
the amount of specimens required.
Don’t pick too many above
ground crops at one time. This in
cludes beans, cucumbers and pep
pers. After cleaning and sotting
your harvest, you can go back into
the garden and pick more selec
tively.
Cut vegetables that don’t pull
away easily from a plant with a
knife or scissors. This include
com, eggplant, lettuce, cabbage,
squall and herb sprigs.
Before leaving home, check
your entries by asking yourself
these questions.
• Do I have the right number of
specimens?
■ If stated, is this the correct
variety?
• Are all my entries uniform in
type, size, shape, color or maturi
ty?
Select Cantaloupe
sect and weather damage, disease
and handling injuries?
• Are all my entries fresh and
clean and tnrnmecfnea’tly?
Before you leave Horticultural
Hall, be sure that all entries are la
beled correctly and displayed to
your liking.
Transportation Tricks
Transportation is critical. Tip
ped jars and rough box edges often
result in broken flower petals or
bruised vegetables. To avoid dis
appointments try these transporta
tion tricks.
1. Line carrying boxes or bask
ets with cloth towels. Wrap deli
cate vegetables, tike summer
squash in soft towels. Separate
heavy items, like melons, from
fragile items, like tomatoes.
Freezer bags are an excellent way
to separate, label and transport
multiple specimen entries, like
green and dried beans..
2. A box with divided compart
ments is a great way to transport
flowers. Place small jars in each
section. Fill each jar with a little
water. Put one complete flower
entry in each jar. If you find a
good transportation box, LABEL
IT and STORE IT! There is no
thing more frustrating than trying
to find a box at the last minute.
Good Luck at the Fair!
The above article was prepared
by Kathy Englc-Debcs, a Penn
State Master Gardener and an avid
Fairgoer.
Any questions regarding the
above article can be addressed to
Tom Becker, Penn State Coopera
tive Extension at (717) 840-8408.
printed in last week’s column
1 English Muffin, split and
toasted
4 teaspoons pizza sauce
3 tablespoons cooked lean
ground beef, seasoned with green
pepper, onion, dried oregano,
basil and dash of garlic powder
3 tablespoons shredded part skim
mozzarella cheese
Spread each muffin half with 2
teaspoons pizza sauce, 114 tables
poons cooked ground beef and
114 tablespoons cheese. Broil
until cheese melts. Serve immedi
ately. Serves 2.
vine. These two characteristics indicate that melon was
harvested when it was frilly mature, which is important
because melons do not increase their sugar content
after they have been harvested.
When buying cantaloupes, select melons that have a
thick netting and a rich golden color underneath. They
should have a delicate aroma. A cantaloupe that is still
firm can be stored uncut at room temperature to let the
flesh become softer and juicer, but it will not become
sweeter.
Generally, cantaloupe should be served at room
temperature or only slightly chilled to enjoy the frill fla
vor. Each one cup serving provides a good source of
vitamins A and C and potassium and has only 35
calories.
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EASY PIZZA
Correction to Mini Pizza
OL
(Continued from Page B 7)
QUESTION Leona Spangler, P.O. Box 41, Spring Mills,
PA 16875-9419, would like to buy a copy of ‘Searchlight"
cookbook and a Rumford cookbook, which were printed
between 1930-1940. Other cookbooks from that era are also
welcomed.
QUESTION —J. Hykes, 321 E. King St, Shippensburg,
PA 17257-1424, is looking for old photographs of Christmas
trees, which were taken before 1950.
QUESTION J. Loren Yoder, Belleville, would like infor
mation about three different milk bottles from the following;
Weaver's Dairy of Malvern; Spicklers Dairy of Elizabethtown,
and Supplee-Sealtest Dairy Products.
QUESTION—A Reinholds reader would like to purchase a
used flat beater and 12-quart bowl for a Reynolds Electric
Company commercial mixer serial number C 37129.
QUESTION—Betty Sterner had a set of 12 plates limited
edition 1979 Franklin Mint Porcelain by Peter Banett, but the
January plate broke. Can anyone help her find a plate to
replace the broken one?
QUESTION —Roman Peters, Port Trevorton, would like to
know where to purchase miniature horseshoes that are
approximately V/% -2-inch in width, measured from the outer
edges.
QUESTION—Linda Gorman of Wayland. Mass., requests
directions on how to make salve for cuts and wounds of lives
tock. She had requested this earlier and someone had given
her a phone number for the Rafter's Salve recipe. They
wanted $50,000 for the recipe. She didn’t want it that badly.
QUESTION A reader from Loysville would like to know
where to buy black wool knit World War II Navy caps.
QUESTION—J.R. Peppier, Glen Mills, would like to find a
source for ram horns. He wants to make shepherd's crooks
from them as they do in England. The horn is softened and
bent into the top end.
QUESTION Jack Gaul, Pipersville, would like to know
where to get information on a Standard Monarch garden
tractor.
QUESTION—Louise Graybeal, Renick, W.Va., would like
to purchase an electric milker for one milch cow.
ANSWER Milton Haines, Tabernacle, N.J., wanted to
know where to find transmission gears for a Midland garden
tractor model #MR3O, Serial #lOl7. Thanks to Herb Austin for
writing that he makes custom gears. By U.P.S., fend the old
gear to use as a pattern to Cornerstone Tool and Die, 30 N.
Ist Ave., Corry, PA 16407. Phone (814) 664-7665 or Fax
(814) 664-9808.
ANSWER Lois Babcock, Friendsville, wanted to know
where to buy tweed men's socks with a red heel to make cloth
monkeys. Thanks to Vera Zimmerman, Blain, for writing that
they are available at Wise Dry Goods, Route 1. Box 281 C,
Loysville, PA 17047-9731.
Kathryn Fetterman writes that the socks are available
through Vermont Country Store, P.O. Box 3000. Mail order
office Manchester Center, VT 05255-300. Phone (802)
362-2400.
ANSWER Warren Stair of Littlestown wanted informa
tion on spraying sweet corn for bugs and worms. An anonym
ous writer submitted the following: Spraying equipment for
spraying sweet corn for bugs and worms depends on the
amount of corn raised. If you have a garden plot, a back-pack
sprayer is suitable. If you raise a lot of sweet corn, an air blast
sprayer is needed because you can't get a tractor and boom
sprayer through the rows when corn is starting to tassle.
Insecticides depend on whether one has a spray license or is
a home gardener. Contact your local extension service for
further help on insecticides.
ANSWER Norma Burkholder, Denver, wanted informa
tion on how to make candles and where to order supplies and
Lois Babcock wanted to know where to buy Raggedy Ann and
Andy candy or candle molds. Thanks to Bob and Annette
Hughes for writing that they sell beeswax, honeycomb bees
wax sheets, poly and metal candle molds, wickery, etc. Send
for a brochure or fax a request to Rainbow Enterprises, P.O.
Box 81, Blue Ball, PA 17506. Include a self-adressed
stamped envelope for brochure.
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