Show Off Your Garden at The Harper County Fair!

Have a green thumb? Don’t let your hard work go unnoticed—enter your best garden produce, flowers, herbs, or houseplants in the Open Class Horticulture Division at the Harper County Fair! Fast approaching the fair is August 6-9, so now is the time to start planning

Wondering what you can exhibit? Pick up a fair book at local banks or the Extension Office to see a full list of classes and entry guidelines. You’ll find everything you need to know, including deadlines and how to prepare your items for judging.

Judging Criteria – What to Expect: Vegetables are judged on several key factors: correct quantity (if the book says six, bring six!), uniformity in size and shape, absence of pest damage, and proper maturity. Judging is done visually—no samples are tasted. All produce entries must be displayed on a white paper plate, with the exception of larger items like pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, and muskmelons.

Flowers and houseplants can be entered as specimens or arrangements. Specimens must be placed in a vase with water and follow specific guidelines—for example, some may require a single stem with one or more blooms, while others call for three stems. Again, refer to the fair book for details.

Arrangements and container gardens are judged not only on plant quality—such as uniform petals, lack of insect damage, and bloom maturity—but also on aesthetic appeal, shape, and overall design.

Whether you're a first-time exhibitor or a seasoned gardener, we encourage you to share your beautiful blooms and bountiful harvest with the community. With all the moisture that we have had this year there should be many horticulture entries in the fair. We can’t wait to see what you’ve grown!

If you have questions about entering you can reach out to me at jlcarr@Ksu.edu.