County Fair judges lend expertise to evaluating baking, canning entries

BRAINERD — Before the crowds swarm each building, making their way through the displays of crafts, baked goods, photography and other artwork; before the masses flock to stands for cheese curds, corn dogs, deep fried pickles and honey sundaes, there is work to be done.

Though the Crow Wing County Fair had yet to open Monday morning, July 31, judges were busy in the Fine Arts Building, scrutinizing every entry and awarding ribbons accordingly.

Elaine Johnson might have had one of the best jobs — not to mention a full stomach — while judging the baked goods.

“Color, size, shape, texture, crumbing,” Johnson said of what she looks for in the entries as she smelled, broke apart and tasted loaves of bread and rolls Monday morning.

“Taste is the big one,” she said. “... Nothing like baked bread, right?”

Unsure of the exact number, Johnson figures she’s been judging at the county fair in some capacity for around 35 years or so, starting when her kids were in 4-H.

“I just wanted to be more involved, and I liked the whole judging concept,” she said. … “And I think everybody needs to be involved with their county fairs.”

Johnson felt there was a good turnout of baked goods this year, as she taste tested various breads, cinnamon rolls, caramel rolls and an assortment of other treats.

She recalled some standout entrants from years past, like a jalapeno cornbread with chunks of corn and a delicious blueberry lemon pound cake.

“People can be creative,” she said.

Not far away, Patsy Athman examined canning entries, judging vegetables, fruits, jams and salsas.

It can be as easy as looking for rust on the lid or thinking about which product you’d be more likely to buy in the grocery store, but there is a fair bit of canning knowledge that goes into the work as well. Athman has that experience, allowing her to analyze the methods used and whether the food was canned at the right time.

“Some things can be in a boiling water bath,” she said. “... Some things have to be pressure canned. So if the method is right and the time is right.”

The shelves bearing pickles, tomatoes, salsa and raspberry jam were especially full, proving time and time again to be a popular choice among canning entrants.

“Because I think people that are just starting out, salsa or jam is something that anybody can make,” Athman said. “And they’re interested in that.”

A retired family and consumer science teacher, Athman spent quite a few years judging at the fair, coming back in 2023 after taking a break the last few years.

“It’s fun, and it’s very enjoyable,” she said.

A plethora of artistic creations, including quilts, doilies and other handmade items, are on display at the Fine Arts Building throughout the fair.

The Crow Wing County Fair started Tuesday and runs through Saturday, Aug. 5.

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at [email protected] or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.