Juneau Community Garden - 2023 Harvest FestivalHarvest Festival – August 19, 2023

Weather affects how well plants survive over winter and how well they grow in summer. Every year, the weather seems to be a bit different—last winter there were very cold temperatures in December, but there was very little snow on the ground to protect plants. Hence, it seems that those conditions may have been responsible for the poor survival of mint plants and some

people’s garlic. Another thing that can damage plants in winter is frequent freezing followed by thawing of the soil. Plants prefer consistent soil conditions with only minor fluctuations in temperature and moisture. There are things that gardeners can do to minimize the effects of fluctuating weather conditions. Mulching plants in fall is a great way to minimize the damaging effects of repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Mulching can be done with a variety of materials such as seaweed (Fucus), straw, or leaves; spruce or hemlock branches can also be used. It’s especially important to mulch garlic and asparagus, but any plants that spend the winter in the ground, mint, herbs, flowers, etc. will benefit from mulch. Plants can benefit from any amount of mulch, but I’m a believer in the more the merrier principal—I shoot for putting about 6” of mulch on my garlic and asparagus in late fall. Oh, and don’t forget to add a tarp or a layer of plastic over the mulch to keep all the rain off.

Welcome to the 29th Harvest Fair. Have fun and happy gardening.

John Thedinga, President

SCHEDULE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EXHIBIT RULES

EXHIBIT ENTRIES

Schedule of Events: Saturday, August 19

9:00 – 10:15  Enter exhibits

9:30 – 10:45    Drop off donations to Farmers Market 10:30 – 12:00 Exhibit judging

11:00 – Fair Opens to Public

10:00 – 1:00     Food sales

11:00 – 1:00     Farmer’s Market and Kid’s games

11:00 – 1:00     Public sign-up for 2024 plots & self-guided Garden tours 12:00 – 1:30   Exhibits viewing

12:30 – 1:00     Awards ceremony & Small portable greenhouse drawing

1:30 – Fair closes, remove exhibits

Guide to Exhibiting your Produce and Flowers

Select specimens similar to or slightly larger than the size most commonly sold in markets. Select specimens that are uniform in size, shape, maturity, and color. Choose for quality: free from damage, blemishes, and disease. Remove dirt by washing or brushing carefully. Enter the exact number of specimens listed in this brochure for the class and lot. Brochures with detailed instructions are available at the Juneau Community Garden.

The Juneau Community Garden is a non-profit organization that encourages gardening by providing a place for gardeners and would-be gardeners who don’t have a yard or who need additional space. The Garden was organized in 1993 with much help and a grant from the Juneau Master Gardeners. The property is leased from the City and Borough of Juneau, and we operate under the auspices of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Regular plots are 10 feet by 20 feet and rent for $35 a year and climbing beds are 2 feet by 8 feet and cost $5 a year. Members in good standing can renew their plot(s) each year. Five hours of volunteer work are required for each regular plot and one hour for each climbing bed. Soil amendments and many tools are available for use at the garden, and advice and enthusiasm are free and readily available. There are no plots currently available but people can get on a waiting list for next season. If visitors feel inspired, they can put their name on the waiting list for a plot at the Harvest Fair or do it online (https://juneaucommunitygarden.org). In recent years we have been able to accommodate most interested gardeners.

2023 Juneau Community Garden Board of Trustees

President John Thedinga 907-209-3939
Vice president Delores O’Mara 907-209-2183
Secretary Pat McLear 907-321-7286
Treasurer Alan Davis 907-723-7968
Events coordinator Cynthia Krehbiel 907-789-0855
Membership coordinator Odette Edgar* 907-321-5132
Charity plot coordinator Sharon Fleming 907-321-1585
Maintenance coordinator Steve Iha 907-723-9201
Master Gardeners Rep. Joel Bos 907-209-9430
Cooperative Extension Rep. Darren Snyder 907-523-3280

*Non-board member

Exhibition Rules

  1. All Juneau gardeners are eligible and encouraged to enter
  2. Exhibitors must be the bonafide grower of the item to be exhibited. For example, in the Youth Category, the child must have grown the vegetables on their own.
  3. There are two categories: Adult and All Division Classes and Lots will be the same for Adult and Youth.
  4. Each division is divided into Classes and Lots (numbers below Class). Exhibitors may enter any and all Classes and Lots. However, we request only one entry per Lot (for example, only one type of kale per Lot 13).
  5. Entry forms must be completed by the entrant for each entry. Forms will be available at the Community Garden on the morning of the Harvest Fair or in the Garden shed before the Harvest Fair.
  6. All entries must be submitted between 9:00 am and 10:15 am on Saturday, August 19.
  7. Exhibits will be judged between 10:30 am and 12:00 pm. The exhibit area will be closed to the public during this period.
  8. Exhibits will be open to the public for viewing from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm. Exhibitors, please leave your exhibits on display until 1:30 pm.
  9. Garden plots will be judged Friday, August 18.

Method of Judging

The American System is used for judging. The judge inspects all exhibits in a Lot (numbers below Class) and comparatively ranks them, selecting only one first place, one second place, and one third place. Class Champions will be selected from all first place winners in the Class. Division Champions will be selected from Class Champions. A Grand Champion will be selected from the Division Champions (excluding Garden Plots and Harvest Baskets).

Ribbons

Ribbons for Adult and Youth will be awarded as follows:

Grand Champion                         Blue and Gold Rosette

Division Champion                      Purple Rosette

Class Champion                           Golden Rosette

First Place                                      Blue Ribbon

Second Place                                 Red Ribbon

Third Place                                     White Ribbon

Separate ribbons will be awarded for entrants in the Youth Divisions. All youth will be awarded a participant ribbon.

Exhibit Entry Divisions

Division A: Vegetables

Class A: Garden Vegetables

  1. Beans, 6 pods
  2. Beets, 3 trimmed
  3. Bok choy, 1 plant
  4. Broccoli, 1 head
  5. Brussels sprouts, 6
  6. Cabbage, green, 1 head
  7. Cabbage, red, 1 head
  8. Cabbage, other, 1 head
  9. Carrots, orange, 3 trimmed
  10. Carrots, other, 3 trimmed
  11. Cauliflower, 1 head
  12. Celery, 1 plant, roots off
  13. Kale, 5 stalks
  14. Kohlrabi, green, 3 trimmed
  15. Kohlrabi, purple, 3 trimmed
  16. Leeks, 3
  17. Lettuce, head, 1 head
  18. Lettuce, green leaf, 1 plant
  19. Lettuce, red leaf, 1 plant
  1. Lettuce, romaine, 1 plant
  2. Onions, green, 6 in a bunch
  3. Onions, dry, 3 trimmed
  4. Parsnips, 3 trimmed
  5. Peas, shell in the pod, 6 pods
  6. Peas, edible pod, 6 pods
  7. Peas, snap, 6 pods
  8. Radishes, 6
  9. Rutabagas, 1
  10. Spinach, 1 plant
  11. Squash, patty pan, 3
  12. Squash, winter, 1
  13. Squash, yellow, 3
  14. Squash, zucchini, 3
  15. Sweet corn, 3 ears
  16. Swiss chard, 1 plant
  17. Tomatoes, 3
  18. Turnips, 3 trimmed
  19. Other

Class B: Potatoes

(Please name the variety)

    1. Blue/purple, 5
    2. Fingerling, 5
    3. Red, 5
    4. White, 5
    5. Yukon gold, 5
    6. Russets, 5

Class C: Greenhouse Veg.

  1. Cucumber, 3
  2. Eggplant, 1
  3. Peppers, 3
  4. Squash, 1 winter, 3 summer
  5. Tomatoes, 3
  6. Other

Division B: Largest & Unusual

Class A: Largest

  1. Beets
  2. Broccoli
  3. Cabbage, green or purple
  4. Carrot
  5. Cauliflower
  6. Celery
  7. Potato
  8. Turnip
  9. Zucchini
  10. Other

Class B: Unusual

  1. Beets
  2. Broccoli
  3. Cabbage, green or purple
  4. Carrot
  5. Potato
  6. Turnip
  7. Zucchini
  8. Other

Class C: Produce Sculpture

Division C: Herbs

(All herbs should be secured in sheaves of approximately ½ inch diameter)
  1. Basil
  2. Bergamot
  3. Chives
  4. Cilantro
  5. Dill
  6. Fennel, 1 bulb
  7. Garlic, 3 bulbs
  8. Marjoram
  1. Mint
  2. Oregano
  3. Parsley
  4. Sage
  5. Shallots, 3 bulbs
  6. Thyme
  7. Other

Division D: Fruits

  1. Apples, 3
  2. Cherries, 1 cup
  3. Currants, 1 cup
  4. Raspberries, 1 cup
  5. Rhubarb, 4 stalks
  6. Strawberries, 1 cup
  7. Other

Division E: Harvest Baskets

(Not eligible for Grand Champion)

  1. Fruits, ≥ 5 varieties
  2. Herbs, ≥ 5 varieties
  3. Leafy greens, ≥ 5 varieties
  4. Potatoes, ≥ 3 varieties
  5. Vegetables, ≥ 5 varieties
  6. Other

Division F: Flowers

Class A: Annuals

(3 blooms per entry)/em>

  1. Aster
  2. Calendula
  3. Cosmos
  4. Dianthus
  5. Marigold
  6. Nasturtium
  1. Nicotiana
  2. Pansy
  3. Petunia
  4. Salvia
  5. Snapdragon
  6. Sunflower
  7. Sweet Pea
  8. Other

Class B: Perennials

(3 blooms per entry)

  1. Gardener’s Choice

Class C: Tubers/Bulbs

(1 stalk per entry)

  1. Begonia
  2. Dahlia
  3. Gladioli
  4. Lily
  5. Other

Class D: Arrangements

  1. Mixed, ≥ 3 varieties
  2. Single species
  3. Table arrangement
  4. Other

Division G: Prepared Foods

Class A: Pickles and Relishes

  1. Beets
  2. Cabbage/Mixed Vegetable
  3. Sauerkraut
  4. Green Tomatoes
  5. Zucchini
  6. Other

Class C: Chutneys

Class B: Jams and Jellies

(Please state preservation method,
such as “freezer jam”)

  1. Blueberry
  2. Currant
  3. Raspberry
  4. Rhubarb
  5. Strawberry
  6. Other

Division H: Garden Plots

Judged Friday, August 18 (No entry form required)

  1. Most Productive
  2. Most Aesthetic (Pleasing design, colors, textures)
  3. Most Innovative (new varieties or techniques)
  4. Best overall

Entry forms will be available at the Harvest Fair

Harvest Fair

“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments” – Janet Kilburn Phillips