By BERNY UNRUH
K-State Research & Extension
Calling all Ellis County bakers! Join us at the Ellis County Fair for the King Arthur Flour contest. It has some great prizes in both the youth and the adult division. The rules and guidelines for this contest and all the other opportunities can be found at www.ellisco.net Look under Government and then under Ellis County Fair and “4-H Events” to find the Open Class portion of the fair book.
All fair entries must be pre-entered in advance at www.fairentry.com by Monday, July 6. This will allow entry cards to be printed and ready for you when you arrive to enter your exhibits. At the FairEntry website, search for Ellis County Fair in Kansas then set up your account using your email address and a password. You will receive email confirmation that your entry has been received.
For the King Arthur Flour baking competition, the exhibitor must bring the opened bag of King Arthur Flour OR submit a UPC label from the bag when the entry is made at the fair. The contestants will bake bar cookies from a recipe of their choosing. Bar cookies are baked in a shallow pan and they should be cut into 2”x 2” bars when cool. Place 3 bar cookies on a disposable plate or covered cardboard, then cover it with a plastic bag and secure it closed and bring it to the fair. Don’t forget to bring the recipe on entry day. Open class foods entries must be brought to the Fairgrounds exhibit hall between 8 and 9 am on Tuesday, July 14th.
Another opportunity to share your baking skills is the Special Class challenge that is open to anyone who wants to get in on the fun. The theme for this year is “A dozen of your favorite cookies”. The prizes awarded in this class include, “bragging rights”, your name added to the traveling trophy and a chance to taste the competitor’s entries. The judging for this class takes place at the conclusion of the open class foods judging.
So now is the time to plan your fair exhibits and get them entered online by July 6th to make the most of the Ellis County Fair experience. There really is something for everyone at the Ellis County Fair!
Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at [email protected]