Vegetable entries wanted for Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club Pageant and Contest
The Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club will host a Vegetable Pageant and Contest for members and non-members on Saturday, Sept. 28, at from noon to 4 p.m.
“We are hoping that the community, especially the children in the community, will enjoy this event, and come out to see the great abundance of fresh produce that we have available here in Southern California,” Suzanne Johnson, event coordinator said.
The RSF Garden Club used to sponsor a horticulture division at its annual spring Flower Show with adjudicated prizes for home-grown specimens, both floral and agricultural. The Flower Show gave way to the Spring Garden Tour, Ramblin’ Thru The Ranch, when it became too difficult to fill all of the flower show divisions with enough participants.
“The horticulture division of the Flower Show had a strong bias toward gardeners and farmers, of course, but I am hoping that the foodies and the hunter-gatherers will participate in this show,” Johnson said. “I think a lot of us are in the same situation. We have so much choice in the marketplace, that we shop at supermarkets, specialty markets, organic produce stands, outlets, gourmet markets, and farmers’ markets. It would be an amazing feat to see all of that vegetable produce in one place.
“I have an elderly aunt who tries to eat only organic, gluten-free, free-range, non-dairy, low-fat foods that aren’t too expensive. It’s a challenge that has taken me to stores that I don’t think even existed a few years ago.”
The “Vegetable Pageant” will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on the Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club patio. Vegetables for the contest may be entered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Everyone who attends the pageant may cast a vote in the four contest divisions: Largest, Smallest, Unusual Shape, Home-Grown. Voting will close at 4 p.m., and 1st place prizes (for largest number of votes) of $25 will be awarded at 4:30 p.m.
Participants can claim their entries after contest, or they will be donated to the San Diego Food Bank.
For more information, contact Suzanne Johnson, event coordinator, at gardenclub92067@gmail.com, or call/text (619) 507-2754.