It's hard to believe, but this time next month, the Robeson County Fairgrounds will be a beehive of activity as people get ready for the 60th Anniversary of our county fair. The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair will begin on Thursday, September 28, and will operate until Saturday, October 7.

The handbook for the county fair has been printed and is now available. In addition to a complete schedule for the entire 10 days, this handbook lists all of the events and contests that will be held, along with rules and contact persons. All categories of home exhibits, livestock shows, special exhibits, and details about all contests and entertainment are included in this handbook.

These handbooks are available at many of the sponsoring businesses around the county. In addition, the Cooperative Extension Center, which is located in the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center in Lumberton, has a large supply available. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this handbook and start now determining what items you might enter in the county fair and what contests you might want to participate in.

A new contest and exhibit that began last year is the Amateur Wine Exhibit. This feature was added to the county fair because of the recent increase in interest in grapes, wines, wineries, and wine making. In this region, muscadine wines are the predominant wines that are produced by hobby wine makers. Wines from muscadine grapes have been proven to have many health benefits related to heart diseases.

This exhibit and contest is being sponsored by Lumber River Trading Company, your True Value Hardware Store on Roberts Avenue in Lumberton. With Al Locklear's support, this contest will offer some attractive prize money and ribbons. In addition, the persons winning this contest will have bragging rights that they make the best wine in the region.

All amateur wine makers in the region are encouraged to enter their best wines in this exhibit. Wines may be entered for exhibit and judging on Sunday, September 24, from 1-6 p.m.; on Monday, September 25, from 4-9 p.m.; and on Tuesday, September 26, from 4-9 p.m. The wines will be judged by certified wine judges during the fair at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 30.

If you are a hobby wine maker, please contact me at 910-671-3276, so I can mail you the complete information you need about entering your wines in the county fair. If you have friends or acquaintances that are hobby wine makers, please share this information with them.

Another contest that will be held during the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is the National Chicken Bog Cook-Off. This will be the 12th year that this contest has been held.

This contest is sponsored by Mountaire Farms of North Carolina and offers big prize money. The first place winner of this contest will receive a check for $1,000, second place will receive $300, and third place will receive $200.

There are lots of good chicken bog cookers in this area. I have personally enjoyed the bogs cooked by many of them, and I know how delicious they can be. But just because they are delicious does not mean they are the best. The winner of this contest can brag that they are the best chicken bog cooker in the nation.

This contest will be held on the final day of the fair - Saturday, October 7. Those wishing to compete in this contest must preregister by Friday, October 6. For an entry form and complete set of rules, please call me at 910-671-3276.

The reason I mention these contests is that I would like to encourage you to start making plans now to do more than just go to the county fair. I would like to encourage you to actually participate in the county fair. It is a lot more fun when you do.

There will be over $20,000 in prize money offered during the county fair for the many contests and events that will be held. Most of this will be in the home exhibits area, a favorite for many folks who visit the county fair. Have you ever considered entering your prize potted plants, your canned goods, your sewing items, vegetables from your garden, your craft items, your baked goods, or your handmade quilts? With a little effort and a little advance planning, you might earn not only bragging rights for the coming year but you might also earn a little extra spending money.

If you have any questions about entering items in the county fair or what you should do to properly prepare your items for exhibit, please call 671-3276. The Extension agents at the Cooperative Extension Service will be glad to answer your questions and assist you in any way possible.

The final thing I would like to mention is that advance tickets will again be available for the county fair. General gate admission is still only $5, making the county fair the most affordable entertainment you can find anywhere in the state. Once on the midway, wrist bands for unlimited carnival rides are available for only $18. Advance tickets provide both admission and unlimited rides for only $18. In addition, they also contain an additional $17 worth of valuable coupons good for fair foods, for a total value of $35. Advance tickets will be available at many businesses throughout the county but will not be sold after the fair starts. Since the fair starts on September 28, you are encouraged to get your advance tickets early.

Since this is the 60th anniversary of your county fair, there are many ticket specials being offered this year. Some of the ticket specials offer free admission to the fair. I encourage you to plan ahead and get some great deals for attending the county fair.

See you at the fair.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 08/30/06