News : Fair Begins! Hundreds of projects receive ribbons from judges

Alexis Symonds discusses her photographs with judge James Fielbien Wednesday at B.C. Fair.

Ally Hertle watches as judge Lori Ling samples bread Ally made for a fair project.

Liz Fischer shows her photographs to the judge.

Clayton Vopelak discusses his toolbox project with judges. He received a blue ribbon.

Kaedon Volz of Norway and judge Dan Kiley look over Kaedon's Farmers Market Cart.

Kaedon Volz built a Farmers Market cart as a fair project; judge Dan Kiley evaluates the project.

Nick Zaugg scratches his head while answering questions from the judge about his unique mower.

Nick Zaugg cleaned and painted an old mower that belonged to a great-grandfather as a fair project.

The Benton County Fair began this morning, as judges began evaluating hundreds of projects.

Students baked, sewed, painted, sketched, photographed and built a variety of projects for the judges to see, in the hopes of earning the right to show their item at the State Fair.

"We have a lot of creativity here," said Greg Walston, working his first year at the Fair with Benton County Extension.

For others, this will be their last year as active Fair participants.

"This may be a bittersweet week for me, especially on Sunday, when it's over," said Ellen Olson, who is stepping down as a 4-H Club leader after the Fair. It's also the last Fair for her youngest daughter, Emily.

The judges had a variety of projects to evaluate and praise early this morning.

One project that wowed the judge was the Farmers Market cart built by Kaedon Volz of Norway. He began with a garden cart, built a table on top of that with a place to hold an umbrella.

"I can see you taking this to a big Farmers Market in Cedar Rapids, and people wanting to buy it to use there," said judge Dan Kiley.

The judges asked questions about the projects and also offered advice to those who may be considered for the State Fair.

"I wish his great-grandparents could see this"

Nick Zaugg of Watkins found a half-century old lawn mower in his great-grandfather's shed after his great-grandparents died a few months ago. The mower can be either a walk-behind or a riding mower.

Nick cleaned and painted the mower, and got it in working order. He even mowed the lawn with it, says his mother, Michelle.

"I wish his great-grandparents could see this," she said as she watched Nick telling the judge about his project, and showing the judge his scrapbook.

Judging of the projects continued through Wednesday afternoon.

The Fair Queen will be crowned Thursday evening in front of the grandstands. 2009 Queen Macy Krug will crown the new Queen and Princess.