The quality of floral exhibits at Seneca County Fair usually is high, the judge says.
Cinda Jones, this year's floral judge, said that when she is judging arrangements, she looks at the firmness of the flower and the arrangement's style, balance and uniqueness. She looks at plants from the soil and
up and considers what the exhibitor had to remove from it.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE
Judge Cinda Jones looks over an
exhibit Monday at the Seneca County Fair.
For roses, she looks at the firmness and how the leaves look with the flower, and for planters, she considers how they were planted, how they are growing and the amount in the pot.
It never is easy to judge because people are going to be disappointed, she said.
"This is my second year (judging). ... I enjoy judging," she said.
Jones, who taught floral arranging at Fox Valley Technical College and had her own flower shop for five years, said she thought she might offer a seminar about arranging next year. She would teach exhibitors how to start and build an arrangement from the bottom up and how to place their flowers at different levels.
"I think judging should be like a teaching (experience)," she said.
Jones said she enjoys the differences in the flowers exhibitors take to the fair.
The floral department has two shows and received about 180 entries. Exhibitors took entries Monday and are taking them today, with today's entries focusing on an Olympics theme.
Emily Gilliland, superintendent of the fair's floral department, estimated the department had two arrangements as entries last year. Many people lost flowers in the storm that hit the area right before last year's fair, she said.
This year, the displays were moved back into the air-conditioned public safety building, and more arrangements were entered.
"They're just smaller," she said.
The department also has brought back a scarecrow contest. Gilliland said the scarecrows will be on display in the Grange building all week.
"There's two down there," she said.
