Project for County Fair

16 years ago

I live in Cincinnati, an urban area, and one of the displays they want to have at this year's fair (mid-July) is a raised bed garden. In talking with people about ideas, someone made a suggestion that triggered the idea to also do container growing, especially root veggies as many (most) people in the city don't really understand how the veggies grow and end up in supermarkets. I can use clear containers (keep the sides covered until the fair) and show things like potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.

Then I got the idea of themed containers:

Peanut Butter and Jelly - peanuts along the edges, strawberries in the middle.

Peter Rabbit - carrots on the outside, lettuce inside

Dinner Staples - Potatoes on the outside, corn and vining green beans in the middle

Spice Up Your Life - Onions, garlic, horseradish on the outside, basil and maybe chives in the middle.

This should be fun as well as educational.

Mike

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Comments (8)

lathyrus_odoratus
16 years ago
That sounds like a lot of fun. Post pics when you're done!
beachplant
16 years ago
Those do sound really cool!
Tally HO!
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wordwiz
Original Author
16 years ago
Today was "fruitful" at least on one area. For my Peanut Butter and Jelly container, I thought about adding grapes to the strawberries. The problem is that most varieties take two-three years to produce fruit on the vine. No good for plants this year.

I did find some sites that offer three-year-old plants, but they insist on a $60-80 minimum order. I cannot afford this, as I already have to buy 25-30 different types of seeds, containers, potting mix, yada, yada, yada.

Then I got lucky and read about Red Canadice grapes. Produces fruit the first year. The quality of the grapes is not important - this is one area where style will outrank substance, especially since I have no intent of making jelly.

I prefer the Seedless Concord and have e-mailed a couple of suppliers asking if they will waive the minimum order restriction since this is for a non-profit group, as well as offering to list them as the source for the plants. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Mike
Pat z6 MI
16 years ago
COOL, wordwiz mike. Keep us in pictures.
wordwiz
Original Author
16 years ago
I found a source for the grape plants, that is great.

A couple other suggestions,though not for food:

Material Girl (apologies to Madonna!)
Bamboo, Cotton, Hemp

It's A Gas
Soybeans, Sugar Cane, Rice, Corn (though I will have it in meals also)

I'm hoping to come up with more themes. If it works this year, next year I may try Ethnic Themes - Foods and Plants from around the world.

Mike
wordwiz
Original Author
16 years ago
Another one - Strangers In Our Midst:

Coffee, Rice, Cotton. Not many gardens in Ohio have these plants.

Mike
wordwiz
Original Author
16 years ago
Today, a guy told me about an interesting plant - Jicama that is native to Mexico. I may need to grow this thing in a clear garbage can if visitors are to see the tubers!

Mike
bayoufilter
16 years ago
Hawaiian Luau - Taro outside, Pineapple inside
Elvis - peanuts and a Banana plant (sorry no bacon!)
Popeye - Spinach (of course) plus Sweet Pea and maybe Olive?

My, this is fun. I'd steal the idea for our 4-H kids but they've already decided on a Music theme for our Hort entry for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.
We won last year.

Rick

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Ribbon Kidz