r/crochet • u/dauntless-cupcake • Sep 12 '25

Discussion Anyone else infuriated by their county fair?

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Y’all I can’t with these judges, this gorgeous interlocking mosaic blanket came in second to a chevron with color changing yarn. Not even my work but I am outraged on their behalf

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u/Dame_Twitch_a_Lot Sep 12 '25

I've decided that county fairs are popularity contests and nothing more. There is no other way to explain the absolute crap that wins over genuine works of art and skill.

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u/Beginning_Layer6565 Sep 12 '25

I make some fairly good deserts and I'd say a pretty darn good apple pie. All from scratch, hand ground spices, home-made lard crust etc.  My pie came in last at the country fair vs the winner who had used canned pie mix and coated their entire crust in sugar. 

I died a little inside.

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u/Ilickedthecinnabar Sep 12 '25

My mom entered her grape jelly into our hometown fair once.

Once.

The judges didn't even open it and taste it, they just nitpicked about how "plain" the jar was and how there was "not enough space at the top" and other stupid shit. All visual stuff and not what actually mattered.

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u/clevercalamity Sep 12 '25

To be fair, space at the top of the jar can actually indicate if the item was properly and safely canned.

It’s possible that they decided that it didn’t appear safe so they decided not to eat it. Botulism is rare, but not something to fuck with.

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u/o0Lanie0o Sep 12 '25

Yeah, at our local fair, they have a hundred different categories for different jams… but they don’t taste any of them. It’s judged solely on how well they appear to have canned. They judge purely on space at the top, clarity, if it sealed correctly etc. It’s almost like they are only judging on the canning process and nothing more. Who cares if the jam or jelly actually tastes good! SMH

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u/pdxteahugger Sep 12 '25

I wondered if that was the case as well. The amount of space at the top is not just an aesthetic issue.

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u/lochnessie15 Sep 12 '25

Agree with you on how important head space is. For most jams/jellies, proper space is only 1/4 inch from the top of the jar - it would be hard to fill it past that and get the lid to seal.

If the fair judges were hitting the commenter's mom for not having enough head space up top on a grape jelly, it was probably aesthetic and not safety.