Today is the moment you’ve been waiting for – the results of the canning competition at our tri-county fair. I went to the fair on Saturday and ran straight to the Creative Arts Building to see if I won any ribbons. This was my first year canning, but I was still hopeful to win at least one ribbon. Did I get a surprise!
Last week, I entered four of my canned goods into the Coastal Carolina Fair: my raspberry preserves, fig preserves, hot pepper jam, and hot pepper relish.
Canned goods ready for entry at the fair
Here I am entering my goodies.
Me submitting my canned goods for the fair
And now for the results. I entered four canned goods and won….FIVE ribbons!!! Can you believe it? Take a look!
Hot pepper jam ~ 3rd place
Raspberry preserves ~ 2nd place
Hot pepper relish ~ 1st place
And here’s the best one – TWO ribbons!
Fig preserves ~ 1st place AND Best of Show 3rd place!
I was stunned! And excited. Me…a suburbanite Yankee girl winning ribbons at the county fair. I’m officially a country girl now!
Truthfully, I had always been afraid to try canning – for fear of not doing it correctly and getting my family sick or something. But I decided this year that I just needed to study how to do it, follow the recipes and make no changes to the acid, salt or sugar content (as those items are for preserving), and give it a try. I not only have great tasting canned goods, I won my first ribbons at the fair.
If you’ve been afraid to give canning a try, determine to try it next season. If I can do it, anyone can! I’m happy to be the poster girl for “see what you can do.”
Having bragging rights for a year isn’t too shabby either!
Sanctuary Gardener 
Congratulations Rosemarie for winning 5 ribbons on the County Fair Canning Competition. What an honor for you. I too had been afraid to can we first started years ago. I just entered any at a fair before. Good for you!!!!
Glad you took the canning plunge, too! You should consider entering a few of your jars in your fair next year. You might just win a few ribbons yourself!