An interesting experience

**"* C* <d*@chilitech.net>**

Many of you may not be surprised to learn that I am now semi-officially the

most hated man in the county, though secretly so. Saturday night I spent

several hours judging vegetable entries in our county fair. For my personal

safety. my anonymity was preserved by clearing the exhibition hall of all

but a few extension and fair officials; people take their vegetables very

seriously around here.

There were over fifty categories, each with junior and senior divisions, all

with 1st, 2nd, 3d, and 4th prize ribbons. It took a while, but thank God it

was a solo act. If there had been a team of judges, we would still be at it

and there would probably be blood on the floor. I think probably those who

hate me most were a couple where there was only a single entry in the

category and I gave it a third prize. It is amazing what some people thought

worthy of exhibit. There were vegetables hoping for a ribbon that I would

have thrown in the compost.

Finally I had to choose Best in Show from among the dozens of blue ribbon

winners. Ignoring some large and spectacular vegetables, I awarded the

trophy to one small plate of five perfect haricot beans in a county where

most growers have never even heard the word haricot. So there is one guy in

the county who doesn't hate me, but probably only one.

D

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