LIHUE — Mrs. Annie Javalana, 95, said the squash was too massive Thursday night as she toured the Fruit and Vegetable Show during the opening night of the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair at Vidinha Stadium. “This is too big,”
LIHUE — Mrs. Annie Javalana, 95, said the squash was too massive Thursday night as she toured the Fruit and Vegetable Show during the opening night of the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair at Vidinha Stadium.
“This is too big,” Javalana said. “You can’t cook it because it won’t fit in the pot.”
The squash was among the many varieties of fruit and vegetable submissions by Kauai farmers and growers.
Stephen Ruiz and his wife Yvonne were carefully scrutinizing the plates of the fair’s Special Contest featuring beans.
Ruiz finished the judging in second place for his bush beans, edging out Zong Ping Huang who finished third. However, Ruiz’s plate of tempting legumes fell short of the Wooten Ohana who topped that category of judging.
Huang’s beans might have earned third place in the featured vegetable or fruit judging, but his hard work paid off when he was awarded the Best in Show Vegetable for his cucumber submission. The public is able to enjoy the award-winning vegetable when the Huangs offer their produce at the county’s sunshine markets as well as at the Kauai Community Market on Saturdays, a partnership between the Kauai County Farm Bureau and the Kauai Community College.
Sherwood Conant, finishing below Harry Yamamoto during the 2014 fair, earned the Best in Show for Fruits with his watermelon submission, the specimen drawing numerous comments from the steady stream of people flowing past the tables laden with entries.
The Wooten Ohana, arriving near the waning minutes of the submission period, earned accolades as the High Point winner, pocketing $827 for its hard work.
“They asked me for at least a hundred tickets,” said Sandi Kato-Klutke, a farm bureau leader. “We were waiting all morning for them to come in. Traditionally, they always come in toward the end, and this year, we had extra people to help with the registration so people wouldn’t have to wait that long.”
Following the Wooten ohana, George Mukai finished in the runner up position with $560.
The Huang crew ended in third place with $294 followed by Elia Lagoc ($147) and Ruiz ($111) rounding out the leaderboard.
Gates to the Oceanic/Time Warner Super Saturday open at noon with specials on the EK Fernandez rides when purchased before 4:30 p.m.
The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Keiki Talent Showcase opens the day of fun and festivities with includes a demonstration by the Kauai Woodturners, the art of bonsai, the 4H Livestock awards, and more highlighted by the Oceanic Time Warner Blackout BINGO.
