Exhibitor focuses on award-winning veggies

MT. ZION, Ill. — Beyond the heavy slate of livestock shows at county and state fairs, there are many contest categories to choose from such as photography, quilting, baking and others. Barb Janes of Mt. Zion has tried a little bit of everything.

Many years back she entered items into the Macon County Fair in categories such as flower arrangements, baked goods and hobbies, she said, but nowadays she focuses on vegetables, specifically tomatoes.

“The difficult part is applying or signing up in July and then the fair being in August,” Janes said.

Sometimes the vegetables are not ready, and some years she hasn’t had any vegetables to show.

Besides growing tomatoes in her backyard, she also grows zucchini, cucumbers, green peppers, banana peppers, jalapeño peppers and a lot of herbs that she uses in cooking.

Janes said she has been attending the Illinois State Fair since the age of 5 and she is now 77. Over the years she has won second place for her zucchini bread and received second and third placings for tomatoes, but the blue ribbon remains elusive.

Janes said there is not a large reward for placing in the various competitions, but that doesn’t matter to her.

“I love being at the fair,” she said. “It’s my fun thing to do, and as long as I’m healthy enough I will continue to do it.”