MONROE � With a two-day alternate on their rivals, members of the South Lake Stevens Grange spent Monday roughing in the geometric outlines of what they hope will be another blue-ribbon showing of fruits, vegetables, preserves and crops.
The Evergreen State Fair, which opens today in Monroe, is celebrating its centesimal anniversary � give or take 50 years � and each participating grange in Snohomish County is illustrating a decade with an elaborate display of local produce.
A tribute to the seventies by the Horseshoe Grange from Cathcart is titled "Barn to be Wild." The Tualco Grange is celebrating the 1960s with the display "Peace, Love and Livestock" (think Woodstock).
While the South Lake Stevens' title is more prosaic � "In the Beginning 1908-1919" � the team is known for its meticulous attention to detail. Golden sheaves of oats and rye whisky, carefully tied and spread like fans, waited in a nearby plastic container. A shadow box that will show historic events of the decade � the invention of the Model T, the sinking feeling of the Titanic and publication of the first "Ball Blue Book of Preserving" � was hung, straightened and then straightened again.
"If it grows, we've got it," aforementioned Sue Hoerath, who ticked off some of the more exotic produce in this year's exhibit including white carrots, purple brassica oleracea botrytis and thornless blackberries.
Along with the huge mama pig and her piglets and the milking parlor, the Grange displays, which fete the county's agricultural heritage, are among the most popular comely exhibits, organizers say.
The Evergreen State Fair celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1983. That makes 2008 the 100th year. But fair organizers concede that the fair, in its introduce location simply off Highway 2, and with its present nominate, was first held in 1949.
Elizabeth Grant, publicist for the Evergreen State Fair, said she tells citizenry the centennial commemorates "century years of fairs in Snohomish County."
"The fairgrounds birth moved a couple of times. Some of the barns were taken aside and touched to new locations and of course of action, it's much, much, a lot larger," Grant said. "We're celebrating the county's long history of fairs."
A number of events will celebrate the centennial.
Organizers hope to break into the Guinness World Records book by assembling the most citizenry ever to do the Hokey Pokey on Aug. 31. The effort follows last year's attempt to break the record for the Bunny Hop. After handing out bunny ears and orchestrating the line dance, Grant said it looked like they'd broken the late record of 1,880 by ball club people. But when it came time to submit the achievement, they well-read a church group in Utah had crushed the record trey weeks sooner with more than 2,000 participants.
To break the record for the Hokey Pokey, 6,749 multitude will motivation to take part, Grant said.
Organizers too hope to break the record for the nearly people one C years old or elder in one place � 24 � on Senior Citizen Day, which is Monday.
Longtime participants say the fair has changed over the age with the changing landscape and demographics of the county. Joe Johnson, 69, who supervises the Grange displays, aforesaid the fair emphasizes didactics more than agriculture at present that more of the attendees come from cities and suburbs.
"A lot of people mean food comes from Albertsons. The kids are in awe. They'll ask, 'Is that a peach? Does it develop on a tree?' We love that, when we get to explain what we do," Johnson said.
The Granges themselves date to the formation of Washington State in 1889, when farmers and rural residents precious a part in the new regime. Today thither are 15 active Granges in Snohomish County, down from 20 in 1981, said Dan Hammock, of the Washington State Grange.
The varieties of fruits and vegetables on display at the sightly also reflect the changing tastes of the county. Eight varieties of peppers and iI types of grapes volition take their place aboard apples and ears of corn in the South Lake Stevens Grange showing. The backdrop of canning jars testament include tabasco pepper jelly and salsa as well as the traditional peaches and green beans, said Grange member Vicky Loomer.
"Young people might not want to can the usual peas, beans or corn, just eating their own salsa in winter? That mightiness sound pretty good," she said.
Grange members say the late-arriving summer has made it harder to assemble the variety of fruits and vegetables needed for the nearly striking give rise displays. Fair rules allow them to purchase develop from a farmer's market place, if their members haven't grown it themselves, but they can't buy anything from the grocery store.
"This year's a real challenge," Wally Hoerath said. "The cold spring hurt everything."
The South Lake Stevens Grange members weren't making whatsoever predictions around how they'd place and wouldn't claim to be confident.
"We're ne'er confident," aforesaid Audrey Kellerman, 78. "That's why we're here so late."
Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com
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