AG-HORT-BEE

The Minnesota State Fair offers many opportunities for Minnesotans to showcase their agricultural and horticultural activities in competition. The information below is designed to give a simplified overview of the competitions in the Ag-Hort Building.

• Division of Christmas Trees (classes for decorated and undecorated Christmas trees and wreaths)
  
  
• Division of Honey and Bee Culture (classes for experienced and novice producers of honey and beeswax, which includes liquid honey, chunk honey, observation hive, beeswax; baking or cooking with honey; creative bee artwork, which includes beeswax carvings or castings, artwork and crafts with bee or honey motif, and a junior division)
  
  
• Division of Farm Crops (classes for utility certified seed, seed ears, old and new corn, sheaves of oats and wheat, crop art and scarecrow contests)
  
  
• Division of Flowers (classes for junior, amateur, advanced amateur and open exhibitors. In addition, the Minnesota State Fair hosts flower shows sponsored by various horticultural organizations. Rules and contact information will be included in the Ag-Hort-Bee premium book. The organizations are as follows: Minnesota State Horticultural Society; African Violet Society; Minnesota Gladiolus Society; Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota, Inc.; Orchid Society of Minnesota; Minnesota Bonsai Society; Minnesota Dahlia Society.)
  
  
• Division of Fruits and Wines (classes for amateur fruit growers including, but not limited to, apples, plums, grapes, pears, and peaches; and amateur wine producers including red, white, and rose grape table wines, apple, cherry or other berry wines.)
  
  
• Division of Vegetables and Potatoes (classes for amateur exhibitors including standard vegetable and potato categories, as well as "giant" vegetable contests)

GENERAL INFORMATION AND RULES FOR ENTRY: The Ag-Hort-Bee premium book is available annually for download in early May. Or, if you prefer to receive a copy by mail, contact the Competition Office at (651) 288-4417 and request to be placed on the Ag-Hort-Bee mailing list. Exhibitors who have entered within the past three years are already included on that list.

ON-LINE REGISTRATION: Registration for entries on-line is available for all Ag-Hort-Bee divisions except Farm Crops. See link below. On-line registration will absolutely close on at 4:30 p.m. on the department entry closing dates.

DOWNLOADABLES:

The Ag-Hort-Bee Premium Book can be viewed and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher. If you do not have Acrobat Reader or have an older version you may download the latest version of "Acrobat Reader" by clicking on the "Acrobat Reader" icon.

• Ag-Hort-Bee Premium Book
  
  
• Ag-Hort-Bee Entry Form
  
  
• MGGA Wine Data Sheet
  
  

Please be sure to PRINT AND READ the rules in the premium book before beginning on-line registration as it includes pertinent information for you to attach to your entry.

BEGIN ON-LINE REGISTRATION

INITIAL MAILING: Sent via bulk mail mid-May. IMPORTANT NOTE: Until the premium book is posted, please consider the dates and times below to be tentative. 2008 ENTRY CLOSING DATES (all divisions close at 4:30 p.m.): Christmas Trees - Wednesday, Aug. 6 Honey & Bee Culture - Monday, Aug. 11 Farm Crops - Friday, Aug. 8 (New Corn closing date is Thursday, Aug. 28) Minnesota State Fair Flower Show - Monday, Aug. 11 Fruits & Wine - Monday, Aug. 11 Vegetable & Potatoes - Monday, Aug. 11 For further information, please e-mail us at competition@mnstatefair.org or call us directly at (651) 288-4417.

For further information, please e-mail us or call us directly at (651) 288-4417.