MN State Fair

The MN State Fair is coming soon. I always encourage beekeepers to make an entry. The fair is one of the largest honey and bee displays in the country. This gives MN beekeepers a wonderful opportunity to show the fruits of their labor, while promoting the beekeeping industry.

Honey entries

Volunteer Beekeeper Steve Buck talks to visitors to the bee and honey exhibit

This is the link to the MN State Fair Premium Book.
Find the Bee and Honey section. There are many entry possibilities. You can enter as many of the lots as you desire. Only one entry per lot. Always read and follow all the direction in the lot. You do get your entry back.
 There is a novice class for new beekeepers who have never won a ribbon. Also a Junior lot for kids. More than one child per family can enter the same lot.
 Bottling honey for the fair makes you a better beekeeper. There is more attention to detail because this is competition. Bottling of honey makes you think of the fair and you tend  to bottle a more consistent product.
 I find it helps to make a schedule to get ready for the fair. Have any honey extracted by early August. Let it set for a couple days for the air bubbles to rise. Bottle a week before the entry is due. Any bubbles rise to the top of the jar. Carefully take a spoon and remove any froth at the top of the jar. Top off the bottle if needed with the same honey.
 Your entry at the fair will be seen by thousands of fairgoers. All of your friends and family will stop by to see your entry. If you win a ribbon you will be able to say that you have the best honey in the State of MN and you have the ribbon to prove it.