Every year, the Oregon State Fair draws thousands of people who come for the rides, fried foods of all sorts, the music and livestock competitions.

And some Oregonians come to showcase their fruits, vegetables and flowers in the hopes of landing a blue ribbon at the farm and garden competition.

Some people bring the largest onion they can grow, or the curviest zucchini. Others just want to grow the best looking tomatoes or apples.

It’s a kind of beauty contest, said fruit and vegetable competition judge Larry Smith.

“You’re looking for marketability, something that someone would buy at a farmers market at $2.98 a pound,” Smith said. And you’re looking for uniformity and color, size and shape.”

OPB’s Alejandro Figueroa sent in this audio postcard about the folks trying to grow the largest onion or the best tomatoes — as well as one man who judges them. Click play, below, to listen in:

That was fruit and vegetable judge Larry Smith, Susan Nelson and contestants Sara Sicotte and Jim Micklelsen.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/08/30/oregon-state-fair-fruit-vegetables/