Specialty Contests

Specialty Contests

These contests will not be conference judged and are not eligible for premiums. Sign up for these contests on the 4-H project selection sheet and turn in to your 4-H Leader by May 1. Be sure to mark your 4-H entry forms that you want to exhibit in the contests. Please attach a 3 x 5 inch index card to your exhibit with your name, club and age. Bring your entries to the 4-H General Show on Saturday, July 2007. Sponsorships are available for the contests. Prizes will be awarded based on sponsorships received.

Cake Decorating Contest

For the contest, display one cake you have decorated using techniques based on your skill level. You may use any recipe for icing and/or the cake you wish. If you do not wish to decorate a cake, please feel free to use a form of some kind. The following will be used as the theme for this contest.

Theme: 4-H America's Future

On the back of your index entry card, please describe what new skills you used in making your entry and what was difficult about it.

Candy Making Contest

For the contest, display 3 pieces of candy you have made on a disposable paper plate covered with plastic wrap or bag, along with the recipe.

Recycled Art Contest

All you have to do is make something out of recycled materials from home (old milk jugs, egg crates, juice bottles, . . .). On your index entry card, please state an interesting fact about recycling with the source listed.

Shutter Bug Safari Contest

Get the camera out and start hunting those little insect critters in order to take their photograph. Go on a shutter bug safari! Check out your garden, forest preserve, parks, backyard to find interesting insect pictures. Start looking for insects in their favorite places like flowers, trees on or under leaves, close to water, or under leaf litter on the ground.

Please submit one photo of an insect mounted on a poster board (no larger than 22 x 30 inches) along with a 100-word story describing the insect, its environment/habitat and behavior/habits. Some things you might include are who took the picture, who is looking at the insect, what kind of insect is it, where did you find it, time of day or season you took the photo, what did you learn, was it easy or difficult to find an insect, how long did it take to set up the photo and what might the insect be eating?

Scrap Book Contest

It's time to get creative. Submit four (4) pages single sided or two (2) pages front and back of pictures and scrap book materials such as stickers, fancy cutting techniques and cute quotes to accompany the pictures. The pages need to express your imaginative ideas. The scrap book pages need to follow the theme: Fun Times with Family and Friends. Please present your pages in a photo album or binder.

Pie Crust Made With Lard

The Knox County Pork Producers sponsor a cash award given to the best pie crust made with lard. Exhibit one whole unfilled pastry shell made with lard in an 8" or 9" pie pan. You may use, but are not required to use the following recipe –

8- or 9-inch single crust pie:

Ingredients:

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup of lard

3 to 4 Tablespoons cold water

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 ⁰F. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Using pastry blender cut in lard until particles are size of small peas.

Sprinkle flour mixture with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while tossing and mixing lightly with a fork. Add water until dough is just moist enough to hold together. (Too much water causes dough to be sticky and tough; too little water causes edges to crack and pastry to tear while rolling.)

Form dough into ball. Place the ball on a well-floured pastry cloth or surface. Flatten ball slightly; smooth edges.

With rolling pin, roll dough to a circle 1-inch wider than inverted 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Fold pastry into quarter; place in pan and unfold, easing into pan. Press in place.

Flute the edge or a decorative edge. Prick the bottom and sides of the pastry generously with a fork. Bake at 450⁰ F. for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the pie cool.