Florence I wanted to tell you about something that happened to me the other day...A friend of my mom's came over and walked around the garden...She almost started to cry I thought, she told me that her mother(and this lady is about 70 I guess) used to grow roses that smelled just like those Zephy's....and she talked and talked about her mom's roses, it was a nice afternoon I can tell you,,,,She just loves old fashioned roses and went from the few I have and waxed on and on about the fragrance, first about the Zephy's, then the Sombreuil's....She said the Lamarque had a fragrance but not as noticeable as the others.....She liked the MAC too....Now comes the best part, I took her to the front patio/porch we got and only have one rose growing there, a Ducher, a small China rose.....She bent over, smelled that rose and then did cry.....I tell you it was sad, nice and wonderful all at the same time...Anyways it was a nice day for sure......So glad to hear of your first blooms, one of these days I hope to see blooms in abundance like the ones I saw on your Zpehys.....they were remarkable in size, number of blooms and well just amazing........Including the last flush of spring for my Zephy's...winding down now. Paul from Alabama..... Here is a link that might be useful:

Gee, I am not sure where to start, lol. I started entering fairs in 7th grade in the Home Ec class, I am now 48. First, and foremost, get a Premium Book from the fair you are entering, if it is over this year you may be able to get an extra one to study in preparation for next year. Some, are available online. Secondly, as I understand it, the Land Grant College of Mass is the University of Mass in Amherst. The land grant colleges of the United States are the Universities who have been granted Cooperative Extension Services. There you will find alot of information about agricultural and fair competition. The 4-H department has phamplets for this purpose for the different clubs to educate the youngsters. When entering last year I felt sorry for some newbies who didn't read up and were not allowed to enter do to incorrect jar size, glued on top covers, travelling distances only to find out that fair required bands on the canned goods. Unlike the fair Shirley enters there is no rule for label placement for me, although I place mine on the bottom for single competition and place on the side for display competition (the ones on trays/baskets like Dave mentioned). The 5 pickled competition is tough for tray size 15 inches max. That is exactly 5 pint jars lined up. I won blue last year, the colors were awesome I must admit, sweet gerkins, garlic dills, pickled cauliflower, 3 bean salad and pickled red cabbage. The Ball writing on the lids were perfectly aligned with the embossing of the Vintage clear jars I used. That's another tip, only clear/shiny clean jars is the standard. I use either vinegar or Borax to wipe down. Food coloring is usually not allowed. I may chance it with the Lavendar jelly this year to get a nicer violet color. Other standards are correct head space for the product canned, following USDA Guidelines, no floating fruit or veggies, good seal. Last year was the first year the jam/jelly judge opened lids for correct jell set on the jams and jellies, but did not taste product. I can sympathize with that after being a judge years ago for an apple/pumpkin baking contest. Went home and pucked for hours, to this day can't stand cream cheese frosting. Fresh veggies, you would surely be wise to get the 4-H information on the cut stem sizes for peppers, beets, pumpkins, eggplants, etc.... All specimens should be of the same uniform size, free of insects, insect or mechanical damage (ie: bruising when transported).Some veggies you shine, others you don't. Many fairs have weird /odd, giant veggie categories. New Jersey gives Trophies for the largest weight maters. Baked goods is another category for the Ag Department if you bake. Zucchini bread and Blueberry muffins are the toughest categories here. Hort Department, I have to agree about the other forums. Although, that is how I started entering, have a zillion blue ribbons for my floral specimens and can pick a blue ribbon zinna in the dark, that would make this post too lengthy. Lastly, HAVE FUN!

Btw I'm jesse I'm very new to the plumeria forum as I have only been growing plumerias for about a year & 1/2 but I managed to get 8 plumies already and I want more as I'm addicted to them :). I mean who isn't after their first one?! I'm from Orange CA born and raised but currently live in riverside CA. Btw I would of never thought to root plumeria in water! I thought it would rott. I'm definitely going to try it when I get a cutting. When I bought some plumerias I was given 4 cutting that had a lot of green on them not that mature. I got them to root but it took forever. I put them in water to plump up because they were really soft by the time I got home (they were already kinda soft when I received them. They were free so I took them) and then I put rooting hormone on them the next day and mixed miracle grow soil with perlite and put them in 1 gallon pots with black stones ontop of the soil and watered good and put in direct sun and I did mist the cuttings so they wouldn't go soft again. I did water the soil every few days because in direct sun the soil dried out pretty quick. They did root I recently gave 2 away and I kept 2 I dont remember what Variety they are all I know they were some sort of pink. They bloomed but don't even remember how they look like I was on vacation when they started. now they have 3 branches on them. I feel that I did a good job for my first time at rooting plumeria cuttings. Now that I remember I also rooted another cutting along with those 4. It's a cutting that is very special to me know that was gifted to me by my Uncle when he saw I had just got into plumerias he already had 2 but he had bought some cuttings and he gave me one. When he gave me the cutting it had flowers on it and it was a Y the blooms I kind of remember were 2 or possibly 3 dark colors I remember I liked it a lot. When I first tried to root it I failed and it rotted so then had to save it and cut off and just kept 1 cutting that eventually rooted and now has formed another Y but haven't seen it bloom again. It's very special to me because my uncle has Gone to heaven this past December and he left me my last great gift that I will treasure. Anyways But I will definitely next time try the water rooting. Thanks for the info and I will look forwards in learning much more from you!

A little OT... but still on "musical poetry", I guess. Shel Silverstein... famous for writing a lot of poems gear toward younger kids... those "Sidewalk" books. WELL, you're never too old to learn. As a teacher aid, helping a special needs student in his English class, discover that the lyrics to Johnny Cash' "A Boy Named Sue" and Dr. Hook's "Cover of the Rolling Stone" are BOTH from him!?!