Canning and Food Preservation Committee
(Includes Fresh Homemade Salsa Tasting, Homemade Wine, Home Brew, Flavored Oils and Herbal Vinegars Competitions)
CHAIR: Margie Erben, Canning and Food Preservation Committee
Co-Chair: Adrienne Pierce, Homemade Wine, Flavored oils and Vinegars
Co-Chair: Mandie Erben Busselman, Home Brew and Fresh Salsa Tasting
All entries must be in PINT or QUART Ball, Kerr or Mason Brand jars to be considered for tri-color or trophy competition. All Canning and Food Preservation entries must be preserved using the approved hot water method for food safety purposes. Half pint and 4 ounce jars may be entered for show purposes only, but will not receive a ribbon of any kind, except for Youth Division. Entries will be accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, September, 27th. Judging for canning and food preservation will take place on Wednesday, September, 27th, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Wine, Home Brew and Fresh Salsa Tasting judging will take place on Wednesday, September 27th at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process.
The screening committee and/or the Chairperson must accept all entries and their decisions are final.
All entries must be picked up on Sunday, October 1st, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. or Monday, October 2nd, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
One exhibitor’s day admission pass will be given for each “quart-equivalent” entry accepted for canning and food preservation. (Example: 1 quart = 1 pass, 2 pints = 1 pass, or 4 half pints = 1 pass, etc.). One exhibitor’s admission pass will be given for each entry of homemade wine, 1 pass for each 2 bottles of home brew, 1 pass for each homemade flavored oil, or homemade favored vinegar exhibit.
Rules for Canning and Food Preservation:
All entries for canning and food preservation must be in a standard Ball, Kerr or Mason 12-ounce, 1 pint, 1½ pint, or quart canning jar, sealed and processed using the standard Ball Canning Guidebook’s hot water canning process. Again 1.2 pint and 4-ounce jars will be accepted for show purposes only. No ribbons of any kind will be awarded except in Youth category.
No paraffin seals are accepted.
Go to www.freshpreserving.com or to www.homecanning.com for directions and guidelines on the hot water canning method and to get started in learning to can and preserve.
No paraffin sealed products will be accepted for food safety reasons and due to extreme heat conditions in the exhibit halls. For food safety and sanitation, no items will be accepted that have not been canned using the hot water sealing process as defined by Ball Canning Corporation. See the websites listed above for more information.
To be considered for judging for tri-color and trophy prizes, entries must be presented in 1 pint or larger canning jars. Jars smaller than 1 pint may be considered as a group such as 8 oz (1/2 pint) jars and 4-ounce jars. These smaller jars may be entered for display only.
Seals, rings, and jars should be clean of labels, names and other markings. NO RUSTY SEALS OR RINGS WILL BE ACCEPTED. These entries will be disqualified for food safety and sanitation reasons. All home canned foods must have been prepared within the last calendar year (October 2022 – September 2023).
Adult:
A panel of judges will select the two best entries submitted by an adult for Fruit, Vegetable, Pickled Foods and Salsas, and Soft Spread categories.
1) Canning and Food Preservation Best of Show
2) Best Fruit (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
3) Best Pickled Foods and Salsa (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
4) Best Vegetable (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
5) Best Soft Spread (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
Youth:
We encourage entries in the Youth Canning and Food Preservation Division from participants age 18 and under, but still enrolled in school. To win, entries must follow the same guidelines as adult entries listed above. We encourage families to cook and can together as a family project. Tri-color awards for Grand Champion will be award to youth in the following categories. There must be at least three entries in a category to award a tri-color ribbon:
1) Best Fruit
2) Best Pickled Foods and Salsa
3) Best Vegetable
4) Best Soft Spread
The Comal County Fair Association is not responsible for Breakage, Loss, Theft, or Damage to any Entry