subject: Get Ready For The Competitions! Bucket Trucks Make Picking Fruit Easier [print this page] Getting ready for the County Fair and Expo season is what a lot of teens and pre-teens have on the brain as school is getting out for the summer. If your child is going to participate in the Expo, be sure you are getting your ducks in a row well ahead of time. If you have fruit trees or a garden patch and you're involved in county fair expos, then I'm sure you are thinking about those homegrown fruits and vegetables for competitions purposes.
Cooking with organically grown fruit is a huge plus in competition, especially this year. America is really getting turned on to pesticide free, home grown garden fruits and vegetables. So, if you want to win, go organic. You may notice when you harvest the taste of the food is about a million times better; more flavorful and even sweeter. We like to call that "real food."
When it comes to harvesting fruit, every good grower knows how damaging it is to shake a tree and let the fruit fall. You can't use bruised up fruit for competition. The best crops are always in the highest parts of the trees where extension ladders are just too short to reach. It's these times when a cherry picker, or bucket truck, comes in handy. You can rent a bucket truck, but if you own your own fruit trees then buying a used bucket trucks is a good idea. You can find bucket trucks, boom trucks, forestry trucks and more for sale at I80 Equipment's website at http://www.i80equipment.com/.
The most popular prize winning fruit pies are generally some variation of apple, peach, strawberry rhubarb, blueberry or raspberry. When it comes to the cut throat competition of baking, the more creative you are with the filling and traditional with the crust, the better the chances of winning the big prize. Try to get as many old ladies together to teach you their crust recipes as you can. The old ladies know how to do it right and it will make them feel needed. You will also learn the importance of carrying on traditions.
Good pie filling recipes are hard to come by, so start experimenting now. Dutch apple pies are wonderful, and don't really need to be tinkered with all that much. But, if you are thinking of going with a strawberry pie, try some of these funky, yet delicious combinations: strawberry/pineapple, strawberry/raspberry/blueberry, or even strawberry/kiwi.
Tropical fruit thrown in with a traditional filling is creative, eye catching and unusual and always garners extra points with even the pickiest judges. Use slices of tropical and traditional fruits as garnishes to really up the ante. The possibilities are nearly endless. Imagine a raspberry/lemon/lime/peach pie with an egg wash basket weave crust going up against a plain old apple pie! I know which one I'd pick. Remember to have fun and prepare well. The season will be here before you know it!
