Commissioner of Agriculture's Award for Agricultural Excellence

Judges Criteria:

1. Awards shall recognize exhibits which promote a better understanding of agriculture and rural life.

2. Awards may be given to individuals, farms, businesses or organizations.

3. Awards shall be given based upon assessment of the following:

Organization and neatness;
Ability to convey clear information or message;
Conformity to generally accepted practices such as animal cleanliness, proper preparation of produce, adherence to state or federal grade and quality standards, etc;
Clear identification of exhibitor - name and home town;
Integration with overall goals of the individual fair; and
Originality

4. Awards shall not be given to an exhibitor more than once in three years.

5. Awards shall be determined by judges appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets & Food.

At each of the New Hampshire Fairs one display is selected that best promotes agriculture and New Hampshire's rural lifestyle and heritage. We congratulate the past recipients of this special award from the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. Winners for 2007 will be posted as soon as they are announced.

Scroll down to see the winners:

___________________________________________________________________

Belknap County Fair 2011

Winner: Wardown Farms

Downs Family

Display: Dairy animal exhibit:

Active family participation shown in preparation for fairgoers enjoyment. Extraordinary attention to animal husbandry, area is clean, organized and attendee friendly. The family component setting essential to today’s farms success was on vivid display.

___________________________________________________________________

Cheshire Fair - 2010 Winners

Winner: Hill & Valley 4-H Club

Judge Comment: "A nice display showing clear and informative sheep facts. Viewers can learn about lambing, parts of sheep, shearing, hoof trimming; even how to administer an injection. Plants toxic to sheep are identified by name with pictures provided.

___________________________________________________________________

Cornish Fair - 2011 Winners

Winner: Glen Farm

Family Dairy

Display: Dairy Exhibit

“Colorful neat area with well cared for animals – colorful well tended exhibit involving family unit in assuring success.

___________________________________________________________________

Deerfield Fair - 2010 Winners

Winner: Randi Fisher - Top line Registered Jerseys

Display: Jersey Cream Soap

___________________________________________________________________

Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair - 2011 Winners

Winner:

Goats-R-Us

Display: Butter Churn display

Unique, educational, historic butter churn display

___________________________________________________________________

Hopkinton State Fair - 2011 Winners

Winner:

Cornerstone Farm

Display: Livestock Display

Livestock – Brown Swiss – are relaxing in clean sawdust, each identified with the acquired date of birth and breed. There is a wonderful, wooden wall corner display board, exhibiting many farm photos and educational information depicting “cow facts” – cute decorative displays align this rustic display.

___________________________________________________________________

Lancaster Fair - 2011 Winners

Winner:

Joey Didsbury

Display:

Live Monarch Metamorphasis Display

A wonderful display where fair goers can see the metamorphosis of the Monarch Butterfly. At the beginning of the fair the box was filled with caterpillars actively eating millweed. Most are now in the chrysalis stage and can be seen hanging from the top of the box. A well drawn diagram showing the different stages makes a nice addition to the box activity.

___________________________________________________________________

North Haverhill Fair - 2010 Winner

Winner: Edwin & Katharine Blaisdell, Maple Museum

Judges comment: "Ed Blaisdell has collected maple memorabilia for over 70 years. He is a retired veterinarian (after 54 years). He has amassed quite the collection of antique pieces, gathered either as "trade" for vet services with farmers, and by bartering for items. Some items include evaporators, sap buckets, sugar molds, maple syrup cans, sap gathering tanks and many articles on mapling."

___________________________________________________________________