The Bolton Fair (Massachusetts) was September 25-26. My results:

1st--Blackberry Jam

2nd--Blueberry Jam
2nd--Peach Jam
2nd--Gift Pack: 3 jars of jam in a decorated basket or box (blackberry,
raspberry (seedless), peach)

3rd--Raspberry Jam (seedless)
3rd--6 Jars of Jam (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry (seedless))

Nothing for the strawberry jam, which I knew was too runny. The judge
always wants a lot of "slippage" and I overshot the mark.

The judge also wants the headspace down to the glass ring below the threads
on the jar (~1/2 inch of headspace). She claims that this is the new USDA
regulation. Anybody hear of this? (Anything with 1/8" headspace did not
receive a ribbon.)

Dave

"David J. Braunegg" wrote:

> The Bolton Fair (Massachusetts) was September 25-26. My results:
> 1st--Blackberry Jam
> 2nd--Blueberry Jam
> 2nd--Peach Jam
> 2nd--Gift Pack: 3 jars of jam in a decorated basket or box (blackberry,
> raspberry (seedless), peach)
> 3rd--Raspberry Jam (seedless)
> 3rd--6 Jars of Jam (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry (seedless))
> Nothing for the strawberry jam, which I knew was too runny. The judge
> always wants a lot of "slippage" and I overshot the mark.
> The judge also wants the headspace down to the glass ring below the threads
> on the jar (~1/2 inch of headspace). She claims that this is the new USDA
> regulation. Anybody hear of this? (Anything with 1/8" headspace did not
> receive a ribbon.)

Yeehaa Dave, good job. I never thought of doing leetle baskets. Sounds nice -
may try that in the misc. catagory next yr. I believe the USDA puts out
"guidelines" for home canning; 'regulations' require laws to enforce them.
Look out fer them jam police! You may have a few troll judges who crawl out
from under bridges once a year. Once an idear gets in them thick skulls, it
never gets out. You might have entered that slippery jam in a misc catagory as
Juneberry Ice Cream Sauce.
Edrena, wearing her few ribbons proudly.

In article >, "David J. Braunegg"
> wrote:

> The Bolton Fair (Massachusetts) was September 25-26. My results:
>
> 1st--Blackberry Jam
>
> 2nd--Blueberry Jam
> 2nd--Peach Jam
> 2nd--Gift Pack: 3 jars of jam in a decorated basket or box (blackberry,
> raspberry (seedless), peach)
>
> 3rd--Raspberry Jam (seedless)
> 3rd--6 Jars of Jam (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry (seedless))
>
> Nothing for the strawberry jam, which I knew was too runny. The judge
> always wants a lot of "slippage" and I overshot the mark.

Congratulations, Dave!! Good on you. Where'd you get your fruit?
Grow it, pick it, farmers market, supermarket?

It's fun to see the different categories -- the Gift Pack thing is
interesting to me.

> The judge also wants the headspace down to the glass ring below the
> threads on the jar (~1/2 inch of headspace). She claims that this is
> the new USDA regulation. Anybody hear of this?

Nope.

> (Anything with 1/8"
> headspace did not receive a ribbon.)

I think jellies used to say 1/8", jams 1/4".

How about 1/4". That's the info on the NCHFP site.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_07/prep_jam_jelly.html

> Dave
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 9-22-04; Fairs Fare tab.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >, "David J. Braunegg"
> > wrote:
>
>
>> The Bolton Fair (Massachusetts) was September 25-26. My results:
>>
>> 1st--Blackberry Jam
>>
>> 2nd--Blueberry Jam 2nd--Peach Jam 2nd--Gift Pack: 3 jars of jam in
>> a decorated basket or box (blackberry, raspberry (seedless), peach)
>>
>>
>> 3rd--Raspberry Jam (seedless) 3rd--6 Jars of Jam (blackberry,
>> blueberry, raspberry (seedless))
>>
>> Nothing for the strawberry jam, which I knew was too runny. The
>> judge always wants a lot of "slippage" and I overshot the mark.
>
>
> Congratulations, Dave!! Good on you. Where'd you get your fruit?
> Grow it, pick it, farmers market, supermarket?
>
> It's fun to see the different categories -- the Gift Pack thing is
> interesting to me.
>
>
>> The judge also wants the headspace down to the glass ring below the
>> threads on the jar (~1/2 inch of headspace). She claims that this
>> is the new USDA regulation. Anybody hear of this?
>
>
> Nope.
>
>
>> (Anything with 1/8" headspace did not receive a ribbon.)
>
> I think jellies used to say 1/8", jams 1/4".
>
> How about 1/4". That's the info on the NCHFP site.
> http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_07/prep_jam_jelly.html
>
>
>> Dave


I use 1/4" headspace for jams and jellies, and a scant 1/2" for
tomatoes, salsa, pickles, etc. And a generous 1/2" for meat.

Bob

Oops! That's right--1/8" jellies and 1/4" jams. I don't know where the
judge gets the 1/2" specification, but this is the same lady that accepts
pressure-canned, pureed squash/pumpkin. A couple of years ago I talked to
her about the USDA not having an approved recipe due to the density of the
product, but that didn't seem to bother her.

I bought the fruit at the supermarket--I can only get our raspberry and
blueberry bushes and strawberry plants to give us enough for eating. The
dang squirrels took every quince off of the tree (young tree-only had 7-8
quinces on it). I love quince butter and had really been looking forward to
making some.

The gift basket is rated on preserved product and also on the presentation.
I used a tin box we got with some lebkuchen and decorated the interior with
a Christmas motif to go with the paintings on the box.

Dave

Oops! That's right--1/8" jellies and 1/4" jams. I don't know where the
judge gets the 1/2" specification, but this is the same lady that accepts
pressure-canned, pureed squash/pumpkin. A couple of years ago I talked to
her about the USDA not having an approved recipe due to the density of the
product, but that didn't seem to bother her.

I bought the fruit at the supermarket--I can only get our raspberry and
blueberry bushes and strawberry plants to give us enough for eating. The
dang squirrels took every quince off of the tree (young tree-only had 7-8
quinces on it). I love quince butter and had really been looking forward to
making some.

The gift basket is rated on preserved product and also on the presentation.
I used a tin box we got with some lebkuchen and decorated the interior with
a Christmas motif to go with the paintings on the box.

Dave

In article >, "David J. Braunegg"
> wrote:

> Oops! That's right--1/8" jellies and 1/4" jams. I don't know where
> the judge gets the 1/2" specification, but this is the same lady that
> accepts pressure-canned, pureed squash/pumpkin. A couple of years
> ago I talked to her about the USDA not having an approved recipe due
> to the density of the product, but that didn't seem to bother her.

Hey, last year I got the MN State Fair folks to pull their category for
fruit curds because their were no tested and blessed recipes for canning
-- and they were requiring that processing information be included on
the labels. I contacted various university foodies for their
understanding of the matter and then forwarded the emails to the Fair
folks.

>
> I bought the fruit at the supermarket--I can only get our raspberry
> and blueberry bushes and strawberry plants to give us enough for
> eating. The dang squirrels took every quince off of the tree (young
> tree-only had 7-8 quinces on it). I love quince butter and had
> really been looking forward to making some.

I make my blackberry stuff from frozen fruit from the supermarket. I
just stumbled on the scoresheet for my jelly -- 98 points of 100 and a
"great appearance!" remark from the judge.

>
> The gift basket is rated on preserved product and also on the
> presentation. I used a tin box we got with some lebkuchen and
> decorated the interior with a Christmas motif to go with the
> paintings on the box.

Our fair used to have a lot for that that was sponsored by the Sure€Jell
folks but they discontinued it this year. :-( It was really fun to see
how elaborate and totally clever those things could be. I think you had
to include 3-5 homemade things and couldn't have more than 9 (or close)
items in the basket. I had a swell idea :-) that was disqualified
because my basket didn't have a handle!!! If it's a basket, it has a
handle, apparently. <sigh>

> Dave
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 10-04-04; Sam I Am!.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.