Veggie Wars: Union County Will Award Prizes to Top Growers

Got a garden? Think your veggies have what it takes?

Enter your produce in the first-ever Harvest contest at Union County Music Fest. Winners will share $500 in prizes, and all entries will receive a participation ribbon, according to a Board of Chosen Freeholders press release.

In addition to the biggest tomato, prizes will be awarded for the biggest zucchini, for the funniest-looking undecorated vegetable of any kind and for characters made out of vegetables and vegetable parts.

"The Harvest Contest is our way of celebrating those who care for and help preserve the precious green spaces in Union County, whether it's your own yard or a public place," said Union County Freeholder Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan in the press release. "I hope the Harvest Contest display at MusicFest inspires many more County residents to try their hand at gardening."

Entry in the Harvest Contest is limited to individuals in fourth grade or older.  All vegetables must be grown for non-commercial use at a home, school, or community garden, according to the press release.

To enter the contest, bring your veggies to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension tent at Union County Musicfest, Oak Ridge Park on Raritan Road in Clark, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9. Participants can also bring entries between a.m. and noon on Sept. 10.

Winners will be announced mid-day on Sept. 11.  It is not necessary to attend MusicFest that day in order to receive an award.  Contestants can retrieve their entries and pick up their ribbon or prize after 4 p.m. on Sept. 12, according to the press release.

Attendance at Union County MusicFest is expected to top last year's estimated crowd of 70,000, according to the press release.

The event includes two days of nonstop free music on Sept. 11 and 12, the County Fair at MusicFest carnival from Sept. 8-12, and many other attractions.

The Rutgers Extension, which is supported in part by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, will also provide cooking demonstrations, gardening demonstrations, and exhibits during MusicFest, including childhood obesity awareness programs sponsored by Walmart, according to the press release.

For more information about the Harvest Contest, contact the Extension offices at 908-654-9854 or e-mail Union County 4-H Extension Agent James Nichnadowicz at jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.