Contact: Marsha Boswell, [email protected]
For audio version, visit kswheat.com.
From beautiful hand-crafted wheat weaving to stunning captured moments of the growing season to hefty jars and bags filled with wheat kernels, Kansas Wheaties brought their best entries to the Kansas State Fair. With ribbons awarded and entries taken home, Kansas Wheat recognizes the winners of annually sponsored contests at the statewide event, including the Market Wheat Show, Open-Class Division — “It’s All About Bread,” Kansas Wheat Photography contest and Wheat Weaving.
“A little friendly competition can be fun, and the Kansas State Fair is the perfect statewide showcase,” said Cindy Falk, Kansas Wheat nutrition educator. “Kansas Wheat sponsors a wide variety of contests, so there’s something for everyone in the family to participate in and enjoy.”
Meeting the needs of customers is important to any business, and wheat farming is no exception. The Kansas Market Wheat Show exists to educate Kansas wheat producers of all ages on the factors that they can control, to some extent, to grow high-quality wheat. Entries into the Market Wheat Show include five pounds of wheat grown by the exhibitor in the current year. Entries are then judged on protein, test weight, dockage, shrunken and broken kernels and milling and baking scores. Kansas Wheat also sponsors Division 121 – Wheat, which ups the sample size to 20 pounds of wheat in any container, all of which must be the same variety.
In the Market Wheat Show, the division champion went to Jay Derley from Lewis with his entry of HRW wheat, with Greg Turek from Caldwell receiving reserve champion. Derley also won the Market Wheat Sweepstakes for Western Kansas and Turek won the sweepstakes award for Eastern Kansas. In Division 121, Cameron Peirce from Hutchinson won the division champion award.
Market Wheat Show Results
Champion – Jay Derley, Lewis
Reserve Champion – Greg Turek, Caldwell
Market Wheat Sweepstakes
1. Eastern Kansas – Greg Turek, Caldwell
2. Western Kansas – Jay Derley, Lewis
Class 1 – All Hard White Wheat
1. Brad Whitman, Leoti
Class 2 – All HRW Blends
1. LaVern Potuzak, Agenda
2. Royden Derstein, Ford
3. Mat Mai, Russell
4. Larry Stude, Larned
5. Gerald Mai
Class 3 – All Other Private HRS
1. Brandon Riffey, Sawyer
2. Jaxten Fimple, Ness City
3. Emily George, Albert
4. Clark Greene, Larned
5. Ruben Blatz, Montezuma
Class 4 – All WestBred/Monsanto
1. Lyle Katz, Kinsley
2. Mark Baus, LaCrosse
3. Gary Graff, Marienthal
4. Rick Sherer, Mullinville
5. Piper Brown, Russell
Class 5 – KSU HRW Varieties
1. Dan Wimmer, Bushton
2. Jaiden Pfannenstiel, Hays
3. Greg Turek, Caldwell
4. Colten Katz, Lewis
5. Waymaster Farms, Bunker Hill
Class 6 – All Other Public HRW
1. Jay Derley, Lewis
2. Jason Hildenbrand, Stafford
3. Fred Newby, Pratt
4. Jason Howell, Preston
5. Allen & Beth Vogel, Wright
Division 121 – Wheat Results
Division Champion – Cameron Peirce, Hutchinson
All Agri-Pro/Syngenta HRW Varieties
1. Joshua Patterson, Whitewater
2. Nolen Hyde, Minneapolis
All Hard White Wheat Variety
1. Sterling Nichepor, Ness City
2. Cameron Peirce, Hutchinson
All Other Varieties or Hybrids
1. Joshua Patterson, Whitewater
2. Doug Patterson, Valley Center
All WestBred HRW Varieties
1. Reed Nichepor, Ness City
KSU HRW Varieties
1. Cameron Peirce, Hutchinson
Other Public HRW Varieties
1. Steven Yust, Sylvia
For those with a keen eye, the Kansas Wheat Photography Contest is a perfect fit. The contest is open to both amateur and professional photographers, who are challenged to capture the story of Kansas wheat across all aspects of the industry from seeding to storage to wheat fields, harvest, grain trade, milling, baking and anything else that captures the photographer’s imagination. This year’s contest winner was Loribeth Reynolds from Hutchison.
Kansas Wheat Photography Contest Results
1. Loribeth Reynolds, Hutchinson
2. Kimberly Coffey, Wichita
3. Ellie Just, Marion
Wheat weavers combine nimble fingers with pure artistry to make intricate creations from amber waves of grain. Divisions include everything from holiday designs to jewelry as these artists utilize traditional patterns and draw upon their creative talents to come up with new and contemporary designs. This year’s division champion was Angela Harlan from Viola, and the reserve champion was Donna Morgenstern from Salina.
Wheat Weaving Contest Results
Plaited
1. Marian Vavra, Norwich
2. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
3. Mary Thrower, Minneapolis
Marquetry
1. Marian Vavra, Norwich
2. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
Dimensional
1. Angela Harlan, Viola
2. Rita Peterman, McPherson
3. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
Jewelry/Pin/Corsage
1. Marian Vavra, Norwich
2. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
Swiss Work
1. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
Straw Pulp
1. Donna Morgenstern, Salina
Holiday Design
1. Mary Thrower, Minneapolis
2. Marian Vavra, Norwich
3. Rita Peterman, McPherson
And no state fair is complete without food. In the “It’s All About Bread” category, bakers exhibit their best recipes from sourdough bread, holiday bread and whole wheat quick bread. This year’s winners combined tasty ingredients with perfect technique to make winning entries of Rosemary Parmesan Sourdough Bread (Sourdough Division), Whole Wheat Honey Applesauce Pecan Quick Bread (Whole Wheat Quick Bread Division) and a Holiday Kolache Bouquet (Holiday Bread Division).
It’s All About Bread Results
Sourdough
1. Jayne Notin, Rosemary Parmesan Sourdough
2. Wilma Olds, Sourdough Bread
Holiday Bread
1. Wilma Olds, Holiday Kolache Bouquet
2. Betty Hawthorne, Snow Flake Pull Apart Monkey Bread
Whole Wheat Quick Bread
1. Betty Hawthorne, Whole Wheat Honey Applesauce Pecan Quick Bread
2. Wilma Olds, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
While the contests and categories for the 2024 Kansas State Fair won’t be open for entry until next summer, there’s no need to wait to try out a new recipe, break out the camera to capture wheat planting in action or try your hand at a new craft. Check out eatwheat.org for ideas and inspiration.
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Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat
Winning photo by Loribeth Reynolds, Hutchinson, Kansas