A Blue Ribbon was flying for the North Royalton Community Garden at the 121st annual  Cuyahoga County Fair, which took place from August seventh through the thirteenth.  This will be the group’s fifth blue ribbon.

The North Royalton Community Garden received the first place blue ribbon for their display entry in the Community Garden Display category, along with a check for $100.   The group received the most points, which placed them ahead of their competitor,  Ben Franklin, from Cleveland.

According to Community Garden Coordinator, Dejana Cinquepalmi, “the theme, ‘Harvest the Rainbow’, showcased all the colorful produce we grow and share. Our members truly are the best, they grow wonderful produce and inspire each other to grow in so many other ways.”  Previous themes have included “Grown in the USA,” Italian Picnic,” and “On the Farm.”  The group started participating in the fair display contest in 2012 and have won the blue ribbon every year, except 2015, when they won a red ribbon.

The entry was not only flush with color, but with a nice variety of produce, including watermelon, Swiss chard, shallots, strawberries, lettuce, eggplant, leeks, grapes, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, onions, tomatoes, rhubarb, carrots, cucumbers, beets, summer squash, potatoes, garlic, zucchini, as well as a variety of herbs and flowers.  Labels were also included for all the produce, which provided education.

The Cuyahoga County Fair has been an annual event since 1893, except for 1932, with the depression and 1942-43, during World War II.  Each year the event has been held at the 117-acre Fairgrounds in Berea.  In the beginning, the event was held in the fall, when the farmers where done with their crops.

“So much great produce was displayed in the building, it shows how much we all care about healthy eating, growing sustainable food and enjoying gardening with all its benefits. ” said Cinquepalmi.  “Our gardeners work very hard from the start of the season to grow fresh and bountiful produce.  Many gardeners share their produce each day, which is collected and given to the local seniors and food bank.  We are very fortunate to have such a great group of people in our community who enjoy gardening, socialization and the joy of giving back to the community.”  Speaking of giving back to the community, Cinquepalmi and the Community Garden members would like to thank Eagle Scout Andrew Vance, who completed new compost bins for the garden  this year and all who have generously donated.  The North Royalton Community Garden, to date, has donated 5,137.4 pounds of produce to the community.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK

Contributing  Writer