Pie baking raises funds for Buchanan County 4-H
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 07/29/2010 9:45 AM
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INDEPENDENCE, Iowa —The Buchanan County 4-H Pie Baking Contest and Auction started at 5:30 a.m. in the 4-H building at the Independence fairgrounds when Irene Peyton and Diane Wenger, both of Fairbank, and Helen Short of Masonville turned on the ovens and began setting up.
The first pie bakers for last week's contest arrived by 5:50 a.m. but pie making didn't officially begin until 6 a.m. The pie makers ranging in age from preschoolers to grandmas came steadily through the morning with the last pies being assembled shortly after noon.
Judging began at 1 p.m., but the last pies didn't come out of the oven until after 2 p.m.
At 5:30 p.m. the winners were announced and the pie makers lined up with their pies for the parade to the livestock pavilion for the auction where the 45 pies were sold. Also auctioned were 37 5-gallon flower buckets designed and assembled by 4-H members and supporters.
This year's auction raised $12,500. Auctioneers Gerald VandVorde, Patrick Sperfslage and Tracey Bantz donated their time and Farm Credit Services of America provided free clerking services.
This year's winners in the senior division were Barb and Kara Lindsay. They made an apple pie. Winning reserve honors were Greg Witte, Victoria Karsten and Johnny Schwarting for a red black raspberry pie. The Wapsi Warriors were champions in the junior division. Garrett Clampitt won reserve. Both made apple pies.
Pies were made by individuals, both youth and adults. Some were made by youth teams while others were made by teams of adults and youngsters. There were a number of grandmothers working with grandchildren.
"All the money raised from the event is used to support the Buchanan County 4-H program for the next year," said Tina Dodge, Buchanan County Extension youth coordinator. "For many years now, we have received enough money from this auction that we do not have to do any other fundraising events throughout the year."
In its 35th year, the pie contest was originally run by the Buchanan County Pork Producers, said Peyton, Short and Wenger. That's why one of the contest rules is that pie crusts must be made out of lard. The pie must be baked in an aluminum pie tin provided by the contest. The pie tins were donated by Steve Brentner Insurance. The pie must have a top and bottom crust and be made of fresh fruit. This year's pies included apple, peach, rhubarb, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and combinations of berries and other fruits, dubbed bumbleberry. Cy & Charley's in Independence provided three stoves for baking.