Hi-Line Living: Successful 66th Seed Show

After three intensive days of competitions, displays and various cooking contests, the 66th Annual Montana Seed Show, held at Harlem High School March 12, 13 and 14, proved to be one to remember.

Many activities took place at this year's event, including the Chili Cook-Off, which held its first show after a three-year hiatus.

Paul Rasmussen, chairman of the Seed Show, said this event brings people together.

"We bring, over the course of the weekend, a couple thousand people to town. It's like the last thing we got that's our own," he said. "It's fun. It brings the community out."

The Chili Cook-Off drew in a crowd the first day of the show. Five chili entries were submitted this year.

Rasmussen said that the Chili Cook-Off went on a hiatus due to lack of entries in the past.

"The last year that we did it, we paid three places and we had three entries," he said.

Vicki Niederegger, of Chinook, won this year's Chili Cook-Off's Judge's Choice and People's Choice titles with her dish, "Vicki's Sassy Chili."

"Most people like really hot chili and I like mild, so mine is sweet and mild - and homegrown beef - no chemicals," she said.

Wool judging took place at the Seed Show as well.

Tyler Lane, Montana State University extension agent in Chouteau County in Fort Benton, judged the wool competition. He said this was his first time judging at the Seed Show but that he has been involved with sheep and wool his entire life.

"I grew up on a sheep ranch - we ran about 800 ewes," he said.

Lane said judging was based on a variety of criteria, including weight and length. Twenty-four entries were submitted this year.

"It's great that producers are bringing in some fleeces," he said. "The market is favoring the sheep industry - we've got really good lamb markets, really good wool markets. Hopefully we'll see some more growth."

The seed competition took place at this event as well.

Ron Larson, manager of the Montana Seed Growers Association and one of the judges of the seed competition, said around 60 samples were submitted this year. Most of the submissions were certified seed that came from the Seed Certification Program.

"We're judging based on the visual characteristics of the seed - is it uniform? Is it shriveled?" he said. "It's a little bit like a beauty contest, if you will, for seeds."

A variety of seeds were submitted this year such as barley, oats and winter wheat.

"Seed is an important part of the whole agricultural process," Larson added.

Potatoes were also judged within the seed category - four potato samples were submitted this year.

"Potatoes are judged basically on uniformity," Larson said. "When people submit them, we look to see if they're all uniform - are they scraped up? Are they a nice looking variety?"

Larson added that having the seed category at the Seed Show keeps the tradition alive.

"If you take the seed away from the program, you really don't have a Seed Show," he said.

During the final day of the Seed Show, a banquet was held in Harlem High School's main gym.

Rasmussen thanked all who participated in this year's event.

"If it wasn't for everybody that's in this room and in the community for helping for 66 years, this thing would have died a long time ago," he said.

The winners in each competition were then announced and the top-placing items, including breads, pies and art were auctioned off by Bob Sivertsen.

Jerry Carroll, farmer and comedian from North Carolina, performed at the banquet.

Carroll performs at various agricultural events across the country and this was his first time performing at the Seed Show.

"These are my people," he said.

Carroll ended the event with motivational parting words for the audience.

"Every one of you matters - big time," he said. "Everybody in this room, if you're a farmer, or somehow know the deal of farming, then I am firmly convinced you have been born with dirt in your DNA. You can't pull someone out of a city and say, 'I'm going to make you a farmer.' I don't care how much you train them, how much you pay them - that's a special gift."