Montana Seed Show is back in Harlem

One of the top agricultural events in the state is returning to Harlem next week, after missing only two of the last 74 years.

The 72nd Montana Seed Show will be held in Harlem High School Thursday through Saturday, March 10-12.

Paul Rasmussen, chair of the organizing committee, said many of the events of the show - which started 74 years ago and only has missed two years, to his knowledge - are the same as in the past.

The show has a long history, starting as a seed potato show in the 1940s, but growing into a three-day event featuring vendors, agriculture, crafts, cooking, auctions and more.

The committee had hoped to hold the event last year but restrictions at Harlem High School due to COVID-19 shut down that venue, where the show is normally held. He said the committee tried to find another location for a scaled-down event, but those also fell through.

This year, with the omicron surge of the pandemic waning and new policies, Harlem High School, the traditional location, will be available.

He said the trade show once again is lined up, with just a few spaces left. But, he said, all are welcome.

"We'll never turn anyone away," Rasmussen said, adding. "It's looking decent."

Most of the schedule is about the same as past trade fairs, he said, with a few changes.

Rasmussen said a majority of the committee wasn't comfortable with having a large gathering in a closed space with the COVID-19 pandemic still going on, so the banquet has been canceled.

The banquet was where the awards generally were presented, so that will be done Saturday afternoon instead, Rasmussen said, along with selling the items with top-placed awards such as in the desert and pie categories.

The event will have a lunch counter both Friday and Saturday next week.

He said One Health, formerly Sweet Medical Center, from Chinook, will be putting on the traditional health fair with a variety of testing available but will do the fair Friday only from 6 a.m. to noon rather than the shorter hours Friday and Saturday that past shows saw.

That was changed after the book listing events and rules was printed and it was posted on the show Facebook page, Rasmussen said, so people need to know the Saturday listing is not happening.

The events start with a Harlem High School FFA beef cook-off fundraiser Thursday night and many events starting Friday.

One other change is the art show, which is being set to a silent auction through the duration of the show rather than the live auction done previously.

The pie show is back, with the Facebook page saying entries will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. Friday to 9:30 a.m. for a one-day contest with the top four winners to receive their awards - and the pies to be sold - in the Saturday afternoon awards.

And the show has a new contest, a dessert or cream pie contest, where the pie must include one of the ingredients of whipped cream, cream cheese or meringue.

The quilt show also is back, with entries accepted Friday between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. and the show running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Categories for the show are baby, bed quilt, lap - small - quilt, table topper or runner, wall hanging, youth through grade 12 and other.

Educational displays, with Division I open to any youth organization or group and Division II open individual youths ages 10, to 18, will be set up Thursday, March 10 from 1-5 p.m. and taken down Saturday, March 12, from noon to 4 p.m.

The yeast bread contest, with a specialty bread category again included this year, also is back with entries due at the high school no later than 9:30 a.m. Friday, March 11. The other categories are Adult, Division I - White and Adult, Division II Whole Wheat with a youth division with white, 100 percent whole wheat, machine white, machine 50 percent combo whole wheat and specialty bread categories.

The show also again features a woodworking contest with entires due Thursday, March 10 by 2 p.m., with judging to start immediately after that. No kits are allowed. It has Adult A and B and Student A and B divisions.