Youth show off their cooking & baking skills at the fair

Rebecca Burns of Cozad visits with the judge about her baked goods and theme table entered in the 4-H Favorite Food Show at the 2023 Dawson County Fair. (Syndicate photo by Barb Bierman Batie)

Dawson County 4-H’ers learn about making the right food choices for good nutrition, food safety, calories and fitness in foods projects ranging from traditional cookies and breads to the broader spectrum of international flavors and home food preservation. The food entries brought to the 2023 Dawson County Fair was judged as follows:

GENERAL - Cooking Basics Recipe File – Purple: Terrence Bliven (L) and Emma Luther (O).

COOKING 101 - Cookies – Purple: Gus Barnes (G), Baylor Gruntorad (L), Barrett Hunke (L), and Alexandra Rickertsen (L). Blue: Braelynn Anderson (G), Alexis Burkink (G), Rebecca Burns (C), Lysa Duryea (L), Tanner Fairley (B), Hailey Jensen (C), Bodee Klemm (L), Addie Monzon (L), and Mollie Spradlin (C). Red: Gabrielle Caraway (C), Taylor Kramer (Ec), and Cadey Wolf (C).

Muffins – Purple: Michelle McArdle (C) and Sarah Monzon (L). Blue: Caleb Linsenmeyer (O) and Mollie Spradlin (C).

No Bake Cookie – Purple: Gabrielle Caraway (L) and Owen Fairley (B). Blue: Anna Dillon (C). Red: Hailey Jensen (C).

Cereal Bar Cookies – Purple: Dallee Barnes (G). Red: Taylor Kramer (Ec).

Brownies – Purple: Carter Gruntorad (L), Barrett Hunke (L), and Mollie Spradlin (C). Blue: Kristina Burns (C) and Lysa Duryea (L). Red: Gabrielle Caraway (L).

Snack Mixes – Purple: Braelynn Anderson (G) and Griffin Owens (L). Blue: Henry Ahilon (L), Jackson Dowdy (G), Jamie Dowdy (G), Barrett Hunke (L), Caleb Linsenmeyer (O), Mollie Spradlin (C), and Reid Wahlgren (G). Red: James Lans (L).

COOKING 201 - Loaf Quick Bread – Purple: Dallee Barnes (G), Maggie Duryea (L), Hailey Jensen (C), Griffin Owens (L). Blue: Jordan Lans (L) and Lillee Voss (L). Red: Taylor Kramer (Ec), Joslynn Lans (L) and Sarah Monzon (L).

Creative Mixes – Purple: Hailey Jensen (C), Lexi Johnson (G), and Camryn Sutton (L). Blue: Lathan Johnson (G), Joslynn Lans (L), Griffin Owens (L), and Rieker Spradlin (C). Red: Jordan Lans (L).

Biscuits or Scones – Purple: Mollie Spradlin (C). Blue: Gus Barnes (G), Maggie Duryea (L), Abbriel Sutton (L), and Grant Walahoski (O). Red: Jordan Lans (L).

Healthy Baked Product – Purple: Terrence Bliven (L), Brooklyn Reiman (C), and Aven Zimmerman (O). Blue: Jordan Lans (L).

Coffee Cake – Purple: Kadie Anderson (G), Kathryn Bartruff, and Grant Wahlgren (G). Red: Jordan Lans (L).

Baking w/ Whole Grains – Purple: Bristol Kubert (JL), Jordan Lans (L), and Lorelai Rickertsen (L). Red: Joslynn Lans (L) and Aven Zimmerman (O).

Non-Traditional Baked Product – Purple: Kylee Kubert (JL), Mickailee Reil (L) and Rieker Spradlin (C). Blue: Bristol Kubert (JL) and Aven Zimmerman (O). Red: Jordan Lans (L).

COOKING 301 - Specialty Rolls – Purple: Mollie Spradlin (C). Blue: Emma Luther (O), Griffin Owens (L) and Aven Zimmerman (O). Red: Kylee Kubert (JL).

Dinner Rolls – Blue: Rieker Spradlin (C).

Specialty Bread – Purple: Taylor Kramer (Ec) and Brooklyn Reiman (C).

Shortened Cake – Blue: Jenna Anderson (G).

COOKING 401 - Double Crust Fruit Pie – Blue: Paige Walahoski (O).

Family Food Traditions – Purple: Lathan Johnson (G), Lexi Johnson (G), and Addison Luther (O). Blue: Lyndsay Anderson (G). Red: Addie Monzon (L).

Ethnic Food Exhibit – Purple: Aven Zimmerman (O).

Candy – Purple: Megan Walahoski (O), Paige Walahoski, (O), Jacie Wolfinger (L) and Aven Zimmerman (O). Blue: Lyndsay Anderson (G).

FAVORITE FOOD SHOW CONTEST – INTERMEDIATE DIVISION - Purple: Rebecca Burns (C) and Brooklyn Reiman (C).

CULINARY CHALLENGE - Purple: Mollie Spradlin (C) and Paige Walahoski (O).

FOOD PRESERVATION - Dried Fruit - Purple: Griffin Owens (L) and Mollie Spradlin (C). Blue: Kristina Burns (C), Rebecca Burns (C), and Seth Wahlgren (G).

Fruit Leather – Blue: Reid Wahlgren (G).

Dried Vegetables – Purple: Emma Luther (O) and Griffin Owens (L).

Dried Herbs – Purple: Griffin Owens (L).

1 Jar Jellied Exhibit – Purple: Aleigha Negley (G). Blue: Jaden Hunke (L), Abby Negley (G) and Wesley Thompson (L).