News Women’s Division Sets Table For Competition at Conference

Women’s Division Sets Table For Competition at Conference

Women’s Division Sets Table For Competition at Conference
September 13, 2009 |

The new tablescape competition at the Women’s Committee Luncheon brought extra excitement to the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 37th annual Commodity Producers Conference in Montgomery, Aug. 6-8. As contestants from around the state began setting up their table décor, it was easy to see that interest was high and contestants had put much time and effort into their entries.
“The tablescape contest allowed us to feature commodities that represent Alabama,” said Alabama Farmers Federation Women’s Division Director Kim Earwood. “We had 28 entries in the state contest, and I imagine we’ll have even more next year now that more people have seen what it’s all about.”The Women’s Committee activities also included the popular quilting contests and a new contest for homemade handbags.
Mitzi Moran of Tallapoosa County won first place and $150 in the tablescape contest with her honey-featured table setting. Clarke County’s Marie Slade won second place and $100, and Sue Walters of Etowah County won third place and $75. Moran, chairman of the Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation’s Womens Committee, said she worked on her presentation for nearly two months.”We have a local beekeeper just down the road from us, and it was the first thing I thought of when the contest was announced,” Moran said. “I had this set up for two months in my dining room. I’d work on it awhile and change this and that until I thought I had it finished. Then I would take something out or add something else. It has been a work in progress.”Moran’s tablescape featured a fluted vase filled with honey and honeycombs. Inserted into it was another vase filled with bright yellow sunflowers, daisies and carnations. The table setting also featured beeswax candles, glasses with hand-painted bumblebees on them and other bee-related items.”Mine was much simpler than some of the other entries,” Moran said. “After seeing all the entries, I am really just flattered.”This year’s hand-stitched quilting contest was especially satisfying for first-place winner Faustina Gosa of Lamar County who took home $150. “I’ve placed second for the last two years and after last year’s contest, I went home and started on this quilt,” she said. Second place in the hand-stitched quilt contest went to Medie Machen of Talladega County who won $100. Third place and $75 went to Annie Lou Harris of Cleburne County.In the machine-stitched quilt contest, first place and $150 went to Vicky Baldwin of Bullock County. Pat Norred of Randolph County won second place and $100, and third place and $75 went to Geraldine Kadak of Chambers County.Maggie Killen of Lauderdale County won first place and $150 in the handbag contest. Gail Oden of Etowah County won second place and $100, and Gayle White of Crenshaw County won third place and $75.Contestants entered in the state contest had previously won their county contest in order to compete at the state level.

View Related Articles