BELLVILLE - The 2026 Austin County Home-Grown Vegetable Contest was held Saturday, June 6th at Linseisen's Feed & Sup ply in Bellville.
Along with the contest, there was an educational program on how to make “Blanch our Vegetables for Storage” by Sally Garrett with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Family and Community Health agent from Fayette County. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all who participated, with 19 participants bringing in 76 entries.
This year's winners were:
•Best of Show — 1. Sherry Kutch (Star Acorn Squash); 2. B.R. Koehler (Rio Red Grapefruit); 3. Scott Gates (Eggplant).
•Best Tomato Slicers
— 1. Scott Gates; 2. Ian Anderson; 3. JMG Sealy Garden (BMGA).
•Best Tomato Snackers— 1st: David Konvicka 2nd: Robert Luedeker 3rd: Martha Neva.
•Biggest Tomato— 1st: Scott Gates 2nd: Sherry Kutch 3rd: Sherry Burnham.
•Best Bell Peppers — 1st: Francis Plagens 2nd: Sherry Burnham 3rd: Ba- nana Peppers-Peter Mar shall.
•Best Banana Peppers — 1st: Sherry Burnham 2nd: Peter Marshal.
•Best All Other Peppers — 1st: JMG Sealy Garden (BMGA) 2nd: Sher ry Kutch 3rd: Scott Gates.
•Best Jalapeño Peppers— 1st: Marian Cisarik
2nd: Sherry Burnham 3rd: Scott Gates.
•Best Cucumbers —
1st: Scott Gates 2nd: Sherry Burnham 3rd: Peter Mar shall; •Best Squash — 1st: Sherry Burnham 2nd: JL & Gail Spiess.
•Best Beans/Peas —
1st: Scott Gates 2nd: JL & Gail Spiess.
•Best Onions Best Fruit/Berries — 1st: Charles Beckendorf 2nd: Sherry Burnham 3rd: Mike Matus.
•Best Potatoes — 1st: Mike Matus 2nd: Martha Neva 3rd: Sherry Burnham.
•Best Okra— 1st: Mike Matus 2nd: Martha Neva.
•Best Corn— 1st: Mike Matus 1st: B.R. Koehler
(Rio Red Grapefruit) 2nd: Martha Neva (Peaches) 3rd: B.R. Koehler (Blueberry).
•Best of All Others — 1st: Scott Gate (Eggplant)
2nd: Martha Neva (Dino Kale) 3rd: Martha Neva
(Curly Kale).
•Most Unique Vegetable/ Fruit — 1st: Sherry Kutch (Star Acorn Squash) 2nd: Charles Beckendorf (Squash) 3rd: Scott Gates (Cucumber).
If you would like to participate in the Home-Vegetable Contest next year, please visit https://austin. agrilife.org/agriculture/ acvegcontest/.
If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Austin County Texas A&M AgriL ife Extension Agent, Stacie Villarreal, at 979-865-2072.
