Here is a brief report of the 08 Citrus Expo that took place in Tifton Georgia on Nov 15th. There were aprox 150 people in attendance with at least 11 states being represented. Award for travelling the longest distance to attend the Expo went to Perry Couch of Speed, Indiana. Perry recieved a half bushel of Georgia and South Carolina citrus fruits for his long journey. Trophy ane ribbon winners were as follows:
Best in Show: Gary Kerr of Beaufort SC for persian limes
Honorable mention: Jeanette Sapp, Brooks County Georgia/ Ruby Grapefruit
Most Unusual: Bob McCartney, AIken SC for Benton Citrange

Sweet Orange:1st Gary Kerr, Beaufort, SC 2nd Ned Rahn Port Royal, SC 3rd, Mark Crawford, Valdosta Georgia
Kumquats and Hybrids: 1st Gary Kerr, Beaufort, SC 2nd Ned Rahn, Port Royal, SC 3rd David Lavernge, Jarreau Louisiana
Grapefruit & Pummelo: 1st Jeanette Sapp, Brooks County, Georgia 2nd Ned Rahn, Port Royal, SC 3rd Georgia Van Zyle, Coosaw Station, SC
Lime: Gary Kerr, Beaufort, SC 2nd Amie Barbas, Loundes County, Georgia 3rd Georgia Van Zyle, Coosaw Station, SC
Lemon: 1st Gary Kerr 2nd Georgia Van Zyle, 3rd Dan Spitler, Shelby, Alabama
Complex Hybrids: 1st Annie Barbas, Loundes County, Georgia 2nd Ned Rahn, Port Royal, SC 3rd Annie Barbas, Loundes County, Georgia
Trifoliate Hybrids: 1st Hayes Jackson, Calhoun, Alabama 2nd Bob McCartney, Aiken, SC 3rd Will Taylor, McMinnville, Tennesee
Sour Orange: 1st Keith Endres, Cary, North Carolina 2nd Robert Goodyear, Georgia 3rd Bob McCartney, AIken, SC
Ichangensis Hybrids: 1st Keith Endres, Cary, NC 2nd Bob McCartney, Aiken, SC 3rd Ned Rahn, Port Royal, SC
Mandarins: 1st Georgia Van Zyle, Coosaw Station, SC 2nd Mark Crawford, Valdosta, Georgia 3rd Dan Spitler , Shelby, Alabama
Trifoliate: 1st Stan McKenzie Scranton, SC

Next years Expo will be at Magnolia Gardens, Charleston SC on Nov 21st 2009.. Make plans now to attend and will somebody please bump Gary Kerr off the winners list!

Thanks Stan! Beating Gary was my main goal last year but, as you saw, he beat me (and everyone else) like the proverbial "borrowed mule". Gary tells me the secret is in how you prepare the fruit.

Ned

The name " Ned Rahn" kept popping up in the ribbons awards too! See if you can get Garys Secret recipe for displaying the fruit and we will plot to try and knock him off next year!

One day us Floridians will be allowed to play then we'll see what's what!

Did anyone enter a Buddha Hand? I don't recall seeing one, but a fair number of my photos didn't come out well.

.....Alan.

I dont recall seeing any Buddahs Hand citrus at the Expo. There was certainly some weird looking fruit there.. I thought for sure I had a winner with my citremons... They looked exactly like mini pumpkins! Only to be beat down by Bob McCartney with his Rusk citranges! His citranges had fingers much like a Buddahs hand if I recall.. My hopes for a blue ribbon for most unusual dashed again Hopefully I will have something, anything to enter at Charleston.. If this Minnesota weather keeps coming at me.. I may be in the igloo business by then! I hope Al Gore enjoyed his day of Global warming yesterday! LOL