“Taste of Texas”

General Food Show Rules

1. Entries must be received between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.
2. When registering, use full name, mailing address, and phone number.
3. Bring your recipe typed on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper.  Write name, address, phone number, age, which class the entry will be entered, and date on BACK of recipe.  Recipes will be used in judging food items.  Recipes are required for all entries.  NO RECIPE, NO ENTRY!
4. Food entries must be the COMPLETE recipe displayed for judging (Ex.: if the recipe makes 3 dozen cookies, you must enter ALL 3 dozen cookies).
5. Food item should be placed on a disposable plate and covered with plastic wrap for appearance and cleanliness.
6. All entries including recipes and containers will become the property of the Taste of Texas Food Show.
7. No refrigeration is available. Please take this into consideration when selecting a recipe to enter.
8. Food items will be identified by number assigned by the Food Show Committee during registration.
9. No commercial food or products will be accepted.
10. No entry fee is required. However, you will be required to pay gate admission to participate.
11. Only one entry will be accepted in each class (ex. you may not enter 2 cakes) per contestant.
12. Food must be prepared by the exhibitor and must be homemade. Recipes that call for a mix as an ingredient will be permitted, however, you may NOT enter a cake made solely from a box mix nor an item made mostly of store-bought cookie dough.
13. You must return to the food show area BEFORE 1 p.m to present your food at the auction.
14. A portion of funds collected during the auction will be used for scholarships for qualifying youth. Non-placing entries will be sold by the food show committee to raise funds for scholarships.
15. The Food Show Committee reserves the right to combine classes or to add new classes if necessary.
16. BEST OF SHOW will be open to all age divisions.
17. BERRY BEST OF SHOW will be open to all age divisions and must have at least 1 cup of strawberries as an ingredient or a garnish.
18. Grand and Reserve Champion will be awarded in each age division
19. Ribbons will be awarded through 3rd place. Entries placing through 3rd will sell in the auction at 1 PM, exhibitors will be allowed to sell two eligible items (Food Show only, please see rules for Jam/Jelly & Salsa).

Strawberry Auction

General Rules

1. Only berries that qualified at the sift on April 6, 2024 are eligible to enter.
2. The Strawberry Judging Committee and the Poteet Rotary Club assume no responsibility for any entry other than exercising reasonable care in handling. The Committee will not be responsible for accidents or losses occurring for any cause.
3. The Committee has no control over, or assumes no responsibility for, agreements between landlords and tenants.
4. The Committee assumes no responsibility as to classification of varieties entered. The grower making the entry must make that designation. If correct classification is in doubt, the final classification will be left up to the judge(s). Each crate of berries must be in the same variety, (Each crate will contain only one variety of berry. Exhibitors are not allowed to mix varieties in a single crate. If the Committee finds it necessary, the crate requirement may be changed to a flat and all eligible growers would be notified by the PSGA.
5. The Committee reserves the final and absolute right to interpret the rules and regulations and arbitrarily settle and determine all matters, questions, and difference in regard thereto, its judgment may determine. A grower who violates any of the rules and regulations of the show will forfeit all privileges and be subject to such penalty as the Committee may order.
6. Protests – All protests must be in writing and accompanied by a deposit of $100.00, which will be refunded if the protest is sustained. Such protest must state plainly the cause of the complaint, or appeal, and must be delivered to the Secretary of the Rotary Club of Poteet.

Special Rules

1. Major classes or varieties of entered berries are determined by the results of the sift on April 6, 2024.  If there are 4 or fewer crates on the day of the show, those that are entered or remain (if a crate(s) was disqualified) will be judge under the class they were entered.
2. All entries must be packed in a new Poteet Strawberry Festival paper flats (12-pints total). All other will be disqualified.
3. When a grower arrives to drop off an entry or entries (Gate E – Amphion Road Entrance), we ask that they remain in their vehicle in the designated area for drop off until a Rotary member comes to transport the grower and the entry or entries to the Rotary Pavilion. At no time shall a grower or their representative be in the display or judging area.
4. Each crate must be labeled with the exhibitor’s name on the bottom of the crate. Labeling should be completed before arriving at the Poteet Strawberry Festival Grounds. If the crate is not label prior to submission, it will be rejected with the possibility of being disqualified from being judge in the show.
5. No more than 1 (one) entry per variety may be made per grower. All others will be disqualified.
6. Strawberry exhibitors must be strawberry growers. A grower is defined as a person who is a member of the Poteet Strawberry Growers Association.
7. The Grower or his appointed representatives will be notified at the end of the judging which place the entry received for the Show and sale.
8. During the sale of each entry, only the crate of strawberries will be offered. If a grower has a gift for buyers, it must be in a quantity so that all buyers receive it. This will be included in their gift bag at registration.
9. When the entire judging is complete, a list of the placing entries will be made available on Facebook. This list will be emailed to buyers who have contacted the Rotary Club of Poteet at rotaryclubofpoteet@yahoo.com. Buyers will be asked to respond with their intended contribution for each entry by April 22, 2024 at 6 pm. After all contributions have been recorded, a list of those contributions will be made available on Facebook and sent to the Pleasanton Express for publication.
10. Only berries grown in Atascosa County will be eligible for the sale.
11. Any crate of berries that does not meet minimum quality standards (*) for the Show determine by the judge(s) will be set aside and not judged.
12. Once berry entries are registered and accepted by the judging committee, the entries become the property of the judging committee and will remain so until the entry is released to the buyer of that crate. Any exhibitor who reclaims or moves an entry without the express permission of the judging committee will forfeit all rights and privileges.