The Top 10 Iowa State Fair 4-H horticulture exhibitors gather for a group photo with ribbons, plaques and trophies earned through their outstanding exhibits and projects.
AMES — Iowa 4-H youth demonstrated resilience, knowledge and a passion for gardening during the 2026 Iowa 4-H Horticulture Show at the Iowa State Fair, overcoming a season of extreme weather to set a new exhibitor participation record.
Held Aug. 15 in the Agriculture Building, the 2026 show featured 50 exhibitors from 18 counties, surpassing the previous record of 44 exhibitors set in 2024. Youth entered 804 horticulture exhibits spanning 112 classes, showcasing vegetables, herbs, specialty platters and jumbo produce grown in gardens across the state.
“This has been a really weird weather year in Iowa,” said Rich Pope, 4-H horticulture co-superintendent. “We’ve had parts of the state receiving tremendous amounts of rainfall while others dealt with prolonged dry periods. We saw that reflected in the crops exhibitors brought to the show this year.”
The challenging growing season created both obstacles and opportunities. Excessive rainfall, drought conditions and insect pressure affected many gardens, but judges noted exceptional quality among garlic, onions and other allium crops. A 112-pound watermelon was among the highlights of the Jumbo Vegetables Division, which featured 33 entries representing crops including pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, gourds, cabbage and potatoes.
Despite the season’s challenges, exhibitors brought an impressive variety of entries while gaining experience in plant science, gardening and food production.
“There are a lot of skills that you learn through exhibiting produce at the 4-H Horticulture Show, such as perseverance and decision making,” said Mitchell Hoyer, Iowa 4-H Youth Development program leader. “Those are skills that help youth become beyond ready to continue to lead in their communities, schools, workplaces and everyday lives.”
For many youth, the project represents months of planning and care.
McKenna Worrell of Cedar County, who was named the Reserve Premier 4-H Horticulture Exhibitor, said the project has strengthened her responsibility and organizational skills.
Jefferson County 4-H exhibitors, including Canaan Freeman, Joseph Lanman, Jordan Miller and Anna Hall (some not pictured), display their second-place top county participation Iowa State Fair ribbons after being recognized during the 4-H horticulture awards program. They are joined by Mitchell Hoyer, Iowa 4-H Youth Development program leader.
“I’ve learned that not every year is going to be a great year and it’s more about the progress you make in showing every year and learning new things,” Worrell said. “These projects have strengthened my time management and responsibility skills because crops need attention throughout the season. You have to have a plan and a to-do list for the whole season rather than just deciding what to do each day.”
Oscar Senske of Story County, who exhibited 23 entries, including 16 herb exhibits, said one of the greatest benefits of the program is learning from volunteers, judges and fellow exhibitors.
“I really enjoy the culture and the people that surround the 4-H Horticulture Show,” Senske said. “The volunteers, judges and peers have so much knowledge and expertise. They can give me tips and advice on how to improve specific crops in the future.”
Senske was particularly proud of his dill exhibit, which earned champion honors for the second consecutive year.
“Time management is a really significant life skill I’ve gained from horticulture projects,” he said. “Knowing when to pick certain things is really important because you want them at their best when they get to the fair.”
Owen Ness of Story County exhibited tomatoes, peppers, onions and herbs and said horticulture projects have taught him patience, hard work and long-term planning.
“My favorite thing about showing horticulture at the Iowa State Fair is meeting people from other counties and talking about their projects and how the weather has affected what they bring,” Ness said. “I’ve learned that you’ve got to work hard in your garden, and it will pay off at the show.”
Top Awards and Honors
Among the top awards presented during the show, Nolan Jonas of Boone County was named the Premier 4-H Horticulture Exhibitor. Jones also earned the Premier Tomatoes and Tomatillos Exhibitor Award and the Premier Pepper Award, both sponsored by the Iowa State Fair 4-H Horticulture team.
The Premier Herb Exhibitor Award, presented in memory of Maurine “Mo” Morris, was awarded to McKenna Worrell of Cedar County.
Several specialty classes highlighted both horticultural quality and creativity. In the Vegetables of the Same Color Platter class, exhibitors assembled displays featuring four vegetables and/or herbs of a single color. Cora Schalmo of Poweshiek County received champion honors, with Grace Schalmo of Poweshiek County as reserve champion and Ella Juhl of Bremer County in third place.
The Salsa Tray class challenged exhibitors to create a display of vegetables used to make salsa, including tomatoes, peppers and onions grown in their own gardens. Emma Alderton of Washington County earned champion honors.
One of the newest classes in the show was the America 250 Red, White and Blue Platter, introduced to recognize the nation’s 250th anniversary. Exhibitors created displays featuring vegetables and herbs representing the colors red, white and blue. Ella Juhl of Bremer County was named champion and received a custom embroidered bag sponsored by the Great Jones County Fair. Sawyer Greiner of Johnson County earned reserve champion and third-place honors with separate entries.
Several sponsored awards recognized excellence in specialized classes. The Vegetable Container Display, presented by the Iowa State University Horticulture Club, was won by Emma Alderton of Washington County, with Jordan Miller of Jefferson County earning runner-up honors. The class requires youth to arrange five to seven different kinds of vegetables grown in their garden, with judging based on both vegetable quality and decorative presentation.
The County Vegetable Platter, presented by the Sloan Garden Club, recognizes teamwork among county exhibitors. The champion platter included vegetables exhibited by Rosalee Leasure, William Schalmo, Grace Schalmo and Cora Schalmo of Poweshiek County. The reserve champion platter, also from Poweshiek County, was exhibited by Carleigh Klein, Slane McCue, Hanna McCue and Graeme McCue.
The Potted Ornamental Pepper Patio Plant Container Award, presented by the Jones County Master Gardeners, was awarded to Olivia Ness of Story County.
The First-Year Exhibitor Award, sponsored by Custom Dozing and Crane Service and Cindy and Steve Dirks of Wyoming, Iowa, was awarded to Gabby Vietor of Franklin County, recognizing her first appearance at the Iowa State Fair 4-H Horticulture Show.
A special recognition award was also presented to Page County, honoring a county that had not been represented in the Iowa State Fair 4-H Horticulture Show for the past 20 years.
The top 10 individual exhibitors were:
Nolan Jonas, Boone County (Premier 4-H Horticulture Exhibitor)
McKenna Worrell, Cedar County (Reserve Premier 4-H Horticulture Exhibitor and recipient of the Gary Vogt Superintendent’s Award sponsored by the Iowa 4-H Foundation in memory of Jacy McAlexander)
William Schalmo, Poweshiek County
Grace Schalmo, Poweshiek County
Joseph Lanman, Jefferson County
Rosalee Leasure, Poweshiek County
Cora Schalmo, Poweshiek County
Olivia Ness, Story County
Jordan Miller, Jefferson County
Gabby Vietor, Franklin County
Poweshiek County earned top county honors with 1,085 points, followed by Jefferson County with 384 points and Story County with 356 points. Rounding out the top 10 counties were Cedar, Boone, Johnson, Franklin, Dallas, Bremer and Washington counties.
Giving Back Through Produce Donations
The impact of the show extended beyond competition. Following the display period of Aug. 15-17, many exhibitors chose to donate their produce to the Ronald McDonald Houses of Des Moines.
“While some exhibitors come back to take their vegetables home for personal use, many of the 4-H youth want to share their produce with the families staying at the Ronald McDonald Houses,” said Iowa 4-H volunteer Kerri McAlexander. “This gives the families some fresh food in addition to the daily meals prepared for the evening mealtime.”
For more information on the Iowa 4-H Youth Development program, contact your ISU Extension and Outreach county office or visit the Iowa 4-H website.
Comments are closed.