NEBRASKA CITY – By the turn of the century the Otoe County Fair was gaining a reputation for large onions in its open class show, but the legends only grew bigger at the start of the fair’s 150th year.

The garden products show set new county records for largest onion, pumpkin and cabbage.

Show superintendent Bob Brandt showed the largest onion in 2005 weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs and 5.9 ounces. It is the weight range for top prizes over the last two decades, but Duane Hansen’s onion weighed in Wednesday at a 4 pounds, 2.2 ounces.

 

Judge Duane Nohavec of Walton, a former largest onion winner at the Lancaster County Super Fair, said the four-pound onion would do well at any show.

Nohavec: “When he was telling us about growing this we didn’t think he was telling the truth, kind off, but he backed up what he said. He was shooting for five pounds, but that’s pretty close.”

Nohavec said he is not sure how this new record will impact the county’s established onion king Bob Brandt. Brandt said while he is merely the 'onion prince' now, he is making plans for next  year.

Nohavec: “Otoe County, the onion capital.”

Hansen also set fair records with a 31 pound cabbage and a 501 pound pumpkin.

Hansen: “I grow giant pumpkins. This was the smallest one I had and it ripped itself off the vine, so I decided to bring it to the county fair. Nothing else you can do with it.”

Nohavec said the large vegetables not only provide a spectacle at the fair, but are likely to challenge growers for next year.

Largest vegetable

  • Cabbage - Duane Hansen 28 lb 2oz (also 31 lb 6 oz)
  • Onion - Hansen 4 lb. 2.2 oz.
  • Carrot - Dan Swanson 5.1 oz
  • Bell pepper - Hansen 11.9 oz
  • Tomato - Hansen 2 lb 1.3 oz
  • Heavyweight classic, set of pepper, tomato and potato -Hansen

 

Basket display

  • Dan Swanson

Vegetables

 

  • Large gourd – Arlan Liesemeyer of Syracuse
  • Green peppers – Dan Swanson of Nebraska City
  • Pickling cucumbers – West Brothers
  • Yellow onion – Mason Berner of Syracuse
  • White onion – Baker Seelhoff of Syracuse
  • Jumbo onion – Duane Hansen of Syracuse
  • Jalapeno pepper – Jared Kohrs of Nebraska City
  • Carrots – Dan Swanson of Nebraska City
  • Red tomatoes – Addy Bates of Syracuse

Judge notes: do not strip the outer skins off of onions. Rub off the dirt, but leave the skins on because the skins help with preservation during storage. Leave stems on show tomatoes.

 

 

 Duane Hansen