The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds will host a free event this weekend, December 13 and 14. They will be hosting the Citrus and Vegetable Show that will be showcasing fruits and vegetables from growers throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
Children involved in 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) have worked with local growers in the Valley and are given an opportunity to learn about the agricultural product, grow and harvest their own product. Here, they will be showcasing some of those vegetables and citrus.
The children will clean, prepare and display their picks from the fields for judging. Categories range from best grapefruit to largest head of cabbage.
Kids will also participate in a poster contest where contestants will create their own tri-fold posters promoting local agriculture. There is also a basket contest where the fruits and vegetables harvested are displayed and judged for overall presentation.
Probably the most intense competition, is the Agriculture Product Identification. The event will test the kids on their knowledge of different varieties of fruit and vegetables.
Last, but not least, is the food challenge. The best way to describe this is “Chopped” for kids. The reams, or individuals, are given an ingredient – fruit or vegetable – and the item must be transformed into an entrée or dessert. This is by far the most fun part of the event to watch.
On Saturday, the event will feature a speaker from the USDA talking about healthy living and featuring the RGVLS General Manager, Mando Correa, as the guest chef.
The public events will be on Saturday, December 14, starting at 8 a.m. A schedule of events can be found online at www.rgvls.com. The RGVLS is located at 100 N. Texas Ave., in Mercedes.