Veggie Growing Contest Still Set for Saturday

Despite dire weather reports for the weekend with Hurricane Irene approaching, as of Friday afternoon, the Dundalk Farmer's Market and the "Home-Grown Vegetable Growing Contest" remain scheduled for Saturday morning – rain or shine.

Both events take place at Veteran's Park in front of the historic Dundalk Shopping Center, near the U.S. Post Office.

The Dundalk Farmer's Market opens every Saturday at 7 a.m. 

With the theme "Get Growing Dundalk!", the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation and others are sponsoring the "Home Grown Vegetable Contest."

Registration at the Farmer's Market for the contest is between 9:30  and 10 a.m. Prizes, which include a $50 gift card from Home Depot or a rain barrel from the Back River Restoration Committee, will be awarded to the winners of the biggest home-grown zucchini and tomato. Winners will be announced at 10:30 a.m.

"There's a scale coming," said Leah Bunck of the DNR with a chuckle.

Bunk said the inspiration for the contest came after meeting Brian Schlipp of the Back River Restoration Committe at the Heritage Fair. Rain barrels will also be sold during the contest.

"We wanted to do something together," Bunck said. "He called me back and suggested the vegetable growing contest as a way of encouraging people to use rain barrels, figuring people who were already gardening were using water."

Along with the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation and the Back River Restoration Committee, sponsors include Clean Bread & Cheese Creek and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Hurricane Irene is expected to arrive later in the afternoon Saturday.

In case of rain, the vegetable-growing contest will be held indoors at the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation office at 11 Center Place.