74th annual Harlem Seed Show is a wrap!

Looking back over the stories I've written leading up to and about the annual Harlem Seed Show I found I tried to write about everything offered at each show. I decided this year to approach my wrap up story in a different way. For the 74th edition, I'm writing about my observations and the things that caught my attention. If you attended this year's show you might have seen things differently but here's my take on the show that ended last Saturday.

A little history: Paul Rasmussen, the Chairman of the Montana Seed Show, laughingly said, "In 2006 I agreed to a two-year term as Chair of the Seed Show Committee. I'm currently in to the 18th year of my two-year commitment as chair."

Asked for a summary of this year's show Rasmussen ticked off some positives and negatives. On the negative he explained a few lean years (bad weather and 2021 cancelled because of COVID) made it difficult to regain momentum toward the 75th anniversary of the seed show. Rasmussen opined, "We may need to revamp some things if we want to continue having the show."

Of the positive Rasmussen said, "We gained some new exhibitors this year and those may lead to some contacts through other shows to attract future visitors and exhibitors." Some changes in the layout (moving the art show in to the main gym area) worked well. The chairman said, "We may need to tweak the layout a bit but the artists like to be here with the general crowd and say the lighting for their work is better in the big gym."

As recently as 2014, when the former Saturday night program was at its peak, Rasmussen said, "We had to lock the front doors and hang a 'closed' sign out front." He remains optimistic about the future of the show as "we push hard for a great 75th anniversary show next year."

A writer's observations: On Friday morning, while the pie and bread judging was going on, the interest program was presented by Austin Haney, the Education Specialist for the Blaine County Museum. It was a first-time collaboration between the county museum and the seed show. Haney's presentation was about the Steven's survey party that came through our area looking for a route for the first transcontinental railway. His presentation was well received.

Meals at the seed show are always a treat, and I had, for the first time in a long time, a piece of homemade chess pie at the 4H luncheon. Chess pie is a southern phenome (I first experienced it when we lived in Georgia) and is said to be more favored in the south than pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. It's a dish that most kitchens would have all the needed ingredients- butter, sugar, eggs, flour and a little vinegar. The pie was a first time try for local rancher and farmer Jim Conrad and he did very well.

Just off the gymnasium in the school library was an art exhibit by students K-12. I bumped in to Harlem High's art teacher, Mary Kate French, who explained there was art in the show from students at Harlem High and Elementary and schools in Turner, Hays and Zurich schools. She said she appreciated the opportunity for students to have their "time to shine" and showcase their art.

I was very interested to visit with members of the Tribal Health Department with the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, the group's first time being at the seed show. They shared how after many, many years their tribe finally received federal recognition in 2019, the last tribe to receive that recognition. I asked what they hoped to accomplish with this first participation in the seed show. Sarah Gaines, Chronic Disease Prevention Specialist, explained, "We have a lot of tribal members in this area, especially at Rocky Boy and the surrounding area including Fort Belknap. We hope they will pick up our health information and keep in contact with us." The tribe's headquarters are in west Great Falls.

The tribal reps said, "We are about to complete a pow-wow grounds on Hill 57 (northwest Great Falls) and will host our first tribal pow-wow this coming August. We hope locals from here will attend and celebrate with us.

Saturday's interest meeting was hosted by DeeDe Barker, Founder and Executive Director of Dog-Tag Buddies, a group providing veterans with hidden injuries (PTSD) the opportunity to lead more fulfilling lives. At no-cost to approved vets the group provides adoptions and training of rescue dogs. The group developed when the founder noticed how calming the family dog was to her husband after he returned from a very bad time as a soldier in the Middle East. She became a certified dog trainer and now has trainers at several locales, including Havre, who work with local veterans

needing help. She describes her program as "giving a new mission to these injured veterans and helping them reestablish relationships where they live." You can find more details at: DOGTAGBUDDIES.ORG.

And for a fun, lighter activity, I stopped to watch Mackenzie Thompson, with Hi-Line Hues, as she did face-painting on kids. Five-year-old Blake Beck, visiting the show with his grandfather and brother, Dallas, looked in the mirror after his face was painted, grimaced and but then yelled, "I like it!" What's not to like about getting your face painted?

As alert readers can guess, there was a lot more to the 74th Seed Show. Check out the additional photos to see some of the other things that kept folks entertained last Friday and Saturday. Thanks to all who organized, participated, sponsored and made the show a success.