6 • Plumas-Sierra County Fair
Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013
87-year-old Quincy woman is a consistant blue Laura Beaton
“It’s fun. It keeps me busy. I don’t have all that much to do anymore.”
Staff Writer lbeaton@plumasnews.com
Most people love flowers, but not many take the time to grow them by seed, nurture them to fruition, enter them in the fair and bring home countless blue ribbons. Quincy resident Lillian Davidson, 87, is one of those who does. Last year Davidson entered more than 50 categories in the floriculture/ agriculture exhibit and took first place 40 times. Using simple technology, such as a shelf in an extra bedroom below a large window to start her seeds, Davidson proves that careful planning and attentive care can reap big rewards. Around December, Davidson starts creating charts and planning her fair entries. She browses through catalogs, orders her seeds in January and starts planting seeds in February. Now that macular degeneration has restricted her eyesight to the point of being legally blind, Davidson depends on her daughter Pat, who lives across the street from her, for help.
Lillian Davidson
Lillian Davidson holds one of dozens of first-place sweepstakes blue ribbons she has won over the years. Eighty-seven years young, Davidson is planning to enter upwards of 50 entries in the floriculture/agriculture exhibit. Photos by Laura Beaton
Davidson recalled some of this season’s trials a few weeks ago. She said after planting her first batch of seeds, “Horror of horrors — nothing started coming up.” Davidson surmised that the problem
was using leftover soil from last year that might have been moldy. She said she tossed everything and started over, which put her anywhere from two weeks to a month late. “This year is kind of weird,” she said. “Some things are growing gangbusters,” but others are not doing so well. Davidson said her favorite flowers to grow are petunias. In the old days, when she could see better, she grew nearly all her flowers from seed. Now she grows just 30 – 50 percent by seed and the rest she buys from Gray’s Flower Garden, Rite Aid or nurseries in Chico or Reno if she happens to be in the area. In addition to her failing eyesight, Davidson took a fall in early June, injuring her knee, breaking a finger and suffering other minor injuries. But these setbacks haven’t dampened
A “mystery” succulent plant thrives in Lillian’s living room a few weeks before its entry date to the fair.
2013 Event Schedule Wednesday — Senior Day 8 a.m. Driving Singles and Doubles Horse Show/Horse Arena 8:30 a.m. Swine Show/SPI Pavilion 10:00 a.m. Poultry Show/Jr. Ag Barn Noon Flag Raising Ceremony Noon Fair Opens/Free admission until 2 p.m. Noon Senior Lunch/Sponsored by Safeway and the Health Dept. Noon Slim & Minnie/Senior Luncheon 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Opportunity Farm/Beef Barns 1:30 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 2 p.m. Swan Brother’s Circus/Kidland! 4 p.m. Pygmy Goat Show/SPI Pavilion 4 p.m. CARNIVAL OPENS 5:00 p.m. 4H/FFA Alpaca Show 6:00 p.m. Hog Calling Contest/SPI Pavilion 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Opportunity Farm/Beef Barns 6:30 p.m. Swan Brother’s Circus/Kidland! 7:30 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 10 p.m. Fair Closes
Thursday — Kid’s Day (12 & under free all day) 8 a.m. 4H/FFA/Open Trails Classes Horse Show 9 a.m. Rabbit/Cavy Show/Jr. Ag Barn 10 a.m. Sheep Show/SPI Pavilion Noon Fair Opens/Free Admission until 2pm Noon — Slim & Minnie/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 12:30 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 1 p.m. Meat Goat Show/SPI Pavilion 1:30 p.m. Magic by Bill/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 2 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 2:30 p.m. Swan Brother’s Circus/Kidland! 3 p.m. Magic by Bill/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 3:45 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 4:30 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 5:30 p.m. Swan Brother’s Circus/Kidland! 6 to 10 p.m. Live Music, Mudbone/Plumas Bank Stage 6 to 8 p.m. Date Night Under the Wold Amusement Tent-Italian Dinner and entertainment 6:30 p.m. Magic by Bill/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent
7 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 7 p.m. Ladies & Gentlemen’s Lead/SPI Pavilion 8 p.m. Mineral Building Closes 8:30 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 10 p.m. — Fair Closes Friday 8 a.m. Open Horse Show/Horse Arena 9:30 a.m. Dog Show/Jr. Ag Barn Lawn 10 a.m. 4H/FFA Beef Show/SPI Pavilion Noon Fair Opens Noon Slim & Minnie/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 12:15 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 1 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 1:30 p.m. Magic by Bill/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 2 p.m. Swan Brother’s Circus/Kidland! 2:30 p.m. Science Wizard/Science Corner 3 p.m. Cattleman’s BBQ/Range Pens 3 p.m. Magic by Bill/Wold Amusement Stage under the tent 4 p.m. Dr. Solar’s Magical Medicine Show/Wold