Food - Fleet Farm Classic Iowa Canned Jams

Top Jams Earn State Fair Awards

Joy Russell of Des Moines won First Place Overall and a $150 gift card in the Fleet Farm Classic Iowa Canned Jams competition judged Wednesday, August 9, at the 2023 Iowa State Fair.

George Ellerbach of Iowa City earned Second Place Overall and a $100 gift card. Rod Zeitler of Iowa City claimed Third Place Overall and a $50 gift card.

Zeitler won the Sweepstakes Award and Michelle Westphal of Waterloo earned Reserve Sweepstakes honors.

Jams are a thick spread made with crushed or chopped fruit cooked with sugar. Jam has the same brilliance and color as jelly, but is softer in texture.

Entries were judges on flavor, consistency, appearance and adherence to food safety rules.

Complete results follow:

Apricot

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Louise Piper, Garner

3) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

Black Raspberry

1) Karen Heege, Des Moines

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Blackberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

3) Dennis Toby Williams, Colfax

Blueberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Shelly Schmit, Mason City

3) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

Cherry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Julie Coy, West Des Moines

Gooseberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Louise Piper, Garner

Grape

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Hot Pepper with Fruit

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) David Wambold, Bouton

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Kiwi

1) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

Mt. Ranier Cherry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

Mulberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Peach

1) Louise Piper, Garner

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Julie Coy, West Des Moines

Pear

1) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

Pear-Apple

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Pineapple

1) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

Plum (other than wild plum or red plum)

1) Karen Heege, Des Moines

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Red Plum

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

3) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Red Raspberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

3) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

Rhubarb

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

Rhubarb-Raspberry

1) Louise Piper, Garner

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Rhubarb-Strawberry

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Julie Coy, West Des Moines

Sour Cherry

1) Karen Heege, Des Moines

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Spiced Blueberry

1) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

Spiced Tomato

1) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

2) Jacqueline Riekena, West Des Moines

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Strawberry

1) Nancy Johnson, Story City

2) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

3) Alan Spencer, Stanton

Strawberry-Kiwi

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

3) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Sugar Free

1) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

Sweet Sauces/Topping (for ice cream and other desserts), half-pint jar

1) None awarded

2) None awarded

3) Mary Ross, Pella

Three or More Fruits

1) Gale Butler, Des Moines

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Michelle Westphal, Waterloo

Triple Cherry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

3) Louise Piper, Garner

Two Fruits Other Than Named Combinations

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Julie Coy, West Des Moines

3) Dennis Toby Williams, Colfax

Vegetable

1) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

2) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

3) Dennis Toby Williams, Colfax

Wild Blackberry

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Wild Plum

1) Rod Zeitler, Iowa City

2) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

3) George Ellerbach, Iowa City

Jams Other Than Named (except freezer jams)

1) Joy Russell, Des Moines

2) Karen Heege, Des Moines

3) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

The Iowa State Fair Food Department is the largest of any state fair in the country. There are 138 divisions, 695 classes and over 6,800 entries at this year’s Fair. Food Department judging is held in the Elwell Family Food Center.