A blue ribbon life
Sharon Davis cashes in on her talents at the Bureau County Fair
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SHEFFIELD — “I was 8 years old and learned how to can fruits, pickles and bake from my grandma,” Sharon Davis said. “I guess you could say that I got my talents from her.”
Her talents have made her the proud owner of 71 ribbons, eight merit awards and two trophies, all presented at this year’s 2009 Bureau County Fair.
Davis entered four divisions at the fair this year: Photography, art, canned goods and cakes. While she admits her canning recipes come from her grandmother and great-grandmother, she uses her own recipes to make her specialty cakes — one of which is her maple walnut cake, which took the grand champion trophy for 2009.
Davis was also presented with a second grand champion trophy for her canned goods and vegetable division. This year, she entered a variety of jellies along with pickles, peaches, apricots and other fruits.
Davis’ talents do not stop there. She was also an award-winning photographer and artist, specializing in pencil, ink and watercolors. These talents were self-taught. Davis began entering her pencil and ink sketches as early as 1976, winning various ribbons and awards throughout the years. She just started to teach herself how to “watercolor,” this past July. Once she thought she had the hang of it, she took a painting over to her neighbor to get her opinion.
“She told me that it was good enough enter at the fair. I thought, what could it hurt? So I did, and I was honored with first place in watercolors,” Davis said.
Davis has been entering her award-winning “gifts” since 1976, and although this year she entered many more than usual, she always has an abundance of canned goods and artwork to display each year at the Bureau County Fair.
“I am 65 years old and knock on wood, I am hopeful that I can continue to carry on this tradition for many more years. My husband passed away nine months ago, and he was and is my inspiration for all of this. He always encouraged me, no matter what I wanted to try. I think he would have been very proud of me this year,” she said.
Davis said she’s not the only one in the family who enjoys cooking and artwork.
“I have a granddaughter. Her name is Hope Wollerman, and she is 13,” Davis said. “She has started taking an interest in art, and on occasion calls me for help or advice.”
Davis said it is nice to have one of her grandchildren taking an interest in something she is accomplished in, and it reminds her of how she was taught to bake and cook by her grandmother years ago.
Unlike her artwork, though, her cooking and baking has not skipped a generation. Davis has two sons, Mark and Karl Wollerman, both of Sheffield.
“Both my boys like to cook,” Davis said. “I guess you could say that they get that from me.”
Davis has been retired for a while now. She said without her hobbies, she would be going crazy with nothing to do.
“I usually start getting my fair entries together about three months before it begins. It usually takes that long to fill out the forms and questionnaires required by the county fair board. Although, my artwork and photos are usually a year-long process, it does take me awhile to decide which ones to enter for competition, “ she said. “With regard to my canning and cakes, I usually beginning canning a couple of months prior to the fair, and I do not even begin to bake a cake until the day before it has to go in.”
Davis has also become a celebrity of sorts in her neighborhood. She does get asked to bake an occasional cake or two, and usually agrees. She stresses she prefers to bake “specialty” cakes instead of “plain” ones. On occasion she toys with the idea of having her own business, but with liability and insurance, it might not be feasible.
“I am happy to be able to bake for friends, family, and I enjoy the competition of the annual fair. These projects keep me busy and active, and that is the way I like it right now,” she said.
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