Pie contest, auction help ag club raise $29,820

The Central Missouri Agriculture Club raised $29,820 during its annual banquet Saturday night at the Pork Place on the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

The club supports youth agriculture programs, 4-H and FFA, and provides scholarships to Pettis County students pursuing agriculture degrees.

In 2010, the club awarded $11,000 in scholarships and gave $4,800 to 4-H participants. The club also sponsored 11 groups with a field trip to Old Settler’s Days in Cole Camp.

Janice Klenke, who coordinated the banquet, said the event featured a meal, pie contest and pie auction. Amateur bakers were invited to bake two identical pies for the event, with one being judged and then auctioned and the other going straight to auction. The categories included meringue, double crust, mixed medium and youth. Each recipe was judged on taste, appearance, originality, general appeal and recipe directions. 

Klenke said five judges, all with baking and cooking knowledge, chose a winner in each category. A grand champion pie, called the “media winner,” was chosen from the top four pies.

Klenke said 184 people attended the dinner and 74 pies were auctioned.

Jenna Funk, 11, of La Monte, took first place in the youth category with her half-million dollar pie and received grand champion honors as well. 

Other winners included:

Meringue category

First place  — Sharon Bruner, peanut butter crunch pie

Second place — Ellie Smith, coconut cream pie

Third place — Jane Twenter, coconut cream pie

Double Crust category

First place — Dina Cooper, apple pie

Second place — Faye Hunton, double cherry pie

Third place — Ellie Smith, “good ole-fashioned gooseberry”

Mixed Medium category

First place — Maxine Griggs, pecan coconut Hershey pie

Second place — Megan Roe, Granny’s strawberry pie

Third place — Faye Hunton, pecan pie on a nut crust

Youth category

First place — Jenna Funk, half-million dollar pie

Second place — Madelyne Ash, lemon supreme pie

Third place — Suzanne Thompson, cranberry apple pie