While I have someone creating a logo for the contest, I want to involve some of the possible participants in setting up this challenge. To make things interesting, I have decided to sponsor a total prize money of
1000 HBD
one thousand dollars (!)
All posts using the tag #mc2022 will be eligable.
The money will be split up for different categories.
I have not finally decided yet, but something like this:
1. Best Picture
This prize will just go to the best photograph.
2. Best Crop
This prize will go to whoever has the best looking crop.
3. Best Method
This prize will go to whoever displays the most skill and is also able to explain his methods well.
4. Best Storyline
This prize will go to whoever creates the best story around his produce.
5. Best Dish
This prize will go to whoever prepares their harvest the nicest.
For all categories there will be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize:
- 1st: 125 HBD
- 2nd: 50 HBD
- 3rd: 25 HBD
Considerations
Obviously, it would be easy to cheat. You could just take pictures of your neighbour's maize and claim it your own; I will try to keep the whole challenge entertaining and emphazise on fun and good posts, rather than comparing crop sizes.
At the end of the day, I can never fully be sure, if the contestant is legit. However, if they publish an interesting set of posts with exciting pictures anyways, they deserve their prize nonetheless.
I have done challenges before and each time I was surprised again, how the majority of participants never read the rules or never understood them. I tried to come up with simple rules, yet almost noone managed to follow the simplest steps.
Therefore, I will keep it as simple as possible: Anyone can blog what they want, I will just release a catalogue of questions as a guideline.
Something like this:
1. Where are you growing?
climate zone, latitude... you do not have to tell me your adress, of course
soil type?
special conditions?
2. What variety/varieties are you growing?
popcorn maize, sweetcorn...
3. How much are you growing?
How large is your operation?
4. How much experience do you have?
are you a professional, or hobby gardener? How long have you been farming corn?
5. When do you plant, when do you harvest?
different climate zones offer different options. Some of you may grow twice in a year, even.
6. How do you prepare the bed?
Do you till, dig, no-dig, mulch?
Do you fertilize?
Crop rotation?
7. How do you care for the plants?
Do you spray? Do you dam up your rows?
Plantcare stuff...
8. What are you producing for?
Are you going to eat all the maize yourself or are you selling, or feeding it to lifestock?
What's the plan for the final product?
Judging
Since I will be sponsoring the whole show, I will decide who wins.
I am looking for an engaging series of posts.
I want to learn something about growing methods and farming practices from all over the world (of Hive). I want to see what your growing space looks like, how you farm it, what your challenges are and read an engaging story about it.
Best case, we can all learn from this and support each other one way or another.
Example
I will blog about my own maize here, starting soon, as I need to prepare the bed for winter.
I will then plant sometime may 2022.
I will blog about it and you can take it as an inspiration for your own maize-blog.
oh, btw
If you are in the southern hemisphere: I assume, you will be planting in september? If it happens, will I need to wait for you guys until march 2023?
...
What do you think?
Should I consider other categories?
What would you like to see?
Would you like to participate?