Gold Country Bonsai at the County Fair

[PaulH]

Our fledgling Gold Country Bonsai Club is exhibiting for the first time at the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville, Ca. Fair opens tomorrow at noon but here are some preview pics of the display we set up today. Our club consists mostly of beginners with a few of us with more experience so even though most members don't yet have show-able trees we managed to get 15 trees together.

 

[PaulH]

A Few More.

 

[Bob]

I don't know what it is, but that multi-trunk in the pot with the (Chinese?) characters is awesome!

Thanks for posting.

Bob.

 

[PaulH]

That's Scott's Chinese Elm imported from China.

I don't know what it is, but that multi-trunk in the pot with the (Chinese?) characters is awesome!

Thanks for posting.

Bob.

 

[Smoke]

Nice looking trees for fledgelings!

Scott Chad?

No white pines?

 

[PaulH]

Yep. Scott from Lotus.
WE have one white pine in the show but I somehow missed the photo. I'll post more tonight.

Nice looking trees for fledgelings!

Scott Chad?

No white pines?

 

[logan3]

Hey Paul, very nice trees, I really like the elm. I belong to the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai and we do the fair every year, be prepaired to answer alot of questions. You'll be exposing alot of people to bonsai for the first time, think about the first time you saw a bonsai. Enjoy the fair. Pete

 

[PaulH]

Hey Paul, very nice trees, I really like the elm. I belong to the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai and we do the fair every year, be prepaired to answer alot of questions. You'll be exposing alot of people to bonsai for the first time, think about the first time you saw a bonsai. Enjoy the fair. Pete

One of the other clubs I belong to used to display at the State Fair every year. So believe me I know about the questions. Sometimes its pretty entertaining!

 

[Smoke]

Yep. Scott from Lotus.
WE have one white pine in the show but I somehow missed the photo. I'll post more tonight.

Scott's my brother from another mother....

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Great show Paul, thanks for sharing!

 

[PaulH]

Some more Fair photos

 

[PaulH]

And some more.

 

[JudyB]

Thanks for posting these, do you know what the forest trees are?

 

[PaulH]

Thanks for posting these, do you know what the forest trees are?

Green Japanese Maples. Sorry about the blurry photo.

 

[tmmason10]

Thanks for sharing , they certainly aren't fledgeling trees. I really think the Chinese elm is spectacular as well

 

[mat]

I don't know what it is, but that multi-trunk in the pot with the (Chinese?) characters is awesome!

Thanks for posting.

Bob.

My thoughts exactly. Looks like nice show overall. Thanks for sharing, Paul. How may times were you asked "how old is that one?"?

 

[Ang3lfir3]

show looks great ... really well done guys ....


my favorite is "How much is that tree worth?" .... "It's not for sale" .... "but if you were going to sell it, then how much?" .... to which I usually respond with some astronomical price and a smirk on my face

 

[PaulH]

How old is it is certainly the most asked question. I'm tempted to make things up like 843 years.... but I usually tell the truth. The other one that gets me is the people who think that a bonsai is a certain kind of tree and are amazed at oaks, redwoods, etc. when we explain that they are the same as the ones they see growing around them.
Then, my favorite, there are always a bunch of "I bought a bonsai from a Chinese man with a stand by the side of the road, I kept it by a window and watered it every day like he said, but it died..."
ARRRGH!

 

[Ang3lfir3]

How old is it is certainly the most asked question. I'm tempted to make things up like 843 years.... but I usually tell the truth. The other one that gets me is the people who think that a bonsai is a certain kind of tree and are amazed at oaks, redwoods, etc. when we explain that they are the same as the ones they see growing around them.
Then, my favorite, there are always a bunch of "I bought a bonsai from a Chinese man with a stand by the side of the road, I kept it by a window and watered it every day like he said, but it died..."
ARRRGH!

I hear yah.... sometimes when I don't know the exact age of a tree and its no collected ... i usually go with "30 - 40yrs old" ... gives people the proper sense....

I love the "isn't bonsai a special kind of plant?" people.... I blame karate kid and those road side people ... argh!!!

I usually explain to the people that the guy was prolly selling them half dead junipers to begin with ... and then explain that they have to go outside... its the ones that get indignant about being able to keep trees indoors that crack me up ...

ahhhhh the joys of spreading the truths about bonsai .... always glad when non-bonsai people get to see something like this .... Well done!!!

 

[JudyB]

my favorite is "How much is that tree worth?" .... "It's not for sale" .... "but if you were going to sell it, then how much?" .... to which I usually respond with some astronomical price and a smirk on my face

I hate to get all schoolteachery here about this, but part of the idea behind being at a fair, is exposing new people to the art (even the dense ones...). So giving them mis-information is really conflicting to this purpose. Not to mention that this is where the rotten eggs get the idea that stealing bonsai is a good idea, since they're so expensive.

I know that answering these questions from fairgoers can be annoying, but be the ambassador for the sport for the day, take one for the team!