Jim Robards of Waterloo is a first-time entrant in the Chelsea Community Fair, which is celebrating its 74th year beginning Tuesday.

Born in Chelsea, Robards said he’s been raising special oversized tomatoes he calls "Gwenevere's" for four years, and Sunday, he finally entered one in the largest tomato class that tipped the scales at 2 pounds.

In addition to its size, he said, the tomatoes "have excellent taste.”

All entries for the agricultural, antiques, baking, canning, floriculture, arts and photography, machine sewing and needlework were brought to the fairgrounds Sunday at Old US-12 and Old Manchester Road.

“This is one of the best fairs I’ve ever been to,” Robards said after entering his tomatoes and checking out a 12-foot, 11-inch tall sunflower stalk, which also had been entered in the agriculture barn.

Dan Grau of Sylvan Township arrived Sunday to enter field corn in the farm crops division of the agricultural exhibits for his grandson, Caleb Benedict. When asked what makes winning field corn, he said the judges look for uniformity of the the stalks, and the size and number of the ears.

Grau said he’s been attending the fair for 40 years and began showing at age 10.

What’s the best thing about the fair? “The people,” he said.

For Emily Chizek, 9, of Chelsea, this was the second time she’d entered her art work in the fair. She said her favorite parts of the fair experience were the exhibits and the rides.

Marge Shiller and Susan McCalla, two of the superintendents for the food preparation and

canning area, said this year they were excited about a new homemade wine division that has classes for white, red, mixed fruit and all other wines.

“We had requests for it last year,” McCalla said, and went to the fair board for permission.

Schiller said she expects there to be between 200-300 entries ranging from apple sauce to hot pepper jelly, if past years are an indication of the popularity of the division.

“Jellies, jams and tomatoes are the top three in entries,” McCalla said.

Also new this year in the green barn is a series of "Back to our Roots" demonstrations beginning Wednesday. At 2 and 5 p.m. on Aug. 24, Romona Stockton will spin wool and at 3 and 6 p.m. Melissa Stapish will demonstrate fresh produce goodness.

On Thursday, Teddy Eyster will have craft demonstrations at 2 and 5 p.m. and Terry Peyton will teach canning know-how at 3 and 6 p.m.

On Friday at 2 and 5 p.m., Maggie Sweet will be decorating cakes and at 3 and 6 p.m. Sue Zoldak will show the art of tatting.

Sharon Fischer-Deconick, 2008 Community Fair Champion Homemaker, of Jackson, said she was entering 48 items this year.

“I’m a baker, canner, sewer and cross-stitcher; my husband doesn’t know that store bought bread tastes like,” she said.

Adrian Eder, 10, of Chelsea, entered about 30 items, including “Pumpkin Head,” in the most artistic vegetable display. The creation made of a pumpkin, was topped with pumpkin leaves for hair and had carrots, potatoes and green tomatoes to make a face.

He said he’s been entering item in the fair “since I was born” and he was trying to take his 10th first place in the kiddie parade Tuesday at 5:30. “Then I’ll move up to the big parade,” he said of Saturday’s Chelsea Fair Parade that begins at 1 p.m.

He said the best part of the fair was “winning,” and he enjoys “looking at everyone else’s creations.”

Claire DeVoogd, 7, of Dexter was excited to enter her duct tape elephant in the recycled craft class while Sarah Gilbreath, 9, of Sylvan Township was entering 10 items in the fair this year, including a cake.

“I like to see what places I got and I like all of the animals,” she said of her time at the fair. The exhibit barn will be closed Monday while all the items that were entered Sunday are judged, and Tuesday the fair officially opens at noon.

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.