Judges' choice: Susan Welker's red-onion jelly caught the attention of the judges, who awarded it Best of Division in Home Arts Jellies and Jams.
Background: Welker is a park ranger at San Elijo Lagoon in North County. “I think I got the recipe out of the Union-Tribune about 10 years ago. It turned out the prettiest color. It's one of those things; it actually goes well with meat.”
How she got started: Welker said she learned home crafts, including canning and jam-and jelly-making, through 4-H. Her parents got her started in 4-H when they all lived in Bonita. She also raised sheep when she was young.
Comment: “I have kept up on jams and jellies. They make good Christmas presents and my co-workers appreciate my bringing them in. It's a hobby for me.”
Today's picks
Grandstand Stage: Rock artist Bo Bice, American Idol runner-up for 2005, performs at 7:30 p.m. Free with fair admission; limited reserved seating available.
Highlights: Celebrate Julian Day; charity horse show, all day, Del Mar Arena; milking demonstrations, 12:30 and 3 p.m., livestock area; corn-husking contest, 1:30 p.m., farm area; hip-hop dance preliminaries, 4 p.m., Infield Stage; guitar-making demonstration, 6:30 p.m., Design in Wood area; performance by The Tumblin' Dice, 8:30 p.m., Coors Light Rock-On Stage; performance by Blue Oyster Cult, 9 p.m., Finish Line Stage.
Newsroom at the Fair: Meet environment writer Mike Lee, 1 to 4 p.m.
Facts about the fair
What: San Diego County Fair.
Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
When: Through July 4. Closed Mondays except July 3. Gates open 10 a.m. Admission: $11; seniors 62 and older, $6; children 6 to 12, $6; children 5 and younger, free.
Information: (858) 793-5555, (858) 755-1161 or www.sdfair.com. Discounts: Value Pack ($43) includes four admissions, four soft-rink coupons (good with a food purchase) and 20 ride coupons. (Each ride takes 3-6 coupons.) Value Pack purchased at IKEA includes a parking pass.
Parking at fair: Cars and motorcycles, $8; recreational vehicles, $10; preferred parking close to the O'Brien Gate, $13 (no motor homes).
Free off-site parking and shuttle service:
From Horsepark Equestrian Center, 7:15 a.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday; 7:15 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Location is east of Interstate 5 at Via de la Valle and El Camino Real.
MiraCosta College's San Elijo campus, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m. to midnight Sundays and July 4, 3333 Manchester Ave., Cardiff.
Torrey Pines High School, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m. to midnight Sundays and July 3-4, 3710 Del Mar Heights Road.
Canyon Crest Academy, June 17-18, June 24-25 and July 1-4; 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to midnight Sundays, 5951 Village Center Loop Road, Carmel Valley.
Newsroom at the Fair
You are welcome to stop by The San Diego Union-Tribune's Newsroom at the Fair. The exhibit is off the Plaza de Mexico near the Grandstand entrance.
Browse a display of our history and explore the technology that brings you the daily newspaper and SignOnSanDiego.com, the U-T's Internet site.
Information online
SignOn has a special Web site for fair news and information this year: fair.uniontrib.com
