The Daily Globe - Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

By MEGAN HUGHES

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - Sharlene Shaffer of Ironwood was named Homemaker of the Year at the Gogebic County Fair last weekend.

Shaffer and her family moved to Ironwood in 2011, taking up residence at a farm near Powderhorn where they raise a variety of fruit trees and other produce.

This is the fourth time that she has tried to win the award.

This year she entered 26 exhibits. Her exhibits included various baked goods, canned goods, vegetables, antiques, embroidery, quilting and a horticulture exhibit.

"I would have had a lot more to enter this year, but I gave most of it away," Shaffer said, referring to her canned and quilted goods.

"What I enjoyed the most was seeing what everyone else had made and brought to show at the fair."

Along with participating in the fair this year, Shaffer is also active with the farmers markets in Ironwood and Hurley with her husband, Gary, selling baked and canned goods that she produces.

"I love making things and seeing things grow," she said.

Outside of her farm, Shaffer is active in her community. She is the president of the Northern Lights Quilting Guild, a Master Gardener, the chair for Miner's Memorial Park and was one of the set of hands behind planting the butterfly garden.

When discussing the artwork that she entered at the fair, including her quilting and embroidery, Shaffer said she dabbled in a bit of everything, but doesn't have one specific type of art that she prefers. "Except knitting, I am terrible at knitting," she said.

Having won this award, Shaffer will not be able to win for another two years, as per the rules of the competition. However, she does plan to enter items at the fair in the future, if only for the fun of it.