An elaborate 16-foot-wide gate takes shape under the hands of Jack Zedaker, Lawrence, who is entering it in the Leavenworth County Fair in Tonganoxie. The gate, made of heavy metal, has farm art intertwined through spokes surrounding an old pair of plow shears.

Tonganoxie resident Jake Zedaker, 55, said he thinks some people may consider his venture into exhibiting at the 79th annual Leavenworth County Fair somewhat funny.

“It sounds kind of hokey but I feel like even at my age I guess I can go and try to win a blue ribbon,” said Zedaker, who works in Lawrence at Petals to Metals, a custom ironsmithing shop.

Zedaker has entered some of his artwork in the fair’s exhibition show.

The fair, which begins today, has about 4,500 entries in its exhibition show this year, said Leon Stites, an agriculture agent for the Leavenworth County Research & Extension office.

“I’d say we’re up about 75 or 80 entries compared to what we had last year,” he said. “We keep increasing the number of things and categories people can enter. So, I think people are experimenting and looking at the options.”

The largest draw involves livestock. But Stites said entries in other categories continue to increase. He said that includes the open categories for adults.

A farmer plows a field in a small detail of Jack Zedaker's heavy metal gate, which depicts scenes of Kansas farming. Zedaker, a Lawrence resident, is entering the gate in the adult open art category of the exhibition show at the Leavenworth County Fair this week in Tonganoxie.

Zedaker’s pride and joy is going to be in the open art category. It’s a large, elaborate metal ranch gate that depicts Kansas farming scenes and incorporates parts of an old plow.

The intricately designed ranch gate, which weighs about 1,000 pounds, took Zedaker about three weeks to make.

“It’s kind of like a painting – only it’s with metal – and it’s all hand-crafted,” he said. “I’m hoping it does well. But this also is a chance for more people to see my work, and that will be nice. With most of the ranch gates I do, just the people that own them and their friends see them because they’re out in the country.”

The Leavenworth County Fair continues through Saturday and is held on the fairgrounds at the west edge of Tonganoxie.

Fair Board President David Todd said activities usually go from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and this year the fair has a country music group performing.

“The Warren Brothers will be performing and having them is something new for us,” Todd said.

The Warren Brothers’ concert is at 8 p.m. today.

The fair also includes a parade at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a rodeo at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and a demolition derby at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.