How can you put a price on a good, home-baked pie? Actually, it’s not that hard: You put a fast-talking auctioneer on a table-top, fill a barn with a few dozen highly competitive folks, and let the bidding begin. At the Jefferson County Fair’s annual baked goods auction on Saturday night, the action started slowly: Grady Dolezal, aged 2, was a conservative participant, and he took home a purple layer cake for just $105. But by the time a plate of pecan toffee bars came up, the wallets had loosened. $300, $500 — and as the skies outside darkened, $750…and up. At evening’s end, the total take was $12,490 to benefit the fair — up from $8,589 a year ago.
And that’s how you put a price on a pie.
