A Few of my Favorite Things

You know that song... Da da da da... OK -- I only know the tune.

Ok -- so forget that song... I'll just tell you about a few of my favorite things about the Iowa State Fair.

4H - when we got to the state fair, one of the first things we did was stop at the outdoor horse arena and watch the 4H competition. One good thing about that is when the judge declares the winner -- she told us why and how the others could improve. What she was looking for. We got inspired. After that show we walked through the horse barn and saw some folks we knew from Knoxville. They told us about the 4H clubs in Knoxville -- there is one for girls who DON'T have horses, but want to do 4H with them. WOW - that would be Tori. So we are going to look into that. See... we never would have known that if we didn't go to the fair.

Story telling - you know me... always love to tell a good story. LOL We sat down in the afternoon for some story telling. The adults got up and held a mic and just told stories. There were some famous names... famous in the story telling circles. Lee Klein was probably my favorite.

Animal Learning Center - This is what the Iowa State Fair web-site has to say about that building. This agricultural education exhibit features live births of various species including cows, sows, nanny goats and ewes. Fairgoers of all ages will be drawn to the chicks and ostriches hatching, along with the baby ducklings.

Little Hands on the Farm - Little Hands on the Farm teaches children the importance of agriculture and how it affects their daily lives in a fun and interactive way. Children become farmers at this hands-on exhibit. Children obtain a gathering basket and proceed along a path that includes a garden, grain bin, apple orchard, chicken coop, tractor shed, sheep barn and dairy barn. After gathering particular items along the way they get the chance to sell these items at the Little Hands on the Farm Farmers’ Market for a Little Hands dollar to spend at the Grocery Store for such items as a piece of fruit, a granola bar or an ice cream sandwich. I think my kids favorite thing was driving the little tractors.

Sun Shine - clear skys with a high of 85. Beautiful... couldn't ask for any better weather to be at the fair.

Normally -- I hate the state fair. I'll admit it -- I'm not very rural. Walking through the swine barn isn't really the most exciting thing I would choose to do. Walking around all the delicious food that has an exhorbant price is depression. Pork chop on a stick... $6. Can you believe it? Crazy. One fried oreo -- $3.50. You know what? I did pretty good on my diet actually -- because I bought NOTHING. Who can afford that? You'd have to take out a loan in order to feed a family of 7 a pork chop and an oreo. Then they would still be hungry.

I suggest you pack a lunch. That's what we did. Went to the car for lunch, then left the fair grounds at 8:00 for supper.

So -- there are some minuses... but the fair has improved much in the past few years, I'll admit. I can now say -- I enjoy going to the fair.

When I say that - do you picture me in bib overalls? LOL

WORLD RECORD - kind of corny

The Iowa State Fair decided to break a record this year. The most people simultaneoulsy eating a corn dog. Hey locals -- if you click on that link -- you can see my friends Earnie and Anetha in the DM register video. Ü Someone decided to have free addmission to the fair from 5:30 - 8:30 a.m. to get peole to come to the fair to help break this record. They had made 8,400 corn dogs in anticipation of the crowd.

Someone underestimated the greediness... um, I mean... the FRUGALITY of Iowans. LOL!!

We got up at 5:00 a.m.
We were on the road by 6:00 a.m.
We hit University Avenue at 7:00 a.m. the exactly same time as 10,000 other people, I think.

We DID get into the fair for free, at 8:15 -- saving us $38.00 -- but we did NOT get in line to eat a corn dog. We had heard on W.H.O. radio that they had only made 8,400 corn dogs. We also heard that the grand stand was getting full. We decided that at 8:15, we didn't have enough time to get over to the grand stand to try to get in on the corn dog eating event.

We are glad we decided that.

10,000 people in the grand stand, that means some people were just watching 8,400 people eat a corn dog, and 5,000 people were standing in line LISTENING to 8,400 people eat a corn dog.

3, 2, 1, CHOMP.

So -- they broke the record... 8,400 people simultaneously eating a corn dog and A TON O' CHEAP PEOPLE who got into the fair for free.

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