Saturday, July 19, 2008

Field Trip - The County Fair

Let's go to the fair. I couldn't find my cowgirl boots anywhere, so I was forced to don my pirate shoes. They were Payless Shoe Orphans. Nobody would buy them and as a result they were marked down to $1.99. The price was right so I adopted them. They would prove to be very comfy and protective in the harsh environment of the fair. One of the first things I spotted at the fair was a woman in a very chic hat and kitten heels. You gotta wonder about her choice. The fair is a mine field of sharp gravel, dust, dirt, and cow/goat/cattle/chicken poop mixed with straw. I hope those kitten heels are easy to clean off.

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Look at how long that grass is. It needs to be cut, but remember.....I drove the tractor into a hole.

The goat judging was underway when I arrived.

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A word about goats, they're not the best behaved animals. One was attempting to eat the tent and this one was doing some type of wild dance. Yes, that's a goat that has jumped about 2 feet straight into the air. This poor woman was doing her best to keep the bad boy under control.

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Here's a judge checking out this entry. Look at all the ribbons in her pocket. Good job!!!

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There are gigantic fans everywhere, and the loud hum of gas powered generators running the fans in an attempt to keep the animals cool.

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Here's an example of barn decor. Some families make it a home away from home. This display was put together by the Vaughan family who have 50 milking cows on their Century Acres dairy farm. This family business has been in operation since 1927. Many of the northern Illinois dairy farms are a thing of the past and I'm happy to see people like the Vaughan's continue the family farm tradition.

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And yes, some of the young people sleep in the barn with their animals.

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This is just a taste of the fair. We're going to skip the Way Back Machine tomorrow and continue our tour of the fair. There are more animals, including the Jersey Girls (Heidi will know what I'm talking about), fresh produce and more!!

Join me tomorrow....but leave those kitten heels at home and bring your appetite!

20 comments:

Heidi said...

OH!! I am going to be doing a post on our fair tommmorow!! Big Son is showing his racing pigeons today and my niece is showing a llama - not much of a farm animal but hey its past the 1990's right? LOL They also are having the draft horse showing, MY FAVORITE thing about the fair!! next to the food, of course. :) Those goats are wiley little buggers thats for shore!!!

Sisiggy said...

My husband has fond memories of sleeping at the county a fair and waking up under the rabbit pens, having rolled there sometime in the night. He was four. He didn't mind.

I married him anyway.

Trish said...

no kitten heels here....Loved your post today. Thanks for the trip to the fair. Again, you are quite the photographer...seeing a shot before the camera comes out I imagine.

Anonymous said...

I love touring the animal barns at the fair. It's always fun to watch the kid's faces when they see just how big those cows are, and how the sheep smell!

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

Very neat pics! Love the one of the goat in mid-air!

life in red shoes said...

Ahh, I can smell it now, sweet fair air.

Holly Tree Primitives said...

There is invariably always a couple of women at our fair that are dressed in heels and short skirts (I am not talking about above the knee, more like above the thigh). I never understand it, but I suppose they are searching for something at the fair that I am not. (always lots of cowboys at the fair)

Can't wait to see tomorrows post!
~Michele

Unknown said...

Now that's what I call a fair!!!

Looks alot like the AMP fairs that I used to go to when I was growing up in rural NZ.

many of us kids, that were in the Calf Club and would be showing our calves, would spend the night with our *babies*. We'd all bring our sleeping bags and have a great old time.

I had a photo, unfortunately it was destroyed in a house fire, of me, curled up in my bag beside my calf's pen and my calf, curled up right beside me. :-)

Great photos!!!

Apple Jack said...

Thank you for taking us to the fair. The Wilson County (Tenn) is in a few weeks and is said to be one of the best fairs in the US. Love the sights, smells, and tastes!

Lori said...

I've been enjoying your blog since I found it a couple of weeks ago. I never bothered to look at where you were from other than 9 miles from anywhere. When I read your post on the Kane County fair, I finally checked. We live in Ogle County, near Forreston, so hey, we're almost neighbors!

Cottage Rose said...

Well it sounds like it was the first time that kitten heels was at a county fair. I bet her feet were so unhappy by the end of the day. I love your shoes, they look comfy.Love the photos, the goats look so cute. I can't wait to see more. Have good weekend.
Hugs
Alaura

LIBERTY POST EDITOR said...

Goats are a pain in the a_ _. Very sweet though. Mischievious little buggars.

Vee said...

You're very sensibly and, dare I say, fashionably dressed for the fair...Fair? In July? What kind of insanity is that? A common one for your corner? Too danged hot for a fair, isn't it?

Jill said...

Oh the animals at your fair look so much nicer than the one near my parents!

And Payless Shoes - what great deals!

Farmchick said...

Hello! I found my way to you via Cranberry Crossings. Your blog title caught my eye as I am also a farmer's wife and a farmer's daughter too so I guess you can say I am a total farmgirl! Loved the pictures at the fair..I can totally relate to the references to the goat--our children have shown goats at the fair and they can be quite difficult to say the least! Stop by and visit me sometime....I love to make new friends!

Vie Chaotique said...

That was me in the kitten heels.

(just kidding but regrettably something I am capable of)

Form over function!!! And I will suffer for my fashion.

Vie Chaotique said...
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Rue said...

Why are those women dressed like that? It's totally beyond me LOL

The comment about the lady with the ribbons in her pocket cracked me up!

Thank you for cheering me up :)

nighty night,
rue

Louise said...

Well, goats might be misbehaved, but they're just so fun. I've always wanted one, but alas, I'm not married to a farmer!

Anonymous said...

I love going to the fair. but I love it just for the culture of it -- the rides and fair food. My hubby loves the animal exhibits but the kids and I get bored after like the first 10 of each breed. Geesh. How people can walk around and look at 100 of the exact same thing is beyond me.