Fair Day

I've been putting this off long enough--the task of recording my impressions of my first experience of the Ohio State Fair.  I think a week and a half is plenty of time to let things marinate up in the ol' noggin.

State fairs are fun.  Where else can an observer see people from all walks of life: farmers, ranchers, schoolchildren, city folks, suburban dwellers, and country bumpkins all gathered within a confined space (other than Wal-Mart)?  Ohio's state fair is no exception.  For 10 days people from all over converge on the sprawling, 360 acre expo center just north of downtown Columbus (and right next to THE Ohio State University).  I was surprised to discover that the fairgrounds is 360 acres large.  Fair Park in Dallas is 277 (thank you, Google), but I gotta admit, I wasn't as tired after this trip as I have been in past trips to see Big Tex.  (This might have something to do with the fact that a trip to Dallas from my home town takes about four hours.)

I think now is as good a time as any for a general disclaimer:  I am from Texas.  I will always be a Texan.  I will ALWAYS compare things to my home, the great Lone Star State.  And often, things compared to Texas will be found lacking.  That's just the way it is.  I consistently try to be impartial, but a person can only do so much.  So please bear with me and know that I am aware of my skewed perspective.

My trip took place on Monday, August 1st, with an expected (extreme) high temperature of somewhere around a dry 91 degrees.  I had wrongly imagined that exhibit buildings and the coliseum would be air conditioned, but with proper ventilation, there was no need.  It was quite pleasant, actually, if you weren't sitting out on the asphalt on a metal bench, which Scott and I did at one point as we rode the tram (a John Deere tractor with tandem, custom made trailers with metal benches) around the fairgrounds.  I was happy with the Monday visit, since A) it wasn't the weekend, and B) the draft horse show began that day.

Here is a picture of the entrance to the Ohio Expo Center.  Unfortunately, I can be pretty unobservant.  I had NOT noticed that the metal formed the shape of O-H-I-O.   This must be why Scott gave me a strange look when I asked him which gate we came in, since it's rightly known as the "Ohio Gate."   If it were T-E-X-A-S, I would have noticed, I suppose.  This picture is not mine.

Our first task was to visit the Nationwide Agricultural and Horticultural Exhibit (A.K.A. the Land and Living Exhibit), presented by Ohio Farm Bureau.  (FYI: if you're an Ohio Farm Bureau member, you get a hefty discount on Nationwide insurance.  Plus, you're supporting local agriculture.)    This was to be a quasi-reconnaissance mission, as my sister is an employee of Texas Farm Bureau and often works the TFB equivalent at many of the larger fairs, rodeos, and livestock shows around my home state.  It's not that Ohio FB's exhibit would be much different than Texas's (think more emphasis on horticulture and corn, while TFB's focus is a little more on beef and animal production), but when organizations are dedicated to educating the public about agriculture, every new idea is helpful.  So I was excited to visit a familiar exhibit that would provide a new perspective for me.  (I'll also admit that it's been a few years since I've been to a big fair--some of the exhibits and contests may be standard fare, but they were new to me!)

Prepare yourself for photos.  Oh, and there are video clips, too.   :)

I noticed this first: Miniature Landscapes.  What a cute idea.  This particular entry was "Backyard Best: 2nd Place."  The paper attached explains that this entry features: Hens & Chickens, Cedar, Plox, Sedum - Black Jack, Stone Crop, Cyclamen - Leaved Violet, and Moss.  Notice that the container is made out of cement, apparently crafted by the contestant.  Cute, cute, cute.

A window-box competition.  Sort of strange, but considering that it's August and there are Impatiens and other tender flowers flourishing around businesses and along streets, it's a much more relevant contest here than in Texas, where you have about a month in which to maintain a window-box before everything burns to a crisp.

It was really hard to focus on the other horticultural entries after this particular display caught my fancy.  Evidently, there was a contest in which entrants created scarecrows that resembled local media personalities.  Fascinating.  Seriously. 

  

I think this one's my favorite.  It looks like my kind of effort--a regular scarecrow with miscellaneous objects added to bring to mind a particular person.  The cut out, tacked on face is the clincher.  But still cute as the dickens. 

I think Scott was a little insulted that I made such a big deal out of a Christmas tree contest.  It totally makes sense, though. Especially in an area where Christmas tree varieties are used in regular decorative landscaping

. 

The prize-winning tree.  Truly a beauty.  It's kind of a shame it had to be cut before it could be used for Christmas.  Maybe they should have the competition in December .

That's right, my friends, it's an ear of corn, made for climbing.  Or maybe a climbing wall covered with plastic painted to look like an ear of corn.  Either way, this is priceless.  Why doesn't Texas have a cow wall?  

The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Country Cruise (and Stroll)

Children can go for a cruise down the path, 

or adults can stroll and view the varieties of vegetable plants (which are in dire need of sunlight in some spots).

There are farm facts

and appeals to the public to understand that farmers and ranchers actually DO have morals and values when it comes to taking care of stock and growing food commodities.

I restrained myself from trying to abscond with the Holstein cutout. 

Informative, Graphic, and Colorful.  It had my attention.

"Corn...

      The Future"

Yeah, well, it also makes corn syrup, which they put in Dr Pepper.  So, I know I like it.  

Go corn growers!

This is what, in Texas, you might hear described as a "big a_ _ed pumpkin."  An artist carved the rind to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Land and Living Exhibit.  Note the OFBF logo in the lower, left hand corner.  

I am told that the Pumpkin Festival in October will put these entries to shame.  

This is a miniature train set-up depicting farm production and transportation. (I looked for the official, fancy name, but Google has not turned up anything, yet.)  There's video below!

Yay! Video! 

(Please ignore the sarcastic woman speaking in the background.)

Video

And this creeped me out a little, but it's kind of cool...I guess.  

  A honey bee exhibit.  The kids' faces are priceless.

The Honey Contest

The Nut Contest.  No, I was not an entry.

The sign is...beyond words.

Kids were able to plant flower seedlings in containers (biodegradable, no less) to take home with them.  

This is colorful and informative (and a lot of reading), but I'm mainly interested in the cut-out animals peeking around each sign.  

This was a quiz-type, interactive booth that had really annoying buzzes and sirens for each incorrect or correct answer.  I'm really glad I didn't have to stand beside it all day.

I'm not really certain about the point of this, except that Nationwide stuff was all around it.  So I'm supposed to learn...to not get into a wreck?  

A Buckeye-built tractor, designed and manufactured by the engineering team/class/something at OSU.  The tractor was judged (at some other intercollegiate competition) on safety, ergonomics, ease of servicing, and potential for mass production.  OSU's freshman/sophomore team apparently won.

The requisite inflatable Brutus Buckeye.  Woo!

Hatching chicks, watched by Ohio State Fair interns.

The beer contest!

Finally, out into the "antiques and collectibles" pavilion. Scott and I skipped the mop/vacuum/adjustable bed/chamois/juicer pavilion. Sorry, no pictures.

It is impossible to go anywhere...  Blegh.

On to the Natural Resources Park with Outdoor Shows and Kayak Pond (as the map describes it.)  

Jodie (my sister) probably recalls a day in our youth when we were at the Pineywoods Fair in Nacogdoches, and Borden's Elsie the Cow had a booth with the rest of the exhibits.  Now, somehow Elsie knew our names.  Called us out and everything, asking how our parents were and all that.  It freaked us out.  I swear, creepy Smokey Bear was doing the same thing.  There were traumatized children everywhere.  And Smokey is big, as you can see.  The guy's voice was kind of pervy, and he kept telling the kids to get closer to him.  No. Thank. You.

The fishing pond, where kids get to hook a fish.  There are multiple cane poles in the black holders along the concrete, and the game wardens are hooking and baiting the lines.  There were lots of kids waiting in line to do this.  

The kayak pond. Fancy.

This was really striking.  There are bald eagles repopulating nests in the central Ohio region, and the game wardens are hopping with excitement.

Back out into the general fair area....

So, in the distance you see the OHIO entrance.  This is about 11:30.  Slow morning.  However, that cream puff certainly looks tasty.  

Another shot toward the gate.  Notice how the OHIO is built so that it looks like H-I from either side?  Genius.  

Into the arts pavilion.  I have to say, I was hoping to see some art by youth.  This was all professional art up for sale for a high price tag.  Is there not an art  contest for kids to enter, or did I just miss it?


I do, however, like the pig goblets.

This brought back memories of the Texas Forest Festival.  This guy carved and painted wood as spectators...spectated.  If there were any lumberjack contests or exhibitions, I didn't see them.

This was part of an exhibit including cows, ponies, sheep, and goats (I think).  The main point was the discussions and informative sessions that were being held by veterinarians and producers about the care they give to animals on farms.

What's that I see?  The dainty hoof prints of a cow?  To where could those be leading??

It's the Butter Cow!!!!!!!







and calf.


And right next to the cow/calf pair,

Butter football players.


and a butter football.  (butterball??)


I am told that these are important players, yada, yada, yada....

Apparently the dairy association tries to create appeal  for more than just the Butter Cow fans.  I think the ice cream stand did a good job of that. No need for the butter people, unless they are directly related to the production of butter.  But that's just my two cents; take them for what they're worth.

I'm curious about how, exactly, a university would recycle butter.  And I'm not certain I really want to know.

The cheese contest!  Yum!













......On to the Beef Cattle barn.

Yeah....beef cattle aren't all that big in Ohio.  To give the benefit of the doubt, the show was gearing down and it was obvious that many people had left already. However, this just is not a big space, at all.

The dairy show was moving in to the Dairy Cattle barn that day, and I'm certain it was a good bit larger than this.

Show pen in the beef barn

Pigs!  I've always admired kids who work hard enough to train their pigs to not run screaming into crowds when they're outside their pens.  This guy was having difficulty convincing his pig to cooperate, but she still didn't run away, as mine would have.

The famed coliseum, where Quarter Horse Congress is held each year (which I will be attending as a spectator) and where the draft horse show was held.  I gotta say...it wasn't what I expected.

Ohio air conditioning in the coliseum.

A hitch-wagon.  It really is that tall.  People climbing aboard have to be quick and nimble.  That rules me out.

See the lady on the extra tall step-stool (ladder)?  They're harnessing the horse for the show. There are five more horses just like that one cross-tied behind him/her--part of the six-horse team that will compete later.

Another XXL horse.

I love this picture.






I shall call him Buford.

Clips from the Draft Horse Show

(Apologies offered for the poor quality.  A videographer I am not.)

Video

Some tense moments as a horse doesn't really want to do what it's expected to do.  Please note the fabulous, live organ music being played during the classes.  The tempo would increase and decrease as the horses hastened or slowed.  Why don't Quarter Horse shows have something like guitar music playing?  They're missing out.



Video 

Everybody loved the entrance of the paired teams.

Video

6-Horse Team Video

Coming into the arena--there was a collective gasp of awe from the audience when the first team entered.

6-Horse Team Video

This was a big class of 6-horse teams.  They did three teams at a time, then brought in all 6 teams for the final judging.  That's a lot of high-spirited, large horseflesh.  Magnificent.

This is a western "under saddle" class for the draft horses.  With the woman mounted, the horse doesn't look that big.  But look behind them, at the guy leaning against the gate.  That gives a little perspective.


How I long for a flash that will make child's play of indoor-arena events.




So I've run out of pictures, and steam as well.  Thanks to Scott for acting as my guide and interpreter of all things Ohio.  Until next time!
~jamie