Milk Maid
Our state fair is a great state fair, Don’t miss it, don’t even be late. It’s dollars to donuts That our state fair Is the best state fair in our state.
These are lyrics from the musical “State Fair” and this time of year always makes me think of that musical. If I could, I would change the last lyric from “our state” to just “the best state fair.”
I really love this time of year. It’s warm during the day and generally is cooler at night. Most importantly, it’s time for the state fair.
I have so many amazing memories from the state fair, it’s one of my favorite events of the year. I’ve gone every year that I can remember.
From showing cattle and rabbits to my indoor 4-H projects to being a Princess Kay finalist to now just showing open class and being a spectator, the Minnesota State Fair is always a highlight.
As a family, we will be exhibiting 4-H rabbit, open class rabbit, open class dairy goat, FFA market goat and FFA dairy and those events will take place during both of the weekends of the fair.
Preparations for the state fair often take place months and even a year before the state fair. To have quality animals to show, you need to breed them, they need to be born and they need to grow first.
The animals headed to the state fair have been undergoing months of preparation. The show heifers have had their own “luxury suite” as they’ve had their own pen and exercise area all to themselves all summer.
This past Saturday, the state fair cows, heifers and rabbits all were treated to pedicures to help them have their best feet forward and have a leg up on the competition.
The rabbits have been on a diet consisting of show feed, hay and extra oats. The oats help add condition to them and keep their fur intact.
One of the most challenging parts about showing rabbits in the summer is that many rabbits will molt, or lose the fur, and grow in new fur. Since fur counts for a considerable amount of points for a rabbit scorecard, it’s a problem when they molt.
So far so good in my rabbit barn among the rabbits signed up for the big dance. You can’t talk about the Minnesota State Fair without talking about the amount of incredible and wacky food options. Since I’ll be going up both Saturdays, I can space out what I want to eat.
Sweet Martha’s cookies, strawberry rhubarb sundaes, pizza on a stick, Belgian waffle cones, breakfast sandwiches by the barns, and the poutine are some of my favorites and state fair staples.
Every year though, I make a rule that I need to try something new. Out of the newly released state fair new foods menu, the ones that I want to try are the blueberry key lime pie and the lavender lemonade both available at the Farmers Union, cheesecake tarts at Lulu’s and deep-fried cookie dough on a stick.
There are also a few new vendors I want to try like iPierogi, which serves Polish favorites like pierogies in the Food Building.
Near the barns, there is another vendor called the Blue Ox Burger Bar where they offer a build your own burger bar. With so many choices, I’m glad my state fair app and state fair website can show me where to go to find all these goodies! Our state fair is a great state fair and I won’t be missing it.
Good luck to all our area residents that will be competing at the state fair!