indiana state fair day 5

Dad and I had a grand time at the fair.

We started off by looking at 4-H projects. Dad and his buddies worked at the state fair in the late 1950s. I've heard many stories that involve Dad's Corvette, a lap around the track and a case of beer. A lot of the stories involve the year that Dad's brother, Joe stayed at the Boys Dormitory.


It was General Motors day at the fair. We looked at every single GM product (don't tell my truck). I still like the idea of an HHR.

Our next stop was the Home and Family Arts Building. You might notice that I have not shown photographs of all of my ribbons. Because I didn't get any...for the first time in years. I'm trying not to be too big of a baby about it. And you get a packet of entry tickets when you enter things, so it is still worth it. Here are my snickerdoodles.

I don't want to say that the salt and pepper shaker judge had a type, but my way-cool 1950s plastic flower roses did not look like ceramic poultry.

Finally food! We went with the old favorite - Indiana Beef Producers steak sandwiches. Note the cow barn in the background.


Our next stop was the Agriculture and Horticulture Building. Dad and I have our favorite things to look at. Dad: beekeepers and honey. Nora: brewmasters competition. Is it bad that I know so many beer makers?

I've never been around for the watermelon spitting competition.

Here is the kid getting the seed.

Post spit. The poor guy only launched his seed a few feet. Some of those kids were hitting eleven or twelve feet.

I thought the coloring on this cow was unusual. He's all back except for his face.

Grand champion Herford. From Boone County!

This year's giant cheese sculpture is of the new covered bridge. The woman carving the cheese was telling the crowd how she came to be a cheese sculpture. She left her corporate marketing job to travel the country carving cheese. Just as I was thinking 'wow, how cool, I would love to to that,' I overheard a 20-something chick say, "What is wrong that that woman, who would ever want to do that?"

Suspiciously close to the cheese bridge was the cockroach race track.

I skipped the opportunity to pet the cockroach. I did have a nice chat with Professor Tom Turpin. He's a legend on the Purdue campus.

We arrived at Pioneer Village just in time to see the log sawing demonstration. It involves steam, belts and sweat.

Dad and I got seperated while we were in the Pioneer Village building. I wasn't too worried. I wandered around chatting and looking at old farm equiptment. I heard music and when I popped around the corner I saw that my friend, Robin Harrison was playing.

Robin announced over his microphone "ladies and gentleman, it's Nora Spitznogle, the one...the only...Nora Spitznogle!" There is something about my name that inspires musicians to say it through a PA. I'm guessing it might be the laugh it produces. A few minutes later dad ran up to the stage, shook Robin's hand and thanked him for finding his lost daughter. Too bad the band was mid-song when it happened. Dad is so charming that every one laughed and it was fine.

We were watching the tractor parade line up when we spied a tractor pulling a trailer with benches. We grinned and ran to catch up. Dad asked the driver if we could hitch a ride and next thing you know we were in the parade. Wooo Hoooo!


The fair was so crowded with the record attendance that it took a while to clear the path for the parade. While everything was at a stand still, farmers jumped off of their tractors and gathered to chat. One wound up in with us. It was fun to hear all about his John Deere A series tractor. Here he is going through the new covered bridge.

I had a blast and giggled the whole way.

We waved our hands off. Dad said that his feet hurt when he got on the trailer and his arm hurt when we got off.
All of that sitting made us hungry. Dad opted for the beef sundae -I'm not kidding. It was roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and a cherry tomato. I had a pork chop sandwich - who thought that would be the sensible choice?


We stopped in the Depart of Natural Resources Building to look at fish. Dad wanted to know how old you need to be before you didn't need a fishing licence. I didn't know that Dad was a fisherman, but for the record, if you're born before 1943 you don't need one - in Indiana anyway. Also for the record, Dad does not need one.

Our last stop -Goat Mountain. Cute young goats frolicking on rocks.

We finally had enough fair - nine hours of fun was too much even for us.