As I’ve shared in past posts I didn’t know much about county or state fairs, but now that I’m smack dab in the middle of farm country it’s hard not to learn. In our small town in one of them smallest counties in Indiana the Fair isn’t just for the kids, but rather the whole county. Sure it takes a lot of people to make a fair successful, but what I noticed is that anyone, no matter the age, can enter a project in the Fair.
I love seeing the projects that the kids enter, but I also enjoy seeing the aray of talent that’s on display from the adults as well. We have a variety of categories such as photography, sewing, needlework, and the list goes on. I’m in aw of their creations every year.
A month ago I was at the school signing my boys up for school and mentioned to one of our talented office staff that I enjoy seeing her entries every year. Her humbled response was it’s her passion and she would love to do it all the time, but something has to pay the bills. Oh so true for many of us, but none the less I enjoy that she shares her talent at our county fair. Thanks Mrs. S!
Being a part of the 4H Homemakers we are encouraged to enter something in the Fair every year. I’ve been hesitant to do so because for one nothing that I enter will ever stack up to the talent that I’ve seen displayed, and secondly time isn’t on my side. I have been told though that a framed picture or even a crocheted wash cloth may be small, but they show talent none the less.
So my quest is on to make something to enter in the Fair next year and I have 11 months to get it done. What should it be? Do I pull from the many things my Grandma has taught me such as plastic canvas crafts, counted cross stitch, make a quillow, or crochet? Do I channel my struggling green thumb and grow a plant from seed? Do I use my Nikon DSLR camera and pray it makes me look like a great photographer? I definitely know neither baking or cooking is a forte of mine. Oh decisions, decisions, decisions.
No matter what I plan to do I will enter it with pride knowing I took the time to do it, and even though it may not stack up to the rest, at least I tried. What a wonderful example and lesson to share with our boys.
How are you a part of your County Fair?
Steve and I have both served on the fair board for nine years now, and our oldest had her first year of 4-H this year, so our basket was pretty full. I did take some pictures over to the Women’s building just for the heck of it because they were a bit low on entries. I may take some digital scrapbooks next year and more pictures if I get them framed, BUT I have learned to get this all done way before fair time or don’t do it at all. It’s too much to handle in the midst of all that chaos!