Last Friday my family and I journeyed to the Medina County Fair. As usual, it was an interesting experience. The smells, the people watching, the food… brings back all sorts of childhood memories of being pulled in the wagon with my little sister, looking at the gigantic horses and pigs. The horses and pigs have gotten a little shorter (or maybe I’ve just gotten taller) but everything else is still the same.

After dinner of burbon chicken, rice and beans for my parents and I and a foot-long hotdog for my brother, we split up. Some of us had a strong desire to look at the tractors (because we only have two at home in the barn) and others of us didn’t.

Mom and I wandered over to the barn with the antique displays, where we found a wide variety of things, from beautiful china cups and toys that I played with when I was little, as well as lots of dishes that we’d seen at Goodwill. There were a lot of very nice antiques, don’t get me wrong, but not everything was maybe really that interesting.

After the antiques, we made our way into the barn with the art. I like to think that, with as many artists in our family as we have, I have a fair idea of what constitutes “good” art. I realize that art is very subjective, but still. The painting of Jesus with various grenade-launchers and machine guns, made to look like a violent movie/video game cover, not good art. Also just plain bizarre. Most of the other art had more traditional subject matters, (like the one of Truffula trees made by an elementary-schooler) and was much more pleasurable to view.

Jesus took second place…

To a Native American. How many times has that ever happened?

After the art, we went for the sweetest part: some local honey. They let you sample as many as you like, and it’s all fantastic. My favorite was the ginger-infused, which is why there is now a giant piece of ginger sitting out on the counter, waiting to be put in the 2lb jar of honey we bought.

After honey, the animals. Wandering up and down the barns looking at cow, horse, goat, and pig butts is always a good time. Made me glad that when I did have farm chores at my one internship, they didn’t involve shoveling anything smelly. However, my main responsibility was working with elementary school children, so I’m not sure which is worse– 10 to 12 extremely energetic inter-city 3rd graders from Dayton who have never been in the woods before, or shoveling manure. There were maybe more than a few days when I would have gladly traded dealing with the kids for shoveling their weight in cow manure.

The line-up of cow butts.

It’s all hog wash.

Food dishes make nice pillows apparently.

Finally, just before we left, the very best part of the fair– milkshakes from the 4H stand. I dream about these milkshakes sometimes. That might not strictly be true, but they are very delicious.

I haven’t been to the fair in quite a few summers, so it was fun to go back and experience again all that is the county fair.

The best milkshakes in the world. Or at least Medina county.