Loooooong Overdue - Polk County Fair

We had a card reader issue which has since been remedied. (thank you Matthew) Due to the long standing problem our picture sharing has been back-logged. I'll start this catch-up session with the Polk County Fair held WAY back in July. It sure is a great fair, we had lots of fun this year. Here are some highlights.



This is Isaiah's recipe poster he entered. This is an original recipe created by Isaiah. His recipe is entitled "Po-tacos". If you bake a potato and heap on taco meat and other toppings you'll have a Po-taco. It's very tasty.












Close up of poster detail. Isaiah wrote everything out and even took the photos of the individual toppings.













Another close-up. We even integrated the food pyramid and Isaiah color coded ingredients to match their category in the pyramid.










Explaining all about his poster to the judge. She asked a lot of neat questions.














Poster, certificate and ribbon on display.













Anna volunteered to assist Auggie the Clown. I really don't know what he would have done without her.













Our 4H club worked a shift at the 4H Food Booth. Isaiah's job was a general cleaner. He cleaned tables, cleared trash and kept the floor clean.















Anna participated in the pedal pull while Isaiah and Papa worked at the food booth. She came in 4th place for her age category. This is one place away from attending the state pedal pull competition. I had no idea there was such a thing. Anna is bound and determined to attend the state pull next year. Her new hobby is eating spinach, think Popeye power. She's in training.














Papa, Isaiah and Anna even snuck in some fun while at the fair. I wanted no part of this type of "fun". I just took the photo.

Fair Wrap-Up

The Polk County Fair is over for another year. I was actually pretty sad Sunday evening when we were driving home for the last time. We all had so very much fun and learned so many new things that only made us more excited for the upcoming years.

Here are some photos to help explain some of our adventures.

Isaiah posing proudly by his terrarium and treasure chest. He earned a Cloverbud ribbon and certificate.








Mama, Isaiah, Anna and Papa at the Cloverbud/Explorer building enjoying Isaiah's achievements.







Isaiah and Lamby at the Little Britches Rodeo. Isaiah was walking a somewhat stubborn Lamby around the arena. Afterwards, a judge asked Isaiah some pertinent questions regarding the care of his sheep and what was done to prepare Lamby for the show. Isaiah did a super job answering the questions.













Finally, my mom took a photo of me sitting next to the blue/green/cream-colored washcloth I made. It's in the cabinet behind me next to the crocheted gnome. I have never seen one of those before, amazing.

We learned a lot and are anticipating next year's fair already. I think we are all still making up for lost sleep but the fun was worth it.

Apple Bread

The results are in ...... my washcloth received a 2nd place ribbon and the apple bread I entered at the fair received a 1st place ribbon. I am pretty excited.

Isaiah had his conference judging on his two Cloverbud projects on Thursday and he did very well. He earned himself a certificate and a Cloverbud ribbon. He really enjoyed the process and having his entries on display.

Today Matthew and I are going to the Quality Meat Auction this evening and tomorrow Isaiah shows Lamby at the Little Britches Rodeo. We'll be busy the rest of the weekend but I'm hoping I'll have some photos on Monday about all our fun experiences.

In the meantime, here's the recipe I received from my neighbor, Michelle, that got me a blue ribbon.

Apple Bread

batter-
1/2 C. butter
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
2 C. chopped apples (I used Granny Smith)

topping-
2 Tbs. soft butter
3 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. cinnamon

Blend butter, eggs and sugar. Add soda, salt and vanilla; beat. Mix in flour. Add apples; mix. Place in greased bread pan. Mix topping together until crumbly and sprinkle on top of bread.

Bake @ 325 for 55-65 minutes.



There you have it, super simple but really tasty.

More on the fair and Isaiah's entries coming soon.

Fair Project #2

Isaiah finished up his terrarium the other day and these are the results.

He wanted to do a dinosaur's environment. Pretty clever of him, I thought. We used a clear 2-liter soda bottle and I cut the bottom off for him. He added layers to his terrarium. First rocks, then sand, next moss and finally the soil. He added a little jade plant and a palm. To make the habitat authentic looking Isaiah added a little Triceratops.

We had some brown book binding tape that looked very nice with the ensemble.

Anna wanted to get in on the action and boy did she dig in. She was a major mess but I believe she enjoyed herself so, it's all good. Anna is very proud of her terrarium in a sand bucket. I will not be correcting her on the technicalities of what a terrarium really is.






(click on the photo to see a close up of the Triceratops)










Papa assisting Anna with her "project".





Anna is very proud of herself. Please, click on the photo to really get a feel for the dirt that was ground into her arms, clothes and fingernails. It was a two bath night.

Not the Point

I'm entering some projects at the fair as well. My grandma taught me to crochet earlier this spring so, I'm making a washcloth to enter in the knit/crochet category. I'm not too nervous about this.

For some reason, however, I'm having a little panic attack over my other entry. I'm entering my version of Apple Bread into the quick breads category. I just stuck it into the oven and am sweating and having a hard time breathing. I've had enough panic attacks to know what this is. Seriously, what's the deal? I've made this bread tons of times and everyone who's ever tasted it has loved it. I know this is not the point of entering things at the fair. I know this, really I do. I'm just doing this for fun and to cross another item off of my life's to-do list. I have always wanted to enter things at my local county fair. This year is the year. I was excited now all of sudden I'm having a little meltdown.

Kristi, Kelli, do you ladies know the food judges? If you do, just tell me that they are nice. I really don't care if I get a ribbon. I'm just so stinking nervous. I don't even know why.

We drop our entries off tomorrow morning at that point it's out of our hands, literally. I'm really going to feel better at that point.

I shall try to refrain from throwing my bread at the fair entry takers and saying, "Here, you can have it. I can't take this anymore!" I don't think that would make a very good impression.

Thisisfun, thisisfun, thisisfun, thisisfun.

Is it Sunday yet?

Fair Project

The Polk County Fair starts this week, Thursday. We are busy finishing up the projects we've chosen to take to the fair.

Isaiah stained his woodworking project last week and will be adding the paint details today. He chose a wood project kit at a craft store, a treasure chest.

All the wood pieces and hardware came in the kit. He just had to follow the directions and nail all the pieces in place. He sanded the project and stained the inside and outside. Isaiah said he felt pretty grown-up being able to work with all the tools and stain the wood himself.

Isaiah is also entering a terrarium and will be showing Lamby in the Little Britches Rodeo on Sunday. Should prove to be a fun and exciting time for all.