State Fair 2012

Summer has finally culminated in the Great Minnesota Get Together which is the Minnesota State Fair.  Dave and I went twice this year and had a great time.  There is never enough time to do everything you want to do in a single day.

Of course the food was great and we certainly indulged.  One of my favorite things was this mozzarella and pepperoni on a stick which is dipped in garlic bread batter and deep fried.  Delish.

My other favorite food was eggplant fries served with a cool and creamy dipping sauce.

We enjoyed going through the different exhibit buildings.  I was surprised by the ethnic baking category because we saw 4 kransekakes!

The agriculture/horticulture building had all kinds of exhibits related to honey, bees, and bee keeping.  We watched a honey harvesting demonstration which was fascinating.  I love all things honey and beeswax and I've always thought how fun that would be to keep bees...except that I've never ever been stung by one and I'm terrified of them!

These are some of the honey entrants sorted by color.  The source of the nectar used to make the honey affects the color of the finished product.  Buckwheat produces a deep amber color and clover produces the lighter shades.  I learned something new that day.  They had all kinds of varieties of honey for sale as well as honey still in the comb and soaps, lotions and beeswax candles.  We will definitely be coming here next year!

And of course we had to go and visit the Creative Activities building to visit all the fabulous knitting!

I recognized quite a few patterns!

I thought this cabled cardigan was beautiful!

 This is one of Alice Starmore's patterns from the book Tudor Roses.  Stunning.

 Here is my purse in the beaded bag category.  I changed it from the knitting category on the advice of the entry clerk.  It won 3rd place and I won a one year membership to the Upper Midwest Bead Society.

 I used to exhibit rabbits as a 4-H kid and Dave used to own a house rabbit so of course we had to go to the rabbit building.  I always feel so sorry for them sweltering in their cages.  Luckily they didn't have to remain at the fair all 12 days.  This is a New Zealand breed which is what we raised as a family.

 Outside the livestock buildings were these Alpacas and More vendors!  They were there last year too and I bought more fabulous handspun and dyed yarn from them!

There is another large yarn stand inside the dairy building and I picked up 3 skeins of yarn from Blackberry Hills.  It is a lovely hand dyed yarn of smokey blues and navy.

We were looking forward to the St. Paul Police K-9 unit presentation and they did not disappoint.  I recommend anyone to watch them next year because it is such an interesting demonstration.

We rested near the K-FAN booth a few times and caught Monty's Traveling Reptile Show appearance.  He brought out a blue tongued skink, 2 snakes, a tortoise and for the finale...and alligator.  If you can believe it, he was a tame alligator.  Do you see how close he is to those children seated on the ground?  I was still nervous!

And where else but the State Fair can you see butter sculpture?  Here are the sculptures of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way contestants.  Each one weighs 90 lbs. and the contestant gets to take it home after the fair.  What is the street value of 90 lbs. of butter I wonder?