Fair Giveaway Time

 Just a few days left-if you haven't entered, please do! I love giving stuff away.

All this can be yours! Leave a comment by 15 September 2022 at Midnight CST (US). Contest is open to everyone around the world, but I can't guarantee how long it will take to get there. If you've won before, let someone else have a chance at the contest. One entry per person, please.

I was hoping for a ribbon-any ribbon really. I never expected a Best of Division rosette for my Limpa bread. All told I had four blue ribbons, five red (2nd place) and one bread that didn't place (hey, no one's perfect). I won't know if I won the sweepstakes prize for the most winning entries until after the fair as there are still live on stage events to be judges. These carry some real prize money, so I'm happy I will be able to recoup some of the cost of ingredients. Would I do it again? Nope. But I'm glad I participated this once. Dan was so excited for me-a complete role reversal of when I would support his State Fair efforts. He was able to spend some time visiting with people he knew at the fair (he's grown a bit since he was 10) and had to quickly lift his mask so the volunteers could admire his beard. It was a very nice way to spend a day, even if it rained like mad.

Pointing to one of my winning entries.

I wore my shirt from Shifty Thrifting hoping for a photo with a head or two of cattle, but the rain was so intense I didn't want to go to the other side of the fairgrounds just for a photo op. 

I was glad to have a plastic rain bonnet in my handbag as the rain would have destroyed my vintage hat. Dan is holding the leftovers from his lunch-a giant, barbecued turkey leg. You don't go to the fair to eat things you can have at home. I had planned to get ice cream but it was so cold and wet I opted for a hot cup of coffee in town later. Even with the rain, we're still very much in a drought. Today the temperatures were back up in the 90s. 

What's a fair without exhibits? Here's some winners from the Open Class entries

Prize winning pumpkins...

Is it still a cornucopia in a basket? I say it is.

Cucurbits...

Hmmm. Moving along...

Prize winning sorghum...

art...

Primary school educational displays...

Art from recycled materials...

Student poetry. Spelling is hard kid, you have my compassion.

Leggo displays (a Runza is cabbage and ground beef encased in white bread. Sort of like a Czech calzone).

And of course the Kool Aid man. Hastings, Nebraska is the birthplace of Kool Aid and locals will be quick to let you know it wasn't Kool Aid used in the Jonestown massacre, but Flavor-aid. I mean, I feel for them. but after 40 some odd years, good luck re-branding Kool Aid.

Penmanship contest for school children.

Paper cutting...

Figures from history...

Science Fair...

Knit baby blanket with built-in horse plush. How adorable is that?!

Quilting...

Felting...

A knitted Nativity

Tatted earrings

Dorothy Lynch salad dressing is another local product. The Fair's theme this year was, "Nothing More Nebraskan" which explains all the Runzas, etc.

What's more Nebraskan than a covered wagon? Maybe hunting. Here's Dan trying his hand at the shooting gallery. He managed to hit one target. It was just as dismal at the archery display. That's OK, he's not really interested in hunting. It all works out though because most hunters don't like to cook, so we end up getting the freezer stocked with venison during the season by friends looking to offload deer. Dan needs to make friends with some duck hunters.

Most years I give away a recipe book from the previous year from the open class winners, but last year was sort of a bust because of the pandemic. Instead, I will be giving away a Nebraska State Fair tea towel and oven mitt. Because I'm inviting people from Tumblr to come here and enter I will pick two winners this year. I'll probably find some other stuff to include as well. So good luck.