Iowa State Fair

As the song goes, "The Iowa State Fair is a great state fair" and it is now a summer tradition for our family. As a child I remember going down early on a Sunday morning and arriving while it was very cool and moist outside. We'd always seem to park near the big barn on a very steep hillside (back in the day you could still park on the grounds). We'd head to the church service and attend there before exploring the rest of the Fair.

Daddy would sit in on a horse show and Mama loved the food and textile judging or she would seek out the 4-H demonstrations and exhibits. They both enjoyed a trip through the Varied Industries building, checking out the new machinery, and tasting some Fair food along the way. We'd always explore the livestock buildings being sure to include the horse barn, the sheep barn, and the cow barn. A look at the dairy cows usually resulted in an ice cream cone. Our visit included a trip back to the car for a picnic lunch and my favorite treat of all - a ride in Ye Old Mill. That was as close to the Midway we got.

During later years we would stop at one of the church food stands along livestock alley and find a shady place to sit and listen to music or watch the Bill Riley Talent Search. There would be a small bag of taffy and cotton candy to take home and a stop for lemonade or root beer during our day trip. I'd sit in with daddy at the horse show and he'd usually treat me with popcorn or a Frosty Malt so I'd sit still a little longer.

The State Fair was our vacation. Daddy was a farmer and that meant chores morning and night so we never took a real 'vacation'. The Iowa State Fair was a special day trip for the whole family and created great memories for us all.

"He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how an he take are of God's church?)" 
(1 Timothy 3:4-5 NIV).