Senior Day at State Fair

It's been a few years since I've been to the Delaware State Fair.  It usually runs the last 10 days or so in July, has special attractions ranging from well-known performers to demolition derby, none of which I have ever, paid extra to see.   For my admissions free, waived for Seniors like me yesterday, it's a day to admire what my state has done for its citizens, which exceed what other states have done for theirs, and admire some of our agriculture, less than most other states but impressive just the same.  I promised myself not to have sticky fingers for freebies, as I am downsizing and already have too many pencils, note pads, plastic cups, and key rings.  My wife took a couple of tote bags, partly to carry this type of loot, partly to tote a soda that I bought, and partly to prepare for the demise of plastic bags from Shop-Rite in the near future.  I spun some wheels at the state exhibits which rewarded me with a fly swatter and a hand fan.  And I took a pen.

There are commercial exhibits with hucksters, from current Presidential trumpanzees to demonstrations of over-priced cookware to representatives of the Divine Revelation.  I remained friendly, keeping a successful 20 year promise to myself to not respond in a hostile way no matter how deserved.

But I'm there to admire agriculture, starting with plants.  Some have blue ribbons attached.  All look more luscious than the same vegetables currently in progress in my garden.  Sheep, some dressed as Klansmen, though without any Presidential seal.  In previous years, recently shorn sheep have been protected by a white canvas gown and a white hood with openings for eyes and ears.  The shepherds probably got some negative feedback from this, and maybe even lost sales, so for the first time I saw a fair number of body coverings in vivid pinks and greens.  Preppy sheep probably give better wool than racist sheep.  Pigs all seemed to be on siesta time during our tour through their pavilion.  I skipped the horses except the Budweiser Clydesdales on tour,  Cows all seemed contented.  And my favorite have always been the goats.  I have goat cheese in my refrigerator.  Goat milk is too expensive.  Kosher goat meat has never been available to me, though I have a recipe from an Italian Kosher cookbook.  These animals are more like pets.  Of all the livestock there, the goats are the most interactive.  They seem to like being petted.  It beats being schected.

Finally we saw the most distant pavilion with poultry and rabbits.  Delaware has a big chicken industry in our southern county.  The University teams are named the Blue Hens, and some real blue hen roosters were on display.  Presidential campaign dinners undoubtedly opt for the Plymouth Rock Whites, a very pretty bird.  It comes to those plates plucked, though so are we when their voters prevail.  Commercial ducks are raised and a variety of waterfowl, also on display, are available to hunters.  The rabbits seemed larger than those cute Easter Bunnies or the ones that run in front of my car.  More selective breeding than gene insertion most likely.


Not only was it Seniors Day, but it was Governor's Day.  The Governor made an appearance somewhere, some photo ops enjoying a ride in the midway and his wife sharing my fondness for petting goats.

Mostly fun for me and others in quest of the carnival element.  Though for the farmers, this was as much their convention as the annual Endocrine Society Meeting is mine.