A Magical Day at the Iowa State Fair
TFP revisits a "Midwestern rite of summer," and the grace and determination of a 13-year-old Iowan, her pony, T.J., and quarter horse, Rosey.
Some Pig! A Midwestern Rite of Summer
FROM THE ARCHIVES
The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 16, 2006
By Michael Judge
DES MOINES, IOWA — In an America where Las Vegas has become the new Disneyland, and being a "winner" is too often about luck and greed rather than grace and hard work, the Iowa State Fair stands out as a truly family-friendly destination—and a great deal of fun to boot.
When I say fun I'm not talking about headliners like Brad Paisley and James Taylor, who sold out the grandstand here last week and by all accounts gave fine shows. I mean, instead, the 10 days of back-to-back livestock and food competitions, a cow sculpted entirely of butter, fresh-squeezed lemonade by the gallon and pork chops on a stick. I mean beer tents and deep-fried Oreos, a 1,199-pound hog named Waldo ("Some pig," indeed!) and men who wrestle rare Bengal tigers.
I mean foot-long corn dogs slathered in mustard and the roar of stock-car races, tractor and truck pulls. I mean pie-eating, marble-shooting, barrel-racing, arm-wrestling, rooster-crowing, chicken-, turkey-, hog- and (ouch!) husband-calling contests. I mean hour upon hour of banjo and mandolin, yodeling, whistling, joke telling, checker playing, nail driving and, last but by no means least, cow-chip throwing.
Since 1854, when local farmers first entered their recipes, crafts, produce and livestock in a statewide contest, the Iowa State Fair has grown into a world-renowned and increasingly hard to come by slice of unadulterated Americana, attracting more than a million visitors annually and earning a well-deserved spot in the New York Times bestseller "1,000 Places to See Before You Die."
Impending doom or not, the Iowa State Fair has long been a favorite of Midwesterners, inspiring Philip Stong's 1932 novel, "State Fair," which follows the adventures of the rural Frake family in their quest for blue ribbons, respect and romance. In 1933, Stong's novel was made into a nonmusical motion picture starring Janet Gaynor and Will Rogers. But it wasn't until 1945 and the release of the Hollywood musical, with original songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, that "State Fair" became a household name, giving the American songbook a few gems like "It Might as Well Be Spring" and "It's a Grand Night for Singing."
It's hard to imagine that either Rodgers or Hammerstein ever visited this particular state fair—or any other event involving large amounts of manure, for that matter—but their decision to focus on the inner lives of the fair's exhibitors was a good one. While there is plenty of comic relief to the story—Mr. Frake is there to win the "prize hog" contest, while his wife wins the "best pickle contest" with some help from a boozy "special ingredient" that ends up pickling the judges—the film, for the most part, portrays them as loving Midwesterners who want what's best for their children.
This, I think, is the real value of the state fair, a place where parents and children can come to compete, meet other families, and reap the rewards of years of hard work. Beyond the amusement park rides, the fun foods and silly contests, the big-name music stars and state-of-the-art farm equipment, lie a way of life and a work ethic that is handed down from generation to generation, a respect for the land and the animals and crops raised on it.
Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the scores of 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) competitions at this year's Iowa State Fair and elsewhere across America. For city dwellers unfamiliar with these organizations, 4-H is a youth education branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the four H's stand for "Head, Heart, Hands and Health." Both 4-H and the FFA promote leadership and citizenship through individual and group projects ranging from ag-business to Web design to public speaking.
While touring one of the exhibition barns here, I met a family that really brought home the importance of 4-H, FFA and the projects they support. Gary Puls drove his 13-year-old daughter, her pony T.J. and quarter horse Rosey down from Jewell, Iowa, so Meredith could compete in two 4-H-sponsored riding competitions: Pony Pleasure and Western Pleasure. "I won Reserve Grand Champion in Pony Pleasure this year," says Meredith. "They gave me a purple halter as a special prize."
Meredith, her father explains, has been riding since she was five and used to ride on her mother's lap when she was just three. "Tell him about Rosey," her father prompts. Meredith says Rosey was a gift from her mother, who died when Meredith was nine. "Her mother thought Rosey would be a good 4-H project for her," explains her father. "Paula had cancer and died just four weeks later. Meredith's been training Rosey ever since."
Meredith's going to be in eighth grade this fall. She says she's just happy to be here but wouldn't mind being Iowa State Fair Champion one day. "I'll keep working hard," she says. "We'll see what happens." As I say goodbye, her father shakes my hand and thanks me. "Her mother would be proud," he says, smiling. "So proud."
Before I leave, Meredith tells me that when she outgrows the 4-H events, she'll start riding in FFA horse shows. The FFA's motto is straightforward: "Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve." Compare that to "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas," and you begin to see why 4-H and FFA events and the state and county fairs where they're held are so important—for parents and children alike.
TFP IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE IOWA WRITERS COLLABORATIVE
Great post! Last year they made my best friend's ex-boyfriend out of butter at the Iowa State Fair. When I told her about it, she said, "Iowa sure does love its MINOR celebrities." She's not wrong.
As one who benefitted from both 4H and FFA programs, it’s lovely to see the value of each of them noted here.