As promised in the September issue of Indiana Prairie Farmer, here's a look back at the 2012 Indiana State Fair through my eyes and my camera lens. I tried to capture some sights most of you probably didn't see, even if you were there.
All in all, the Indiana State Fair did its best to rebound from the tragic 2011 fair. Attendance was about 850,000 for 17 days, about what 12-day fairs sometimes brought in. The 17 days length remains an issue with vendors and volunteers.
Higher admission prices may have taken their toll. When the fair dropped admission prices to $2 on the last Tuesday for one day only, people flooded the gates. You might think someone would see a lesson there somewhere. Maybe prices don't have to be that low, but maybe $12 without pre-admission tickets is a bit steep.
Parade night: Here comes Scott Schwartz, Johnson County, on a 1947 Farmall H during the evening parade. Collecting old tractors is his hobby. He's a mortician and funeral director by trade!
There was a mishap with the stagecoach in the Pepsi Coliseum, and a little girl was seriously hurt, but that happened off the main visitor pathways in the carnival area. Both the driver and parents of the girl worked on the Midway. There are just some accidents you can't prevent no matter what safety policies you put in place.
Speaking of which, every worker, no exceptions, had to take a test online before they could work. That's OK, but one of the questions asked about how you would react to a blizzard. Come on, people. If we're going to train people, let's upgrade the training.
A few visitors thought some of the staff needed training in how to be courteous instead, especially if they inadvertently started to go out the wrong door to an area they shouldn't be.
There were rumors of cheating and rigged shows in the 4-H livestock barns, nothing out of the ordinary. For the most part shows seemed to run smoothly. Everyone, even the dairy kids and 4-H commercial ewe kids got to show this year—well, almost. Swine flu scares caused the hog barn to be emptied at one point after the main 4-H shows were over. Last year those dairy and sheep shows were abruptly canceled due to the stage collapse, and never rescheduled.
The fair still has one big hurdle to overcome, or learn to live with. More and more schools are going to an Aug. 1 start. That made for light crowds until later in the day on several days during the week. It may be a fact of life they must live with unless the schools change their minds.
Take a look at the pictures. See what you missed.
Opening Day
Two Indiana FFA State officers raise the flag at the FFA Pavilion on the opening morning of the fair.
It's everywhere!
What would the state fair be like without an appearance by Oscar Meyer's favorite advertising venue—even two of them at once!
Year of the dairy cow
The Cheese Lady was one of the few things that weren't changed in what used to be Our Land Pavilion, now DuPont's food display building.
Lt. Gov. at work
Lt. Gov. Skillman was a busy lady, especially on opening day. Here she helps cut the ribbon to open the new DuPont display.
Good food!
Cooking demonstrations were part of the new fare in the DuPont Building. Here two cooks make breakfast treats using Plenish soybean oil made from Pioneer's special soybeans. Yes, I tasted the pastry, and yes, it was great!
Every fair needs a Midway
Some of the bigger crowds were spotted on the Midway this year. Here it is just before it opens on the first day.
Fishing fun
This wasn't even in the DNR building. These guys were trying their luck in the Indiana Young Farmers Building while their moms checked out the displays.
Great on a hot day!
The Country Market at the FFA Pavilion offered products produced in Indiana. I chugged this quart of cider on a hot day early in the fair.
Pride and joy
Dick Kruse, Crawfordsville, shows off this 1956 completely restored LP-gas John Deere 620. It's headed to the University of Minnesota to be used to raise money, although I tried to talk him into keeping it and letting me drive it on the Indiana FFA tractor drive next year. I grew up driving a '57 version of the very same tractor.
Old and controversial
Rose Acres loaned this truck for the antique machinery display. Rumor has it, from very reliable sources of rumors, that when the HSUS animal welfare people announced they wanted to do an interview with the truck in the background, a bunch of volunteers wearing coveralls fired up old tractors so they had to move elsewhere!
Honor conservationists
More than 50 farmers from all over Indiana came to the 4-H exhibit hall to be recognized for their work as River Friendly Farmers.
Parade night
Here comes Scott Schwartz, Johnson County, on a 1947 Farmall H during the evening parade. Collecting old tractors is his hobby. He's a mortician and funeral director by trade!