What did you learn at the Fair this year?
Posted at 6:00 AM on September 7, 2009
by Eric Ringham
(8 Comments)
Filed under: Culture, Education
In 1902, the St. Paul and Minneapolis School Boards pushed the opening day of school back to the Monday after the State Fair. Education authorities stated that there was "more to be learned in a single day at the fair than in double the time at school or college." What did you learn at the Fair this year?
Comments (8)
Well judging by the crowds I would say that A: more people stayed close to home and went "local" with getting out or B: What recession?
I learned that, like most things, bacon is better on a stick!
Every year I learn something new at the Fair. This year I learned on a barn tour that hens have rounded feathers and roosters pointed and the color of their earlobes indicate the color of their eggs. I also realized that the reason I love the Fair so much is that people have been enjoying this type of entertainment for centuries, the food and rides may have changed, but the basics are still there - agriculture, craft making, and good old fashion fun - it truly is the Great Minnesota Get Together.
I went to the fair with two of my ESL students, immigrants from Russia. They certainly learned more in a day than they could learn from a month in my classroom! A highlight: Meeting and shaking the hand of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, who took great interest and gave them lots of educational material on the state. Of course they were amazed, as I am every year, by the number of different kinds of chickens that there are in the world.
I learned that my 3 year old daughter is fearless, and that my husband likes sour cream (can you believe it, 7 years and I never knew :))
Some of what I learned at the Fair; 1) in a single day, a cow drinks enough water to fill a bathtub (Dairy Barn), 2) how damaging the Emerald Ash borer is to native trees (DNR exhibit), 3) how I can reduce my water consumption by installing a low flow shower head in my home (Eco Building), 4) local cops patrolling the Fair walk about six miles on average each shift, 5) the Fair is one of the best things about living in Minnesota.
I learned exactly why Americans are over weight: Deep fried Twinkies, deep friend candy bars, cream puffs, pronto pups and Hot dish on a stick?????? I also learned that we have some fabulously talented artists and the horiculture barn serves a wonderful glass of wine!
I learned about how Minnesota's climate has changed from Mark Seeley, who gave a talk in the Eco Experience building; Senator Amy Klobuchar's thoughts on health care reform; and about Nigerian dwarf dairy goats.
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