Minnesota State Fair

4-H Musical 

Prairie Woman

Drum Corps

Newborn Chicks

Feeding Piglets

Princess Kay Butter Statue

Deep Fried Twinkies

Promoting healthy eating at the state fair

Parade promoters of healthy eating

Healthy eating parade marchers

It was fun to see a group promoting healthy eating of local foods at the Minnesota State Fair.  With the great abundance of the deep fried and unhealthy food at the fair this was kind of like seeing a promotion for becoming a vegetarian at a slaughterhouse.  Perhaps not likely to win a lot of converts, but lots of points for effort!

State Fair Parade

Minnesota State Fair

Armstrong High School Marching Band

Went with some friends to the Minnesota State Fair yesterday.  They had a son playing in the Armstrong High School marching band.  The band looked and sounded great.  Wonderful that the Robbinsdale School District still provides a strong music program, despite the current state and national obsession on testing.

123' Wind Turbine blade

In addition to watching the parade we put on many miles hiking around and seeing the latest exhibits, foot tasting and people watching.

Notice this guy's hair?

The wind turbine blade is firmly planted outside of the Eco Experience building at the north end of the fair.  Always many interesting things there.  One of the cool things this year was plastic made from vegetables.

I also joined many others in posting pictures on TPT's "Capture Minnesota" website. Fun to see photos from around the state.  This coming spring they will produce a photo book once the project is completed.

State Fair and keeping the life balance

I had a "letter of the day" in the Star Tribune yesterday, which follows.  I must confess that I didn't get to the fair this year, but did get to go kayaking around the Apostle Islands :-)  I'm thinking next year will likely be our family outing to the state fair; cheese curds, fried onion blossom, chocolate malt and all!

State Fair's great, but don't neglect BWCA

Given the huge number of calories accumulated from eating the food, and the massive crowds and loud noises from the State Fair, I would recommend an antidote: For every day at the fair, one week canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, or a week hiking the Kekekabic Trail, or biking across the state, or perhaps kayaking around Lake Superior's Apostle Islands. The State Fair is great, but for our physical and mental health it can be even better for us if balanced by some nourishing time away.