The Great Minnesota Get-Together

On Sunday we headed off to the State Fair. Its main claim to fame is that just about any sort of food is available on a stick.

We started off the day with a yummy brunch at the French Meadow bakery:


Then made a brief stop at Twin Cities Green to pick up some more bamboo socks for Brynna:


And finally, on to the park and ride area for the fair. Here we are waiting for the bus:


Once we finally arrived at the fair, we met up with our friend Katie, a Minnesota native, and put ourselves in her capable hands to direct our wanderings. We started at the dairy barn, where Alex and I shared a blackberry malt made with Minnesota milk:


And checked out the butter sculptures of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way contestants, each one carefully carved from a 90-pound block of Minnesota butter:


Across the street was the horticulture building, with the prize veggies:


And giant pumpkins:


And pretty flowers:


There was also crop art, which is made with seeds and grains. We had no idea that crop artists trend Democratic, but there were many anti-Republican and pro-Obama pieces, including this Dr. Seuss-themed one (Thidwick the moose has an annoying elephant living on his head, and all of the little figures surrounding the main picture have little liberal signs):


And this George Bush/Pinocchio scarecrow:


We have no idea why this scarecrow is wearing a Dartmouth hat, but we back it:


Then we wandered across the fairgrounds...


Stopping to take a photo with the moose topiary:


And ended up at the Eco Experience building (that's a 120-foot wind turbine blade):


Brynna then decided it was time for dinner, so we all took advantage of the opportunity to have a bite to eat (us grown-ups had watermelon):


Later on it was sweet potato chips:


Also eaten at the fair by various members of our party:
-fried cheese on a stick
-non-fried cheese stick
-corn dog
-fried pickles
-falafel
-baklava
-strawberry lemonade
-Leinekugel's honey weiss (beer)

We passed up chocolate-covered bacon on a stick, chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick, spaghetti on a stick, deep fried candy bars on sticks, and a variety of other fair delicacies.

We did, however, visit a bunch of the animal barns, checking out the dairy goats, poultry, horses, and cows.

Eventually, it was time to head home. Once back at the park and ride, Brynna went through a large meal and two diapers before we could buckle her in to her car seat and start the drive. All in all, she seemed to enjoy the festivities, which marked her one-month birthday!