Post on a Stick

Last week we went to the behemoth that is called The Great Minnesota Get Together....a.k.a. The Minnesota State Fair. According to Wikipedia, it may be the largest state fair in the United States. The fair is a big deal here. All of the local news stations set up a spot at the fair to do the evening newscasts. It seems as if everyone goes at some point during its two week run. I could tell too, there were a lot of people there the day we went. The fair marks the end of summer for Minnesota and its last day always fall on Labor Day.

There is much to do at the fair, but the main attraction is food and A LOT of it. Everywhere I turned there was food looking me in the face. The most popular method of serving food is on a stick somehow. If it can be deep fired and put on a stick, they'll do it. You can find your obligatory corn dogs and cotton candy, but it gets much more creative than that. There is cheesecake on a stick, hot dish (a Minnesota staple) on a stick, deep fried (insert name of candy bar here) on a stick, alligator on a stick, walleye (a local fish) on a stick, you get the point. Even one of the local news stations calls the evenings weather report 'weather on stick.' There is so much on a stick that some food stands proudly proclaim 'NOTHING ON A STICK!' Its comical. There is so much other good food to be had there. We had some garlic french fries, an awesome turkey sandwich, and one of my favorites...SWEET MARTHA'S COOKIES! There are two stands (well, a big barn) where you can get the cookies. You can smell them a mile away. All of the cookies are made fresh and served in a bucket. They come directly from the oven to you. See that picture? Add 20 more cookies to that, and that is how it is served to you. You have to eat the cookies towering over the rim of the bucket just to put the lid on. Forced gluttony...I love it! Once you have downed all those cookies, there is another stand to rescue you from cookie servitude......the all you the milk you can drink for $1 stand! You buy a cup for a buck and you can keep refilling it with fresh milk (regular or chocolate) all day long. All you have to do is wait in line, which can get long....but its worth it.

After eating food, you have to find a way of burning it off. No problem.....there is a lot of walking. The fairgrounds are HUGE! You can visit all of the livestock barns, one of which is dedicated solely to birthing animals (which is very popular with the kids). You can visit the agriculture building to see all of the fruits and vegetables, bee hives, fresh honey, and buy some honey-vanilla ice cream. And you can visit the midway to ride all of the death contraptions....uh, I mean rides. Overall it was a fun day. The kids love it. I could do without the crowds and the heat......but....the food........it......keeps....me.....coming.....back!