It is not a tranquil scene.
But is sure is a cute one.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Pigging out
At meal time, baby pigs push and climb and fight for a good position. And if they're not eating, they're screeching.
It is not a tranquil scene.
But is sure is a cute one.
It is not a tranquil scene.
But is sure is a cute one.
Adam the Great
Magician Adam the Great drew a big crowd for his 1 p.m. show.
And he must have been good, because none of them seemed to disappear.
And he must have been good, because none of them seemed to disappear.
So much to see
There are so many goodies at the fair, it's like walking through an orchard full of cupcake trees.
And wouldn't you know it, there is a painting of an orchard full of cupcake trees on exhibit in the main pavilion.
[Update: I wanted to make sure to give credit to artist Nina Rochette of Wilsonville who painted this piece called "A Confection."]
I'm sure I haven't seen half of what's here. In just the upstairs of the Main Pavilion are a staggering number of paintings, photos, quilts, clothing, and who knows what else.
There is a dress knit out of yarn
There is a whole section of intricately painted objects I don't know how to classify. (Click on photos to enlarge)
And I met three guys from SABA - the Scale Auto Builders Association.
From left to right are Chuck Carter, Ron Martinolich, and Stan Ulrich.
Stan has about 250 built and not-yet-built models. That's not very many for a member of this club. Stan's excuse is that he just started building models when he retired in 1998. Here he shows a 1930s-era Jantzen delivery truck. As with many of his models, the idea for this custom designed model came from a photo that Stan saw.
Chuck Carter is 72 and has been building models since he was 10. Despite building models for all those years, he has only 40 at home, all of them 18-wheelers. A truck driver until he retired, trucks are where his heart is.
When I asked Ron Martinolich how many models he had, he said, "Oh lordy," and paused to think about it. "I have about 250 built, and another 100 in the box," he said.
Apparently this is nothing. One club member has over 3,000.
These guys are perfect for the fair.
And wouldn't you know it, there is a painting of an orchard full of cupcake trees on exhibit in the main pavilion.
[Update: I wanted to make sure to give credit to artist Nina Rochette of Wilsonville who painted this piece called "A Confection."]
I'm sure I haven't seen half of what's here. In just the upstairs of the Main Pavilion are a staggering number of paintings, photos, quilts, clothing, and who knows what else.
There is a dress knit out of yarn
There is a whole section of intricately painted objects I don't know how to classify. (Click on photos to enlarge)
And I met three guys from SABA - the Scale Auto Builders Association.
From left to right are Chuck Carter, Ron Martinolich, and Stan Ulrich.
Stan has about 250 built and not-yet-built models. That's not very many for a member of this club. Stan's excuse is that he just started building models when he retired in 1998. Here he shows a 1930s-era Jantzen delivery truck. As with many of his models, the idea for this custom designed model came from a photo that Stan saw.
Chuck Carter is 72 and has been building models since he was 10. Despite building models for all those years, he has only 40 at home, all of them 18-wheelers. A truck driver until he retired, trucks are where his heart is.
When I asked Ron Martinolich how many models he had, he said, "Oh lordy," and paused to think about it. "I have about 250 built, and another 100 in the box," he said.
Apparently this is nothing. One club member has over 3,000.
These guys are perfect for the fair.
Of thrones and King Mike
Mike Valdrow owns Mike's Porta Potties, but he seems to own a big chunk of the Clackamas County Fair too.
I hoped to talk to him about his sponsorship of the Gingerbread Outhouse Contest and it turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as his involvement with the fair.
Mike has been King of the Kitchen - the man with the most points in the Kitchen Cupboard section - seven times. In years past he has entered 50-60 food items each year. This year, because he's busy, he entered "only" 20 items.
Here he holds up his first-place beef jerky, just one of several of his blue ribbon items within arm's reach of this spot.
Is he King of the Kitchen this year? I honestly don't remember. I couldn't begin to take notes fast enough to keep up with everything he was telling me.
Mike doesn't limit his fair participation to cooking. He does vegetables and sculpture and there are other things I can't remember. He's won King of the Fair (most points for a man in the entire fair) five or six times and expects to win again this year. But he won't be there on Sunday when the results are announced. Why? Because he'll be BMX racing in the 51-55 age bracket in Eugene that day.
I hoped to talk to him about his sponsorship of the Gingerbread Outhouse Contest and it turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as his involvement with the fair.
Mike has been King of the Kitchen - the man with the most points in the Kitchen Cupboard section - seven times. In years past he has entered 50-60 food items each year. This year, because he's busy, he entered "only" 20 items.
Here he holds up his first-place beef jerky, just one of several of his blue ribbon items within arm's reach of this spot.
Is he King of the Kitchen this year? I honestly don't remember. I couldn't begin to take notes fast enough to keep up with everything he was telling me.
Mike doesn't limit his fair participation to cooking. He does vegetables and sculpture and there are other things I can't remember. He's won King of the Fair (most points for a man in the entire fair) five or six times and expects to win again this year. But he won't be there on Sunday when the results are announced. Why? Because he'll be BMX racing in the 51-55 age bracket in Eugene that day.
Gingerbread outhouse contest
Nothing says summer fun like building a miniature outhouse out of gingerbread. And while it's a good time, it can be more technically complex than building a gingerbread house in winter.
Susan Sommers, superintendent for Kitchen Cupboard, the open class food venue, says the higher humidity this time of year makes gingerbread less rigid and therefore less suitable as a building material.
Mike Valdrow, owner of Mike's Porta Potties and the contest sponsor, approaches his job as judge with all the gravity and dignity it deserves.
Susan Sommers, superintendent for Kitchen Cupboard, the open class food venue, says the higher humidity this time of year makes gingerbread less rigid and therefore less suitable as a building material.
People were fascinated by the tiny commodes and swarmed around them like flies on a hot summer day.
Mike Valdrow, owner of Mike's Porta Potties and the contest sponsor, approaches his job as judge with all the gravity and dignity it deserves.
The Patterson family of Canby dominated this year's competition, accounting for half of all the entries submitted, and taking first place in both the adult and junior gingerbread outhouse divisions.
Ethan Patterson, 12, chose a tasteful name for his entry, which in this contest, may have cost him the junior division championship.
That honor went to his 14-year-old sister, Paige Patterson.
4-H swine intermediate showmanship
Tyler Gooding, 14, of Newberg took first in his class with his pig Cher. Nicole Dillon, 15, of Canby came in second with Tyrica.
Both will advance to the intermediate final round.
Both will advance to the intermediate final round.
Pretty (fast) car for a girl
Wayne Austen, is the owner of Austen's Body Shop just across Fourth Street from the fairgrounds. Just retired from teaching auto body at Clackamas Community College, he's also a proud uncle, and did the paint job on his niece's dragster, shown below.
Junior dragsters are for kids from 8-18, but they're not small on speed. The $5,000 Cheetah alcohol engine sends niece Kayla Nail down 1/8-mile tracks in 7.9 seconds at a top speed of about 85 mph.
A future junior drag racer dreams of burning rubber.
Wayne poses with his work.
Junior dragsters are for kids from 8-18, but they're not small on speed. The $5,000 Cheetah alcohol engine sends niece Kayla Nail down 1/8-mile tracks in 7.9 seconds at a top speed of about 85 mph.
A future junior drag racer dreams of burning rubber.
Wayne poses with his work.
4-H rabbit showmanship - intermediate championship round
Congratulations to Grand Champion Hailey Moore, 14, of Boring and Reserve Grand Champion Kevin Re, 14, of Sandy.
4-H rabbit showmanship - Intermediate Novice Class
This is the first year at the fair for both Chasity Shuler, 13 (left), and Jeane Stafford, 13. Both won blue ribbons in showmanship.
The black rabbit is Jeane's and the gray rabbit is Chasity's.
Morning in the livestock barn
The livestock barn is bustling with all kinds of activity first thing in the morning. I talked to several of the animal exhibitors as they went about their chores.
Cody Rathjen, 15, of Sandy squirts water on his pig, to keep her cool. Sasafras is some pig, winning reserve grand champion in the 4-H breeding stock competition.
Marika Hatosh, 16, of Portland poses with her llama Teresa. Marika will compete today in the senior class of the 4-H llama handling competition which starts at 11 a.m. in the grass show ring.
Cati Dickson, 17, of Molalla serves breakfast to some hungry customers. Cati's Black Angus won fourth place in confirmation, and she competes in FFA beef showmanship this morning at 9 a.m.
Nicole, Maurer, 14, of Molalla (in pink) gets pitchfork duty as she helps Cati with morning rounds. This is Nicole's fourth year in 4-H and she has two steers at the fair this year. Her Angus won fourth place in conformation and she took fourth place with her shorthorn in showmanship.
Cody Rathjen, 15, of Sandy squirts water on his pig, to keep her cool. Sasafras is some pig, winning reserve grand champion in the 4-H breeding stock competition.
Marika Hatosh, 16, of Portland poses with her llama Teresa. Marika will compete today in the senior class of the 4-H llama handling competition which starts at 11 a.m. in the grass show ring.
Cati Dickson, 17, of Molalla serves breakfast to some hungry customers. Cati's Black Angus won fourth place in confirmation, and she competes in FFA beef showmanship this morning at 9 a.m.
Nicole, Maurer, 14, of Molalla (in pink) gets pitchfork duty as she helps Cati with morning rounds. This is Nicole's fourth year in 4-H and she has two steers at the fair this year. Her Angus won fourth place in conformation and she took fourth place with her shorthorn in showmanship.
Thursday's fair faves
Howdy fairgoers!
It's Community Spirit Day at the Clackamas County Fair. Bring two cans of food to the Food Bank tent at the Main Gate or the Blue Gate and receive $1 off admission.
There's a carnival discount too. Unlimited rides for five hours and 11 game tickets for $25. Five-hour periods are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. OR 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tickets go on sale one hour before each shift begins.
Here's what's looking hot today at this, the best county fair in Oregon:
Here's a link to today's full schedule.
It's Community Spirit Day at the Clackamas County Fair. Bring two cans of food to the Food Bank tent at the Main Gate or the Blue Gate and receive $1 off admission.
There's a carnival discount too. Unlimited rides for five hours and 11 game tickets for $25. Five-hour periods are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. OR 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tickets go on sale one hour before each shift begins.
Here's what's looking hot today at this, the best county fair in Oregon:
- 4-H swine followed by Grand Champion Swine Showmanship, 9 a.m.
- Finest Marionberry Pie in Oregon, 10 a.m., Main Pavilion
- 4-H Foods/Nutrition Contests, Mini Meals, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., 4-H Exhibit Hall (Remember there will be free samples!)
- Gingerbread "Outhouses of the Summer" Decorating Contest awards presentation, 1 p.m., Kitchen Cupboard in Main Pavilion
- 4-H cavy judging and breed identification, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., in front of Rabbit Barn
- Clackamas County Fair Talent Show - Adult semi-finals, 7 p.m., Grove Stage
Here's a link to today's full schedule.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)