In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener
It is State Fair time! The Indiana State Fair started August 2 and continues through August 18. The fairgrounds are closed on Mondays, but six days a week, the event is a showcase for Indiana agriculture. While I hear many people in southern Indiana who say they prefer the Kentucky State Fair, I am loyal to the Hoosier state exhibition. Indiana’s fair is a true fair, and not just a stay-in-the-air-conditioning business forum.
Of course, 4-H and FFA are a huge part of the Indiana State Fair. Hoosier youths have worked hard and have won the right to exhibit or compete at the fair. Attending their competitions and viewing their exhibits show support for our young people. Once again, I am serving as a judge in the Horticulture Building, and I am always amazed at the quality of the produce, flowers and herbs exhibited by Hoosier 4-Hers. The Horticulture Building has a lot more than 4-H exhibits. There are also exhibits in the open-class competitions and horticulture-related businesses. You may see competitions for specific flowers and vegetables, gourds and even Christmas trees. While not a true horticulture product, honey and the bees that make it get prominent billing. After all, bees are responsible for the pollination of many of our crops.
Of course, there is much more to the fair than just the horticulture building. My personal favorite spot is the pioneer village and the gardens in that area. The village also features pioneer crafts, traditional music and exhibits of antique farm equipment. Since I am a collector of old garden tools, I love to look at the various implements and try to figure out how they were used. It has been a tradition for me to buy a new broom at the fair. One may watch a broom being made, and these “corn” brooms are of top quality.
There are a few other display gardens at the fairgrounds, and I always visit them to see what has been changed since my last visit. The butterfly garden outside the DNR pavilion is always a busy place. Another educational garden area demonstrates the importance of plants in water quality.
Animals come and go at the fairgrounds, so it depends on the day you visit as to what animals you may see. I urge you to take time to watch 4-Hers showing their animals. You will be impressed by the skill of these young people.
No fair visit would be complete without visiting the old-fashioned Hook’s drugstore and the commercial building on Main Street. You will find all sorts of merchandise being demonstrated. After all of that, you owe yourself a treat. Food vendors are everywhere, and the variety is staggering. I always try to get something that is not generally found around my hometown. I cannot confirm it, but I have been told that calories consumed at the Indiana State Fair do not count against your diet.
I rarely visit the midway, but I am told that it is one of the best carnivals around. My rides are usually limited to the tractor-pulled trams that circle the fairgrounds constantly, helping visitors to get from one event to another.
Rated as one of the ten best state fairs in the nation, the Indiana State Fair is definitely Hoosier pride on display. Make a trip to Indianapolis and enjoy a Hoosier tradition.