Wisconsin in a Nutshell?

Not me, thank the Lord.

Okay. Let’s disregard all of the negative press coverage the Wisconsin State Fair has been getting.  Usually, the WSF is an awesome, family-friendly place to visit.  I still think it is.  It’s unfortunate that an unruly group of idiotic youngster had to ruin it for everyone, but I hope we can pick ourselves up and move on.  So, let’s talk about what the WSF is really all about: food, farm animals, and fun.  This year at State Fair I had a lot of firsts.  I’ve gone to State Fair many times as a child, and the past few years I’ve worked there doing shows for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.  However, it’s been a long, long time since I actually walked around and enjoyed the fair outside of my 30 minute lunch break between programming with SANC.  This year, I had my very first cream puff.  I know many of you are thinking, “How on earth has she never had a cream puff?  Is she even from Wisconsin?”  Well, I AM a true Wisconsinite, but I’ve never had a cream puff.  So, I went over to the cream puff building (yes, it has its very own building) and tried one.  And I am definitely sold.  It was delicious, not too sweet, and very light.  Way too much to eat in one sitting, especially after having eaten quite a bit of other treats, but I brought the rest home for another night. 

I also got to visit the animals for the first time in ages.  My favorite areas were the horses and, of course, poultry.  My new dream is to have some chickens when I’m older, perhaps six or so, and I got to see so many different breeds at the Fair.  The baby chicks were especially adorable.  I could not help myself from squealing and cooing at them.  Everyone around me probably thought I was crazy, but how could I resist?  I wanted to scoop them all up and take them home and cuddle them.

Of course I sampled more delicious food, including Mexican corn, malted chocolate milk, butterfly potato chips, mozzarella sticks, BBQ pork sandwiches, loaded baked potatoes and honey sticks.  Yum, yum.  My mom and I shot paintball (we were quite good!) and looked at the photography winners (most were horrible and amateur, not to be mean or anything, but they were) and learned about farm animals (Did you know a duck’s quack has no echo? I find this very odd.).  There was so much more to see and do and eat, but having worked all day, my feet were aching and I was ready to go home.  Still, a wonderful little slice of the Fair, a must-see if you’re in Wisconsin this time of year.  Ignore the unfortunate press coverage; the Wisconsin State Fair is a fun family adventure.

Did not eat this, thank the Lord.

In the comments, let me know your favorite State Fair food or animal?  Have you tried the chocolate covered bacon?  Do you, like my sister, think the cows are the best because they have individual personalities (unlike the chickens, she argued)?  Do you think, like one of my SANC coworkers, that the Krispie Kreme hamburger is the perfect mix of sweet and savory?  Let me know!