We took in the Sioux Empire Fair at Sioux Falls (which is why we could not stay at the Fairgrounds this time!) and had a fine time. This is a medium sized fair that seems to feature entertainers (ZZ Top was playing one night). Still, there were many displays in the state fair tradition.
We went with our daughter and son in law and enjoyed exploring the fair with them. We had not seen them for a couple months, so this was a nice time to visit.
Here is an interesting fact -- South Dakota ranks 6th in the country in corn production! Frankly, after seeing the thousands of acres of corn being grown, I was surprised to see it was not higher. 
Rick had to check out the restored tractors, of course! Antique tractors are a very popular item in this area given the agricultural heritage, so it was no surprise to find a few nice tractors around.
I liked the John Deere tractor best. This one is a 1940 vintage and has been fully restored. Plus, it still gets used occasionally as a tractor which is pretty slick.
Last night, we had some heavy thunderstorms in the area and while we were OK in the coach when the 70 mph winds hit, this tent was not so lucky. The wind apparently got under this large tent and simply demolished it. I was impressed to see 6" aluminum poles bent at right angles. 
Naturally, Rick had to take a quick stop at the model railroad exhibit. Billed as the largest model railroad in the state, it was fun to see the places in the Sioux Falls area that are modeled on the exhibit. 
The detail was amazing and speaks of a real labor of love. Rick has done some modeling in the past and the efforts required to build something like this are substantial!
1 comment:
Looks like fun. I know what you mean about the corn. When in Iowa, it was hard to imagine how all that corn was used.
Post a Comment