West Lampeter Fair

This week has got to be hands down one of our family’s favorites, every year!  It’s West Lampeter Fair time!

In late September, the tents go up, the animals are brought to the fair grounds, the committee chairpersons call on their volunteers, the bakers heat up their ovens, the fair queen contestants practice their speeches, old friends reconnect, and the community comes together for a week of hard work and fun.  The smell of funnel cakes and french fries fills the air. This is a true farm fair; no fairways or rides at Lampeter!

Antique tractor parade

Tuesday and Wednesday of fair week are two days that Jim knows I’m simply not available to help him much on the farm.  It is my job to line up the judges and volunteers to process all of the delicious baked goods that are entered in the baking competition.  Jim becomes the kids’ taxi, the chief cook and bottle washer and does most of the barn work without my help.  And, I must say...he does it quite well!



Baked goods ready for auction



Yesterday (Tuesday), I was at the fair almost all day.  We accepted items in 70+ categories for judging.   This morning, the items were judged and prizes were awarded.  Tonight, the items were auctioned off to the highest bidder…the prize winning cake in the Hershey’s Cocoa Contest brought an amazing $83!  It was purchased by the father of a delighted young lady who won, and is now eligible to compete at the State Farm Show in January!  (I wish you could have seen her face as the price went higher and higher!)

As the last items were being sold, a fast moving thunderstorm blew through, sending people scurrying for shelter, the fair queen competition to the dairy barn, and me to my car!  While it put a damper on things a bit, we desperately need the rain, so we won't complain!  Perhaps it will also bring relief from the 90+ degree heat we had today!

I was at the fair by myself tonight.  Both kids were at home with Jim, under the weather.  They were so disappointed to miss it, but hopefully tomorrow evening we'll all be there!  The kids enjoy wandering through the tents, collecting candy, pens and other "goodies".  Jim, among other things, enjoys looking at the old tractors, and I for one, am looking foward to not having to cook supper two nights in a row!

For now, however, it's off to bed.  My eyes are falling shut as I write!