♪♪ >>> Funding for Fair 2021 is brought to you by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

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Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, EMC serves policy holders through 20 locations across the country.

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>> Caring for pigs is not just an individual job, it truly does take a village to put a safe, healthy food on your table and keep farming sustainable.

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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> Howdy, folks.

I'm Bill Riley and welcome to another episode of Iowa State Fair highlights.

It's a well rounded adventure.

We have a little music, food and a lot of fun.

Here's what you'll see in our next hour.

Country pop singer and songwriter, Nico Moon brings his talents to the fair.

The slide is a favorite fair tradition.

When you work as hard as these FFA students, you deserve a parade.

It's the FFA parade of champions.

But you may be surprised to learn that chickens have quite the vocabulary.

These women know how to speak fluent chicken.

Plus, they're not afraid to belt it out.

>> Here chick, chick, chick, chick.

Here chick, chick, chick.

Come on, feathered friends.

Chick, chick, chick, come and get it.

Chick, chick, chick!

>> Ba, ba, ba, ba!

>> Here chick, chick, chick, chicken.

Here chick, chick, chickens.

Here chick, chick.

Chickens!

Chickens!

Chickens!

Come here, girls.

>> Here chick, chick, chick, chick.

Here chick, chick, chick, chick, chick!

>> Here chick, chick, chick!

See you tomorrow.

>> This is how we call chickens in Brazil.

Here, chicky, chicky, chicky.

[ Cheers and Applause ] >> Here chick, chick, chick.

Here chick, chick, chick, chick.

Come on, girls.

Come on.

Here chick, chick, chick.

You too, Charlie.

[ Rooster calling ] >> Come here!

Chick, chick, chick!

[ Cheers and Applause ] >> Ba, ba, ba, ba!

>> Ba, ba, ba, ba!

♪♪ >> All right, the one that -- the big one.

The big one that counts here.

First place goes to 216.

216.

[ Cheers and Applause ] >> Oh, I suppose it's just opportunity to let go and just have fun and not care what anybody thinks and just do it.

>> Here chick, chick, chickens.

Here chick, chick, chick, chickens.

Here chick, chick.

Chickens!

Chickens!

Chickens!

Come here, girls!

♪♪ >>> It's called a fruit.

In the culinary world, we call it a vegetable.

But here in the ag building at the Iowa State Fair, the only thing matters is how it tastes.

I'm here at the best-tasting tomato contest at the Iowa State Fair with Ronda, the superintendent of ag and horticulture at the fair.

How many entries do we have this year?

>> We have over 40 so far.

It will be closed at 10:00.

It will be a record year, I think.

>> It's a good year for tomatoes, apparently.

>> Good year nor tomatoes.

>> How does this contest work?

>> We have three judges.

They taste them and decide what they think is best.

And they're all slicers.

Slicing tomatoes.

And it's just judged on taste.

>> Every year since I've been married, I planted a garden and my wife says they're good.

Here we are.

>> What do you think makes a tasty tomato?

>> Something that's good on a sandwich.

>> Italian heirloom we got today.

>> What do you think makes a really good-tasting tomato?

>> I like ones that have a little acidy bite to them.

I don't like a bland tomato.

I figure there would be 20 entries of that, and there weren't this year.

>> Do you have any secrets that you want to share with us about how you get a good-tasting tomato.

>> Starting them out with a tablespoon of granulated sugar in the planting hole and allow them plenty of water to start out.

Plenty of sunshine.

And just leave them be.

Okay?

>> That's a good -- it's a good technique I think.

>> We'll see.

>> We're looking for a tomato that tastes like we think a garden tomato should taste in Iowa.

>> How do you go about this?

How do they not all taste the same?

>> They don't.

Because if I were to hand you one of the tomatoes from my garden and then one that game from a grocery store that was grown somewhere else, you could tell the difference.

Most people can't.

I want umami and a little bit of sweet, acid.

I think that's what makes it interesting in the end.

We'll pick our top three and we all taste the top nine.

And that's how we choose.

>> I'm a tomato fanatic.

I'm trusting my gut.

I'm looking for that nice balance in that home grown flavor that we recognize right away.

>> What are you doing to narrow this down?

>> I'm having trouble now.

I'm down to my best four and I have to eliminate one of them and that's what I'm going to do next.

>> In second place, Susan.

Hey, Susan.

Susan won second place with a -- wave your hand there.

>> It's a team effort.

I'm a tomato taster.

But my husband here, I'm married to a master gardener of tomatoes.

So I'm a very lucky woman.

>> What would you say is some of your secrets?

>> Composted manure.

>> So your sister won third place, but you won first.

Are there there any bragging rights that are associated with that?

>> There are bragging rights.

We used to show lots of vegetables together.

This is nothing new.

I can't wait to take this home and share the news with her.

>> Here at the Iowa State Fair, there are thrills for every level of thrill seeker and I am now in thrill town where there are at least a dozen delightful different ways to spin around in circles.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Is this your first trip to the Iowa State Fair?

>> No.

>> Tell me why you like to come to the fair?

>> I don't really know why.

It's just really fun.

♪♪ >> Have you been to the Iowa State Fair before?

>> Yeah.

>> What's your favorite thing about the fair?

>> Well, the roller coasters, the Ferris wheel over there.

>> Is this your first time here?

>> I think so.

>> What impresses you the most for your first trip?

>> The sheer volume of it.

There's so much to look at.

>> My most favorite thing about the fair is the bumper cars.

>> The bumper cars!

I see that you picked a sea horse.

Was it a hard choice?

>> Kind of.

>> Why did you pick the sea horse?

>> Because it's colorful.

>> And this must be your first visit to the Iowa State Fair.

This is exciting.

>> Yes.

Tinnily's first time.

>> She just turned 2 and you guys just got off the carousel.

What did you think?

>> It was fun, wasn't it?

You loved the carousel.

>> Is the State Fair a long-standing tradition in your family?

>> Yes, I've been coming since I was 10 or 12 and showed sheep up here at the fair all through middle school and high school.

>> Wow.

Why should other kids come to the Iowa State Fair?

>> Because it's a really fun place to be with your family.

>> Thank you, Anna.

♪♪ >> I'm a little too big for the rides here in Thrill Town.

But it's clear that all of the kids here are having a fabulous time.

>> Let's get your brains working a little bit with tonight's trivia question.

The first Iowa State Fair was held in 1854.

Where did it take place?

Des Moines, Fairfield, or Vinton?

>> Let's go back to the 1980s.

♪♪ >> Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's show time.

>> In 1980, we were known as the Iowa public broadcasting network and we had really found our feet.

Production of fair highlight shows was running smoothly night after night.

My dad, Bill Riley Sr. Has settled in as host often live from the fairgrounds.

>> Welcome to the fairgrounds and welcome to this, our 14th year of great Iowa State Fair coverage.

>> Joining him was a creative cast of characters, reporters who were more than just observers.

They got involved and were up for anything.

>> I kind of thought this was going to be a smelly event.

For some reason, it's not bothering me at all.

>> With stilts, how tall are you?

>> Thank you, Bill.

We're going to give you behind-the-scenes look at what these kids do.

We have missy with us.

>> Educating young people has been a central part of our mission and we excess that at the fair in all sorts of ways.

>> That's the grand champion and mighty proud he can be.

>> And we found a lot of creative ways to say good night.

>> Good night, Bill.

>> Good night, Bill.

Good night, Bill Riley, wherever you are.

>> I didn't see you come in.

Good night, Bill Riley.

>> Good night, Bill Riley.

>> Good night, Bill Riley.

>> Good night, Bill Riley.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Good night, Bill.

>> What's going on, y'all?

I don't want to hear no sad songs.

Are you ready to have fun tonight?

Come on, let's go.

>> I'm Nico Moon and I'm a country artist in Georgia.

♪♪ >> I like to think of my music as being feel-good country music.

I love making music that makes people happy.

You won't hear any sad songs in my music.

I want to make music that makes, you know, a time-out at the lake or on your deck with your friends and family, the kind of music you want to listen to with people.

That's the kind of country music I like to make.

♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪ >> Are you ready to have some fun?

♪ Come on play that wagon wheel ♪ ♪ Don't forget the chicken Friday ♪ ♪ I want it served up with a little sweet Caroline ♪ >> I was driving down the road one day, and I heard three sad songs come on the radio in a row.

It was not the vibe I was in at the time.

And I thought to myself, I don't want to hear no sad songs right now.

♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪ ♪ I just want to have some fun tonight ♪ >> I love a good sad song, but for me personally, I just want to make feel-good country music.

And so that's what the song is all about.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪ ♪ I just want to have some fun tonight ♪ ♪ Dancing all the way to last call ♪ ♪ Drinking got me feeling right ♪ ♪ It's been a long week ♪ ♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪ ♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I don't want to hear no sad songs ♪♪ >> It's so good to be back, y'all.

Cheers.

>> My dad is probably my biggest hero.

He's who taught me how to play music.

He was in bands throughout his life.

So he's a big inspiration for me.

>> This song is called "Good Loving."

♪♪ ♪ I'm doing my best but I just can't dance ♪ ♪ Trying to learn how to cook but I got to chance ♪ >> It's about my wife.

We have been married for six years.

We've been together for ten.

It's a little bit of a dig at myself but I think if you can't laugh at yourself, what can you laugh at?

I kind of make fun of myself throughout the song and then, you know, at the end I say, hey, I'm pretty bad at all this stuff here.

One thing I feel like I'm decent at is loving you.

♪ It ain't hard to see ♪ ♪ Baby I'm real good at loving you ♪ ♪ There ain't nothing I can't do ♪ ♪ Yeah I've been a natural right from the start ♪ ♪ Make it look easy because it ain't hard to do ♪ ♪ Baby I'm real good loving you ♪ ♪ Loving you ♪ ♪ Baby I'm real good at loving you ♪ ♪♪ >> Thank you, y'all, so much.

>> The Iowa State Fair is famous for its sculptures made out of sand, straw and butter.

Have you ever seen a sculpture made out of cans?

Here in the Varied Industries Building, visitors can see just that, a part of the celebration of the Iowa food and family project's tenth anniversary.

>> Erin, tell me, what are we doing here today?

>> I tell you what, it's the Iowa State Fair and what better place to connect people that don't farm with the people who do.

And that's what the Iowa food and family exhibit is all about and we are constructing a larger than life exhibit completely out of canned food and food items.

So you really showcase how our families, our communities, our food are in good hands with farmers.

>> It looks like a huge undertaking.

What exactly are we building here?

>> Well, so the whole goal here, thanks to the help of some really talented architects, is to build thousands of canned food items into hands holding some of Iowa's wonderful soil and then with crops growing from that.

And, again, just reinforcing how the food we need, the land that we need, the communities that we love are all in good hands thanks to the dedication of Iowa farmers.

♪♪ >> Can you see it?

What do you think?

>> I don't know.

>> I think it's going to be a castle.

>> What's your guess?

>> A cow.

>> I heard a little secret that it's actually going to be a pair of hands.

Can you put your hands like this?

It's going to look just like that.

Pretty cool, huh?

>> What's been your favorite part about the project so far?

>> I think just seeing all of the little fans kind of stopping and being curious about what's happening and how you can design something out of cans and that's realistic and artistic and the fact that they all get donated at the end of this is very rewarding.

>> Yes, that's really cool.

♪♪ >> So you mentioned you're an architect.

What's the difference putting together something with cans versus an actual building?

>> Yeah, it's -- you know, it's not too much different.

Whereas you're building with steel and bricks and concrete for large structures.

In this case, we know the property is the cans, we know the boards will help support it.

It's just a little bit different materials.

But same concept.

>> Food seems to be a reoccurring theme here at the Iowa State Fair.

So a sculpture made of food is sure to draw a curious crowd.

>> State Fair time is the perfect opportunity to show off your talents.

Check out results from some of the contests folks just like you have taken part in.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Tonight's adventure will continue to roll on after a quick break.

Come back for more from our great Iowa State Fair right here on Iowa PBS.

♪♪ >> Visit Iowa PBS at the State Fair to get a sneak peek of new programs and projects that celebrate Iowa and feature some amazing stories.

Plus, you can stay cool at the fair and show off your love for Iowa PBS with our free fan giveaway.

New name, same fairgrounds location.

Find us in the Varied Industries Building.

We can't wait to see you at the fair.

♪♪ >>> The goal is to make the way we manage bears much more data driven and science driven.

>> Studies is the next step in our understanding.

>> That's how I lost the tip of this finger.

>> I heard bam, bam, bam, just like that.

>> Bear population shouldn't change that fast.

It's really striking.

>> Tune in or stream Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. >>> I'm Bill Riley.

One of the most entertaining traditions at the Iowa State Fair is the talent championships.

Iowa PBS will be there again this year to cover the magic, excitement and fantastic talents of young Iowans from across our state.

Prepare to be impressed.

Tune in Sunday night at 8:00 for the Bill Riley talent championships only on statewide Iowa PBS.

>>> Welcome to Iowa PBS passport, the best way to stream your favorite shows with thousands of hours to choose from and something new every week.

Lions, llamas and leopards, oh, my, it's TV for you.

Everything you love about Iowa PBS on demand at your fingertips.

Go wild and lose yourself in Iowa PBS passport.

♪♪ >>> The stage was a hot spot for talent today.

Here are the performers advancing.

Nice job, everyone.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Don't forget we'll bring you the talent championships here on Iowa PBS Sunday, August 22nd at 8:00 p.m. >>> Welcome back, everyone.

Attending the Iowa State Fair has been a long-standing tradition for so many Iowans.

Sometimes it's the food, sometimes it's the ag shows that bring people back for more every year.

As we found out, the same activities can still make great memories even if a location changes.

♪♪ >> The big side of a tremendous transition of the Iowa State Fair.

If you've been in the area where it's been for the last 40-some, 50 years, that area is really congested.

Since we had to dismantle the whole slide in order to put a new foundation underneath of it, new supports, just kind of made sense that we look for a spot that might be maybe a little more prominent and also a little less congested.

The big slide moved to a location that is just a little south and a little east of the Varied Industries Building or north of the Jacobson Exhibition Center.

Kind of at the end of where we have all the outdoor vendors kind of on the east side of that.

And so just kind of the ease and comfort of our fairgoers.

>> It was the timing of everything.

It was right before I would go to school and it was that quiet time in farming where the crops weren't quite ready yet and it was just a great time for us to be able to get away and come and take a vacation and, you know, just being a part of the fair over so many years, it just became a special thing.

In 1983, my dad and I started on a journey that would last for decades, and I was roughly about 4 years old when my dad took me down the slide for the first time.

And ever since then, with our burlap in tow and my mom, camera-ready, we would climb the stairs, take in the view and prepare for our decent.

It was something that my dad and I did together.

It was our thing.

And it meant a lot to me going down the slide and being in that moment with my dad.

All your cares and worries disappear for that five seconds as you're going down the slide and it's amazing.

And, you know, if you've never experienced that and just seeing it as an adult, it may not mean a lot to you.

But as a child or as your kid, it means the world to them to see you go down the slide with them because it's taking your adult or your parent out of their element for just a moment and you're seeing them as yourself, as a child.

And people -- as a kid, that means the world to them.

I would look forward to that moment every year.

Nothing else mattered until we went down the giant slide.

And then in 2016 at the ages of 76 and 36, my dad and I climbed the stairs for the last time together.

In two years, he was gone.

We still continue to come to the fair and enjoy all the things that we enjoyed doing together as a family.

I have a son of my own that's on his way and hopefully when he becomes old enough, we'll be able to go down the big slide together and continue that tradition.

>> We are here at the livestock pavilion for the FFA parade of champions.

This year about 2,000 FFA students are competing, but only a few get to take home top honors and walk or ride in this parade.

Winners in the ag mechanics and technology division are leading off the parade.

This year there were 94 entries from 46 chapters.

Across the state, there are more than 16,500 Iowa FFA members.

This year, more than 8,000 FFA projects in 12 divisions were judged at the 2021 Iowa State Fair.

Judges looked at the 712 photos brought to the fair by 246 photographers from 62 chapters.

In the farm crops division, 59 students from 16 chapters brought 398 exhibits to the fair for judging.

♪♪ >> In the horticulture show, there were over 400 exhibits shown by 55 chapters.

42 exhibiters from 14 Iowa FFA chapters brought 432 flower displays to the Iowa State Fair.

The rabbit show hosted 44 exhibits from 27 chapters with 190 exhibits.

In the poultry division, 56 exhibiters brought 227 exhibits for judging.

This is the 43rd year for The Avenue of Breeds.

Students from the north Polk FFA chapter take care of the more than 90 animals during the run of the fair.

There were 1,021 head of hogs judged in the swine division.

In just the market swine division alone, 249 students brought 605 animals for judging.

In the sheep show, there were 593 head competing in four divisions.

Judges for just the market lamb division sought nearly 350 animals brought in by 147 members from 102 chapters.

There were 265 head of cattle shown at the 2021 Iowa State Fair.

There were 216 animals exhibited from 94 chapters.

♪♪ We caught up this year's Iowa FFA president, Mia Gibson.

>> The parade of champions is an event for us to showcase all the winners throughout the week that FFA has had through their many different shows the past five days.

It showcases all the hard work that these members have went through to be here today.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Judges for the dairy cattle looked over animals shown from 14 chapters.

And the final unit in the parade were just a few of the students who received top honors in the horse division.

This year 96 members brought 142 horses from 50 chapters to the 2021 Iowa State Fair.

Congratulations to the FFA members who competed across the state this year.

>> We're going to go for a ride this morning on the grounds.

You're used to being on the grounds at peak times, huge crowds.

This whole morning thing, bare with me, there's nobody on the roads.

>> I like it.

>> You have been involved with the FFA usher program for a number of years.

I think it's 15.

How did you get started?

>> I actually came down as an usher.

2003 I got selected to serve as a grand stand usher.

My first Iowa State Fair was a full fair coming in on Tuesday and staying through the final concert.

I think I stayed through Monday and left Monday morning.

>> If you could have me drive anywhere, where would you have me drive right now?

>> I actually -- this time -- or maybe a little bit earlier is my favorite place to run.

I like to run the Iowa State Fairgrounds about 7:30 in the morning.

Our trick to getting down to the grand stand at night is to stay tight behind our group of grand stand ushers.

If you come down sometime between -- we're usually down here 5:30, 6:00, you'll see us Marching down the Grand Concourse.

If you can keep your golf cart tight to them, you don't have issues.

But you're also walking or driving as fast as they're walking.

>> How did you get selected to be here?

>> It's an application process.

We go through and we select kids trying to get that male/female ratio, returners versus new kids, to come up with a set list of ushers.

We evaluate each year, who do we want to come back?

This has truly in the 11 years that I've been in charge has become a student-run program.

>> I want to start with that sea of yellow that you mentioned.

What is it like to walk in that group and know you're on a mission and you're headed here?

>> Every night is an experience.

But that experience goes beyond the grandstands.

They're not just walking down here to work the grandstands, they're walking down with their new friends.

>> It is a significant year for ushers in the grand stand.

I believe this is the 70th year you've had them.

What do you know about 70 years ago to today and how -- what the responsibilities of the usher is?

>> Yeah.

Well, so 1950 would have been the first year and the only reason I remember that is because my first usher shirt says serving grandstands guests since 1950.

Last year technically should have been.

But at the time FFA membership was boys only.

It was very heavily -- it was all boys.

Their only duties were in the grand stand.

And then slowly we've accumulated different tasks.

>> What are some of those tasks?

>> Now we -- our ushers are on the gates.

We staff the main gates from 8:00 to 2:00, handing out programs.

So we -- we're one of the first people that fairgoers may see and some of the last that they may see when they leave the grand stand at night.

We help with FFA shows.

A lot of our duties are the first three days of fair and it's crazy.

It is a lot of standing.

So we suggest different things, wear different shoes, move your feet, don't lock your knees.

Drink a lot of water.

Some of them -- even though there are some drawbacks to it, I think a lot of them are like, oh, it's totally worth it.

>> All right.

It's time for the answer to our trivia question.

The first Iowa State Fair was held in 1954 and where did it take place?

Des Moines, Fairfield, Keosauqua or Vinton?

The answer is Fairfield.

Our State Fair has been right here for 135 years.

Wow.

Let's get back to that fair time magic with more from Nico Moon.

>> I wasn't expecting this many of you y'all to show up.

>> What inspires my music is making people feel good.

I really think about what they want to hear and I go live a lot of times on my socials and ask them, what do you want to hear?

The ones that they like the best, those are the ones that I release.

I really let my fans decide.

>> Thanks for coming.

>> Thanks for having us.

>> My favorite song to perform right now, changes, but right now it's "Good Time."

There's no better feeling than when everybody is singing along with you.

There's energy that comes with that.

I feel grateful for that song and that's why I like to play it last so we end the show, everybody singing together.

>> All right, y'all.

I'm Nico Moon.

Thank you for having me.

Are you ready to sing "Good Time" or what?

♪ Trying to catch a good time even if it takes all night ♪ ♪ Pass that bottle around the camera fire ♪ ♪ Sipping moon shine ♪ ♪ We're picking on those guitars just right ♪ ♪ Everybody seeing Dixie land ♪ ♪ Just trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ 80 degrees and is sun is out, we got a spot a couple miles out of town.

When that moon comes up you know it's going down ♪ ♪ Y'all sound good ♪ ♪ We got the chairs leaning way back ♪ ♪ No other plans other than to relax ♪ ♪ We ain't worried about tomorrow ♪ ♪ We're just trying to catch a good time even if it takes all night ♪ ♪ Pass that bottle around the campfire ♪ ♪ Sipping apple pie moon shine ♪ ♪ Yeah, we're picking on the guitars just right ♪ ♪ Everybody singing Dixie land tonight ♪ ♪ We're just trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Way down here we all got that southern draw ♪ ♪ We take our time when we talk ♪ ♪ Yeah don't take much for us to have it all ♪ ♪ Something about a night this clear ♪ ♪ Makes your problems disappear ♪ ♪ We're just going to stay right here and let the world go back ♪ >> Me and my buddies, we wrote the song, this is when I was a full time songwriter in Nashville.

I pitched the song to pretty much every country artist in Nashville, nobody wanted it.

Nobody thought about wanting it.

But I knew the song was special.

When I decided about a year ago to come out with my own music, I remembered that song and I knew it was maybe meant to be mine.

I released it and it went number one and I've been so grateful to that song.

It's been the song that's really got me connected to country music fans everywhere.

♪ We just trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Even if it takes all night ♪ ♪ Pass that bottle around the campfire ♪ >> This past year was -- I think I've had enough stress this past year to last me the rest of my life.

I think a lot of people can relate to that and I wanted to put out a song that could take people on a three-minute vacation in their mind.

Hopefully, it did that.

♪ Trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Yeah, we're trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Good time ♪ ♪ Trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Good time ♪ ♪ Yeah we're trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Good time ♪ ♪ Yeah, we're trying to catch a good time ♪ ♪ Good time ♪ >> The biggest thing I hope people get out of listening to my music is happiness.

I love making people happy.

Good time is a way of life.

It's how I like to think about life and it's a simple message that I'm trying to get out there.

Life is short, have a good time.

Enjoy it.

We're here for like this long.

♪♪ >> Thank you, y'all, so much.

I felt so much love tonight.

Take care of each other.

Be kind to each other.

I can't wait to come back, everybody.

Thank you for the love.

Thank you for the supportive support.

Enjoy it.

Love you.

I'll see you next time.

>> We're at the Elwell Family Food Center where the youth canning contest provides fresh opportunity for preserving tradition.

>> My name is Brooklyn and I'm 12.

>> Where did you learn how to can?

>> I learned from my mom and grandma.

My mom taught me a lot.

>> Really?

Tell me about that time you spend with your mom.

>> We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and it's always fun, even though we don't always agree with each other when we're doing stuff.

It's always fun just getting to have fun and bond with her because I don't usually get to have that time doing that because I'm in other activities.

>> Nice uniform slices.

>> You're one of the judges of the youth canning contest.

Tell me what you're looking for.

>> What we're looking for is for the youth to focus on the flavor.

It's got to taste like it just came off that tree or out of that garden.

Consistency, like with a pickle.

You want the pickle slices to be uniform in size and so you're looking at that.

You're also looking for packing to make sure they've packed the product correctly.

The big things is safety.

There has to be the proper head space.

Head space is how much room is between the top of that jar and where the liquid starts.

And it's inspiring to see these kids canning.

>> Nice aroma.

>> Superintendent of the Elwell food center, tell us about your history with the Iowa State Fair.

>> I exhibited for 23 years starting down in the agriculture building.

And 2019 was my 25th year of judging.

I'm now the new superintendent of the food department.

>> Tell me about the contest that happened here.

>> Today is the canning division.

>> Let's talk specifically about the youth group.

Who is eligible?

>> Anybody from the age of 7 to 17.

>> What are the judges looking for?

>> The biggest thing is we now need to follow USDA guidelines on processing and hot water bath.

>> Tell me more about that.

>> It's a process where you're getting rid of the bacteria that's within the jar from us just handling the fruit, the vegetable or whatever in the jar itself.

>> Louis is one of the judges.

What's the one thing that kids need to work on?

>> To know that hard work is rewarding.

If you put your all into something, you're going to get rewarded for it.

Maybe not the first time, but if you keep trying and every time you enter into a competition, you learn something and the next time you come back even better.

This jar was very good.

>> How did you turn out?

>> I got first place overall on my peaches, second on strawberry jam and third place in my category on my pickles.

>> That's fantastic.

Congratulations.

>> Thank you.

>> Do you think you'll continue canning and creating recipes as you grow older?

>> I think I will.

And if I have kids, I'll probably teach them too.

>> That's fantastic.

You're carrying on a tradition and you have other entries here, right?

>> Yesterday, I did a chocolate cake, but I have a lot more cookies and brownies and just bars of all sorts and stuff.

We're in the kitchen 24/7 it seems like.

>> Brooklyn, the kitchen pro, ladies and gentlemen.

>>> Stroll through the fairgrounds for a moment with me as we enjoy another installment as if you were there at the fair.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> Thank you for being with us for this episode of State Fair highlights.

I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be.

We'll be back with you again tomorrow night.

But if you need a healthy dose of fair fun before that, we got you covered.

Action from current and past fairs, it's on our website and our YouTube channel, in addition to our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Check it all out.

There are several ways you can engage with us about our beloved State Fair any time and anywhere.

The stories in tomorrow night's shows are being videotaped and edited right now and, oh, my, are they loud and proud.

Like the chainsaw sculptor, the big animals.

It's going to be an awesome night of action.

Thanks for watching, everyone.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow night.

If you spot our crews, stop them and say "hi."

We love seeing you.

Until then, I'm Bill Riley.

Have fun at the fair.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> Funding for fair 2021 is brought to you by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

And by -- >> At EMC, we're committed to improving the communities we serve and the schools within them by donating our time, money and resources and by supporting the education by those pursuing a career in the insurance industry.

Count on EMC.

>> I'm Kevin Rasmussen and I'm a big farmer.

We feel a deep responsibility to protect our environment and ensure stability.

I think it's important to share our story and that others know that we're always striving to do better.

>>> Investing in a College Savings Iowa 529 account can give your future scholars financial support to pursue their educational dreams.

They grow up fast.

Learn more about planning for their storm at CollegeSavingsIowa.com.

>>> Tonight's programming has brought to you by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

If you'd like to see more programs like tonight's show, donate at IowaPBS.org.

♪♪ >>> You're watching statewide Iowa PBS.

♪♪ >> I'm here and I'm showing the world that you can stay yourself and get respect from the world.

>> There are many, many films about Muhammad Ali.

We think we tell the story in a complete way.

>> This film, it's the whole picture.

It's the good, the bad, it's the inspiring, it's everything.

>> I am the greatest.

>> I am drawn to boxing when the person and the bouts seem to reflect something larger.

And the person who's doing the fighting is one of the most extraordinary human beings that I have ever, ever met.

>> Boxing was his platform that he used to be able to change the world.

>> He was a pioneer, he was a revolutionary, a guy known simply as the greatest.

>> We talked to a lot of people interested in boxing and Muhammad Ali.

Todd Boyd, Walter Mosley, a scholar of Islam, Sherman Jackson, and we interviewed his family, his brother, his daughter and another daughter.

>> There was a clip where my dad was saying, you know how your daddy is the greatest?

>> Do you know that your daddy is the baddest man in the world?

>> I had never seen that clip before.

Tears were rolling down my face.

>> Maybe you'll come for the boxing, maybe you'll come for the religion, the politics or the conflict.

But I think you leave with an elevated sense of an amazing American.

>> To have that and to be a black man in America, it was outlandish.

>> Muhammad Ali coming to Iowa PBS September 19th.

>> PBS is proud to present "wicked" in concert.

join kristen chenowith and idina menzel for a celebration of the music of "wicked."

featuring ariana debose, cynthia erivo, rita moreno, jennifer nettles, alex newell, amber riley, gabrielle ruiz, and more.

>> Only on Iowa PBS August 29th.

>>> Be a part of Iowa PBS State Fair coverage this year by sharing your favorite pictures with us.

Just tag your photos on social media with #IowaPBSfairphoto.

They'll be included in our fair gallery and highlighted on social media.

>>> Iowa PBS is bringing you more ways to get involved in our Iowa State Fair coverage.

Find us on Facebook and YouTube for live coverage of the fair parade and queen coronation.

Follow us across social media for daily questions, quizzes and more ways to engage and visit IowaPBS.org/fair to watch highlights of 50 years of fair shows.

Join us online for State Fair fun.

>>> Tonight's programming has been brought to you by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

If you would like to see more programs like tonight's show, donate at IowaPBS.org.

>>> Funding for fair 2021 is brought to you by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

And by -- >> Since 1911, EMC insurance is headquartered in Des Moines.

They serve policy holders through 20 locations across the country.

Count on EMC.