
Fair 2021 | Wednesday, August 18
Season 52 Episode 5203 | 57m 57sVideo has Closed Captions
The Iowa State Fair is back for 2021, and so is Iowa PBS’s coverage!
Scheduled for this episode: - Butter Cow - Thrill Ville - Cowgirl Queen Contest - Sheep Shearing - State Fair Queen - Weed Identification Contest - Pioneer Hall Song - Big Animals - Horse Show Organist - 50 Years at the Fair: 1990s - Bread Pudding Contest - Chainsaw Artist - As if You Were There … At the Fair
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Fair is a local public television program presented by Iowa PBS

Fair 2021 | Wednesday, August 18
Season 52 Episode 5203 | 57m 57sVideo has Closed Captions
Scheduled for this episode: - Butter Cow - Thrill Ville - Cowgirl Queen Contest - Sheep Shearing - State Fair Queen - Weed Identification Contest - Pioneer Hall Song - Big Animals - Horse Show Organist - 50 Years at the Fair: 1990s - Bread Pudding Contest - Chainsaw Artist - As if You Were There … At the Fair
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Fair
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♪ ♪ >>> Hi, I'm bill Raleigh and happy you joins us again tonight.
the Iowa state fair is the ultimate way to bring everyone aside as we share the love for this event.
if you've been out already, let's relive the fun.
if you can't make it out here, that's okay, too.
we'll bring the flavor of the fair to your living room.
here is what is on the docket tonight.
the majesty and talent of the cowgirl queen.
we'll take a look at the competition.
we'll put our thinking cap on for the plant identification contest and these creatures are in no way ashamed of their recent weight gain.
they're proudly stepping on the scales at the big animal competition.
let start with our friend Paul Yaeger scouting out the butter sculptures.
>> 15 butter buckets down, a few more to go as the butter cow takes shape at the Iowa state fair.
Sarah PRATZ back again for another year with new things.
let's go find out what they are inside the butter cooler.
hey, Sarah, did a year off, did you know what to do?
are your fingers okay?
are your muscles all right?
>> we were outside digging in the garden and doing things that kept us going.
>> This year there is somebody watching you work.
who is this?
>> yes, this is Joe lion, my mentor and former scripter of Iowa state butter cow, the king of dairy but he WAS definitely a giant in the industry.
he passed away this last January, and so I felt it WAS a fitting tribute to have him here with the butter cow because of his family's importance at the fair and certainly with the butter cow tradition but also in dairy and promoting dairy and of course, this year's cow is going to be a jersey because of lion jerseys.
>> That's what they have done.
this is actually Joe?
>> this is actually Joe.
I'm not sure what CIRCA this year is but I'm going for 1960 Joe.
that WAS the beginning of the hay day when he and his brother Howard were hitting the shows and gaining a lot of fame and notoriety in the dairy world but it also is the first year that Norma sculpted the butter cow.
seemed like a fitting era.
>> The twins are helping.
they're working on the accompanied sculptor, the big slide.
>> I had an extra year to think what to do.
we struggled with what to do, what to sculpt to bring together a sense of joy and coming together.
so as we compiled lists of ideas, the giant slide is turning 50. my two nieces, milli and hazel will model for the two children on slide sharing their mat, and then Dean is going to be modelling as the winner at the end of the slide who raced down and got there first.
2005 WAS Norma's last year.
the butter came in all 14 buckets, moldy.
that's the last TIME we replaced all the butter, 2005. smells like new to me.
I think that the butter has aged very well.
we had very little mold of any kind in the butter.
>> And you've added new sections.
it's not like it's all old but there is new that gets mixed?
>> absolutely.
the old butter sculpts better.
the cow is a lighter color is the oldest butter and the easiest to sculpt, the most like clay.
grace just kind of accidently created this out of the new butter but I love the contrast and Joe is mostly new butter.
you see it's a brighter yellow color than the older butter.
>> Here I am tucked between the mill and grand stand.
this is a great place for family fun.
it's the home of all of those classic carnival rides you grew up riding and a few new favorites and games, as well.
we'll find out how sick I can get riding classic carnival rides.
♪ ♪ >> Are you ready?
[ Laughter ] >> I don't think the steering wheel really works.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Here we go.
crazy mouse.
up and up we go.
I think I'm supposed to put my arms in the air at this point but I don't think I'm going to.
♪ ♪ >> Thank you.
>> You're welcome.
>> I do not feel sick.
well, this part is difficult.
and we're off.
I think this is about to go a lot faster.
glad I didn't eat first.
are we done?
>> thank goodness.
I'm done riding rides now.
[ Laughter ] Okay.
I'm really glad I didn't eat before riding on that ride.
if I were 14 years old, I would have loved that.
all right.
come on duck KI, duck KI.
>> So close.
>> Winner, winner.
>> I didn't win a giant mama panda or any stuffed animals and I did nearly lose my lunch.
but the Ferris wheel is irresistible and the perfect way to enjoy the Iowa state fair.
>> The young women that compete in the cowgirl queen contest is a dream they work for every year.
they come back.
I know girls from age 10 to 26 never won it but they love doing it.
>> When I WAS little, I always wanted to be the cowgirl queen so I practiced my whole entire life.
>> These young ladies are coming from every corner of Iowa and TAIR very good.
>> The young girls tonight will compete in the Jacobson exhibition senter which is one of the largest arenas these girls will see.
indoor is different than outdoor.
there is a lot of sound and echo and clapping so your horse has to be well broke and you have to be a good rider.
>> I've shown 4 H in the Jacobson for many years and I just always loved standing in the gate and taking in the scenery and the surroundings and so many people and the ennear -- energy and it's an amazing feeling.
to go and enjoy a wonderful ride with your horse in a big arena like that is such an honor.
>> The girls are sponsored by clubs to be able to compete and there is a senior category.
the age where junior is 10 to 15. senior is 16 to 26. and once you win a queen in junior, you can't compete in junior anymore.
you have to wait until you're a senior.
each junior and senior queen category, there will be three cuts or preliminary rounds.
>> we'll take six entries from each cut.
that will make us 18 in the finals.
>> The juniors are the first to go and then after the junior cowgirl queen is picked, we'll start on to senior cowgirl queens.
>> It means a lot to me being crowned at 2019 because I trained a lot of years to do this and I finally got it.
>> I have to wait two years until I go into the senior because I'm not 16 yet and I'm going to come back and just keep trying until I get the senior title.
my advice is to not be nervous and also, just keep practices.
it's going to come when it's the right TIME.
>> There is three judges and an average score.
they average the scores.
one judge can give you first, one can give you fifth and one can give you third and they average them together.
that's how they're placed.
>> We ask all of the ladies in the finals to give us the cowgirl queen solute.
they will come around that ring 100 miles an hour.
they'll slide to a stop and it gets the crowd right on their feet.
[ Cheers ] >> I did it.
I just won queen all throughout quarantine working hard with her, gaining more trust with her and really showing it my all.
>> These young ladies have earned the right to be here.
they have either won a contest at their local fair, at a horse show, so every one of these young ladies is a queen already in their own right.
>> The rider that is so well versed and connects with her horse has a good seat, which means she sits back in the seat and has to have balance and she has to have leg control, spur control, hand control in the reigns.
there is a lot going on at one TIME.
>> I participated in the cowgirl queen contest for six years and when I got into senior queen my first year, I WAS crowned senior queen.
I just really focus on the partnership between me and my horse and taking on the scenery and the crowd and enjoying the moment with my horse.
go ahead and do it for you and enjoy the opportunity to do this and get youth engaged and show the little girls they, too, can do something like this if they work really hard.
>> It has taken so much effort and I'm so glad to have the bond that I have and this has been such a bucket list event to come to.
it's so worth it.
whatever your dreams are, just put in the TIME and effort that it takes to achieve them because it's so worth it once you get to this point.
>>> okay.
everyone, tonight's trivia question is more challenging than the previous questions.
here it is.
during which war did Iowa troops muster into service at the Iowa state fairgrounds?
the civil war?
the Spanish American war?
world war II?
or the Korean war?
stay tuned for the answer in our second half of the show.
>>> hey, can you hear that?
it sounds like clippers and some very nervous sheep.
it's TIME for the sheep sheering competition.
♪ ♪ >> We're standing at the sheep sheering show at the Iowa state fair where these contestants will sheer sheep.
it happens every year here and takes beginners and juniors, advanced, five represented here today.
I think there is like 20, 25 guys.
>> Let's see what is going on.
>> I got started sheep sheering because a fella mentioned how girls can't sheer sheep so I thought it WAS a great idea to get into it.
ist it's my full-time job.
a great way to share what we're doing and how we are doing it.
♪ ♪ >> It's judged by three different categories, TIME, second cut in the wool where you go over the same spot twice and makes the wool shorter and less valuable and the third is how the sheep looks at the end.
you want a nice smooth job with no scratches or anything on it.
perfectly clean sheep looks like a boiled egg.
>> These are just lambs.
they way 80, 90 pounds and we'll get from 160 to 210.
>> I think a lot of people have kind of some common misconceptions about sheering and the health benefits are actually for the sheep so it's kind of nice to be able to tell you guys that the sheep are sheered for their health, not because we're trying to take their wool.
they will be shorn either way.
they don't seem to mind it much.
it's in the pin, pull them out, sheer them and they're done in a few minutes and it's over.
>> The technique is your legs do the work and you have one free hand.
this hand has the clippers in it so use one hand to hold onto the sheep.
something you want to do, have fun doing it and always want to do it until you die.
so much fun.
>> I competed at the Iowa state fair for the first TIME two years ago in the intermediate and unfortunately, I won so now I'm a professional and so should have free TIME after I get out.
>> I've many probably have been coming here since about 2003, 4. it took me awhile to get good but that is probably won eight of the last ten years.
they account for points for the U.S. team to represent the U.S. overseas in the world champion ships, so I've done that four TIMEs.
the sheerers here today are trying to get points to qualify to represent the country.
good TIME to hang out and have fun and earn a little money and mostly pride.
>> Hi, Raleigh and I'm back stage for the crowning of the 2021 Iowa state queen and I'm thrilled to be standing with not just the 2019 queen but the 2020 queen, the only queen to reign for two years due to the pandemic.
I'm with Hanna and Eddieville, Iowa.
so many great folks.
give us a little idea what the young lady is going to expect when her name is called?
>> my goodness.
she's going to experience just a change in her life and it's incredible hearing your name called, your county and she yet.
>> Tell us a little bit about the comradery.
the friendships that are developed through this wonderful pageant.
>> They develop friendships that honestly last a lifetime.
they will meet college roommates and nice to have the Iowa state fair sister hood to come from as the Iowa state fair queen.
>> Thank you so much.
we're excited to have you on stage for your final good-bye.
it will be emotional but we're so very proud of you.
thank you so much.
>> To Iowa to you I say thank you.
thank you for the last two amazing years.
two years of my life that has shaped me and two years of pie life that left an I'm print on my heart forever.
it's been an honor to serve as your queen.
[ Cheers ] >> Hailey, it wasn't that long ago you were sitting in the seat.
Plymouth county MCKENNA HENRICK.
[ Cheers ] Girls, come congratulate your new queen.
wow am I excited to be standing with the 2021 Iowa state fair queen?
MCKENNA HENRICK is with us from Akron, Iowa.
thank you so much.
what an evening.
tell us a little bit about your family.
>> Right.
hi, guys.
I'm from Akron.
my parents are brad and Michelle.
my mom is an elementary principal and my dad works for a trucking company.
>> And your plans in school?
where are you at in school?
>> I'm heading to South Dakota state university.
I'll be registered sophomore because I took college classes my senior year but I will be a nursing student this fall.
>> Quite a history with the FAA program.
>> I've been FFA for five years and chapter rePorter for a year and chapter President for a year and district officer, I WAS a rePorter.
>> Excellent, ladies and gentlemen your 2021 Iowa state fair queen MCKENNA HENRICK from Plymouth county.
give her another round of a applause, ladies and gentlemen.
I'm bill Raleigh, thank you for attending the coronation of the 2021 Iowa state fair queen.
be safe tonight and enjoy your Iowa state fair.
>>> we're outside the agricultural building for weed identification contest.
professionals and armatures alike will try to guess 35 different weeds.
>> They will identify the youth division, 20 fairly common plants, weeds to Iowa.
the general division will have to identify 30 so the next ten are a little harder and we have a professional division that identifies 35 and the last five weeds are meant to be complete stumpers if we can do it.
It predates me.
it started in the 1980s when someone thought it would be a good idea to identify weeds to come up with a weeds contest for the fair.
we have a cult following but we're interested in getting weed enthusiats to identify the plants.
>> If I don't do it, I keep track of what WAS on it or people will send me a list of what WAS on it.
I'm a regular.
>> I'd say maybe 20 or 25. there are some I know right away as soon as I see it, and then there is others it's a grass.
I don't know what kind, though.
so then I just make a good guess on it.
>> I've done this a number of TIMEs.
I'm not a professional so I don't do well on it.
one year I did get 12th place but it's just a fun thing for me to do.
>> You're not allowed to use your resources but I would say that we're fairly lax with the youth DIF vision and general division with regard to common names.
for example, a common weed in Iowa is velvet leaf but we'll accept other names like butter print and button weed because everyone seems to know the plants by different names.
>> There are some I looked at saying I think I know that but then I'm not really sure.
>> Where do you see some of these weeds?
>> on the farm and when we go on rides to see if there is volunteer corn or anything like that.
>> I'm a farmer.
and so you come across a lot of different weeds in that you see something in the field or the edge, you kind of need to know what it is.
I do a lot of prairie walks.
I'm involved with master gardeners and master CONSERVATIONISTs.
>> It's hard.
I didn't do any studying.
so yeah, I know some of them that I grew up on a farm so I know some weeds but I'm having a tough TIME this year.
>> To my knowledge, nobody has gotten 100% in the professional division so nobody has ever gotten all the weeds right but we did have a really close call several years ago where I think somebody only missed one and he's coming to compete this year so I'm a little nervous.
>> If you'd like to see the weeds, find out a little more about them and find out who the winners are, they'll be inside the agriculture building until the end of the fair.
>>> Walt Disney once said the way to get started is quit talking and begin doing.
hope some of you took the leap this year and entered a fair competition.
here are some results.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Okay, my friends.
I got a little secret.
the second half of our show will be more fun than the first half.
the chainsaw carver will have the woodchips flying as we sculpts amazing things.
Travis will bring us baking brilliance from the bread pudding contest and hefty animals are going to strut their stuff.
y we look forward to you shalling this to you after a quick break on Iowa PBS.
>>> I'm bill RILEY.
the talent championships, Iowa PBS will be there 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 on statewide Iowa PBS.
>>> eat it raw, steamed or fried, broccoli is king when it comes to versatility.
I'm charity on the next Iowa ingredient.
we'll find out how broccoli is grown in Iowa.
>> From seeds it's 90 days to >> Stream Thursday at 6:30 p.m. >> See more of Iowa PBS on instagram.
connect with us on all social networks at Iowa PBS.ORG/social.
>> Be part of the state coverage by showing your favorite pictures.
tag your photos on social media with #Iowa PBS photo.
they will be included at Iowa PBS.ORG/fair photos and Highlighted on social media.
>> here is a look at the actsed a -- acts advancing at the stage.
advancing at the stage.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> And be sure to tune in for the talent championships here on Iowa PBS Sunday August 22nd at 8:0 0 p.m. welcome back.
I'm bill RILEY.
have you hung out at pioneer hall and heard a distinctive song being played between events or acts?
not surprisingly, the song is called pioneer hall from an old radio program called just plain bill.
♪ ♪ Well it's summertime in Iowa, because summertime in Iowa means the Iowa state fair ♪ ♪ There's lots of things to see and do but you ain't seen it all ♪ ♪ Until you come and join the fun at pioneer hall ♪ ♪ Now we're not going to forget our friends who aren't here with us today, who stood up on this very stage before you hear me play ♪ ♪ They're playing now in a bigger band, out there beyond the blue ♪ ♪ They're lining up a show you wouldn't believe for us when we get out there, too ♪ ♪ Yes, so it all free so you come and see and wonder back in TIME ♪ ♪ The heritage they left us is yours and it's mine ♪ ♪ Look up on the faces that made our country great ♪ ♪ Where Americans all are standing tall in pioneer hall ♪ ♪ Yes, we're Americans all and we're standing tall in pioneer hall ♪ >> The Iowa state fair 2021 big ram contest.
we've got probably one of the bigger classes we've had.
we got 11 entries this year and so we're going to go ahead and go over here to the scale and weigh them and see who comes out to be the biggest.
Kyle cooks, Suffolk weighs 355 pounds.
2-year-old named buddy ways 272 pounds.
Mariah geyser named ace of spades weighs 254.5 pounds.
fisher farms brought us a ram named quick shot 218 pounds and the biggest ram for 2021 is one of our Suffolk rams from fisher farms, weighs 418 pounds.
>> I thought I WAS marginal.
he could be bigger.
next year.
>> Big ram is a purebred Suffolk ram.
a breeding ram.
one of them that could have been shown or probably WAS shown in his younger days and he's what the Suffolk breed is looking for, tall, long and heavy made rams.
>> We're ready to start our big bore show at the 2021 Iowa state fair.
isn't it good to be back, folks?
absolutely.
this boar's name is Micki.
he's a 4-year-old purebred spot.
Micki loves belly scratches and all kinds of treats.
856 pounds.
his name is cupid.
how appropriate.
he's 4 years of age.
he WAS used as a heard on their small fair to finish operation.
his favorite treats this summer have been sweet corn and watermelon.
1,058 pounds.
this entry is BRUDIST.
he's a chester white.
he WAS our reserve champion but when he's awake, he likes his ears scratched and back scratched and learns to dance a little when you hold fingers on his back.
1,258 pounds so he is our reserve champion again.
this bore is Irish cowboy.
he's been a stimulation boar all of his life.
he looks good and smells good.
his name comes from his color and he's always been a loaner plain and tough.
he's heaviest with 1288.
>> I think the biggest thing these guys have got to do is have lots of length of body as well as width of body.
you can't put length on bigs but length, width and depth and this individual has all three categories.
they take care of him.
he stayed cool and that's the biggest reason he gained as much as he did and he's as big as he is.
>> Irish cowboy, I grew up Irish.
he's got an Irish hair coat.
sometimes I called him Irish, sometimes I called him cowboy.
one heck of an attitude.
he's a loaner.
reminds me after old custody cowboy.
>> Good evening, everybody.
we want to welcome you to the 38th year of the Super Bowl contest.
>> Hey.
>> Weighed 2,654 pounds.
Albert weighs 2,888 pounds.
little bill ways 3,040 pounds.
♪ ♪ >>> My name is Randy and I'm at the Oregon state fair show.
my first Iowa state fair WAS in 1971. and I remember that because I just graduated from college and going to teach school in mallard and so I think I've been there every year since and just a fun TIME.
I enjoy getting my contract in the mail and knowing I'll be back there again.
you know, the thing I enjoy about the Iowa state fair is you see the same people year after year when I started playing over in the pavilion and see people that tend to sit in the same sections every year and I almost got to know them after -- because a lot of people will tend all 12 days of the fair horse shows and they always stop by and say hi.
I only play for horse shows.
I travel all over the country.
my -- I've done shows on the west coast.
I do them in Arizona.
I've been in Texas this year.
I just came back from New Hampshire last week.
so I kind of get all over the place.
you know.
years ago my brother used to show horses in Iowa.
I grew up in northwest Iowa and I WAS taking Oregon lessons and friends of my parents were putting on a one-day fun day type of horse show and wanted to know if I would bring the Oregon out and play for it.
I agreed to do it and it just kind of went from there.
>> I think they want to have some kind of background music of some kind so it's not dead all the TIME and I don't know if I play for the horses or spectators or who I play for but when I am playing, I like to try to have songs that will keep in the same tempo as what the horses are performing at.
you know, so if they're trotting, I play faster when they talk and slow down I play slower.
to be honest, I had three hernia surgeries.
I had a pickup I would load the thing into and probably not the best for me but that's what I did and it got to the point where I needed a new truck to drive and I thought oh, gosh I want to buy a new truck to keep doing this and whatever.
so I had this idea, maybe I should try a keyboard and I knew I would give up a lot of Sunday quality because I had a top of the line ORGAN as far as I'm concerned.
when I go to the west coast, east coast or whatever I fly the keyboard out there ahead of TIME.
hopefully, it meets me at the hotel and, you know, I plug into their sound system and away we go.
so it's -- I've been able to do more shows because I've gone to the keyboard.
>> Probably the people I work with or exhibitors.
we get to know each other and have a fun TIME.
it's just fun.
so I think the people, I do enjoy horses but the people really keep me going, I guess.
>> TIME to get the answer to our trivia question.
we asked during which war did Iowa troops muster into service at the Iowa state fairgrounds?
the civil war, Spanish American war, world war II or the Korean war?
the answer is the Spanish American war.
in 1889 four of the Iowa national guard assembled here at the state fairgrounds for the Spanish American war.
they were volunteer soldiers about 6,000 of them and they camped in the animal barns and did drills in the grand stand area.
they also ate pork and beans but sadly, nothing on a stick.
here is another look back this TIME at the Iowa PBS fair coverage from the 1990s.
♪ ♪'90s were a good decade for the public television station as we were known there.
new technologies were making things easier than ever and we really hit our stride covering the Iowa state fair.
>> Good evening and welcome to fair '93.
so glad you could be with us.
>> Here he comes down to the ramp and up and over and he hits it on the front tires.
>> As always, we were there for all the action at the track.
>> Purple number 12 car.
getting a little sideways.
>> So shot from the outside.
father is going to beat son.
>> Oh, man.
brings it up and over.
>> Yes, we're at the south end of the state fairgrounds and that's now where the real action is.
that's down the sheep barn.
>> From day one, Iowa PBS WAS in the livestock arenas.
the origin and heart of the Iowa state fair.
>> It's fun to come here and exhibit with the different people from the state.
>> And what would a state fair be without fearlessness, destruction and spectacles?
>> you can see nothing left of the chair and mike Davis really came rolling out of there.
>> Our own videographer took one for the team and bungee jumped three TIMEs.
>> So what I did is when I went up on the crane, I WAS supposed to hold the camera out and jump.
but when I jumped off, I guess my finger hit the button and pushed into a tight shot so it WAS all messed up.
so the second TIME they figured we'll put the bungee cords to my ankles.
when they look at the videotape, it unusual because when I jump, I clench my hands and turn the camera off.
>> Let's do it again, Jason.
>> I'm not doing it again.
I'm not doing it again.
I'm not going up again.
not doing it.
>> Bungee.
>> We really made ourselves at home with the fair and had a lot of fun.
♪ I like the livestock barns to a degree ♪ ♪ I like the midway rise but they don't like me ♪ ♪ I like the cooking shows when the cooks with through ♪ ♪ I like the petting ears, I love you ♪ Bred pudding is one of the cop Tests, they are rewarding me or torturing me to cover it because I love bred pudding and there were mouth watering entries.
>> Nicole, what are you looking for in a bred pudding?
>> well, what I'm looking for there are two different types.
a sweet and a savory.
I'm looking for a combination of textures within the same dish.
as well as the presentation is always important, how it looks, we eat with our eyes so that's important.
texture and Test.
how the flavors mingle together and support the dish as a whole.
>> Very unique use.
>> I think everyone that likes bred pudding has grown up with a grandparent, grandmother that made bread pudding because back in the depression days, if you had bred and you had some milk and some eggs, you had it made.
>> It almost like French toast, french toast on steroids.
>> I WAS talking to somebody yesterday.
I use my grandma's bred pudding and their use their moms that they added different things to like raisins.
mom made it from cinnamon rolls and my grandpa put stale bread out and whether or not you like to put milk or honey over it, that's what my dad would do.
>> First place is Diane RU, this one WAS the best flavored one.
just a good ol' fashioned bread pudding.
>> Diane, blue ribbon.
the first TIME this is a division at the fair.
what's it like to win?
>> I've made this a lot.
>> You said you were up pretty late with it.
>> I WAS.
2:00 in the morning but glad it turned out all right.
>> What's the secret?
>> I think the secret is dream.
full cream.
not half and half, no 2%.
full cream.
>> Do you have advice for someone thinking of entering?
>> do it.
try a few.
there say beginners class here at the fair so you would be competing against other beginners, first timers.
don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.
try maybe ingredients you don't normally use because judges are looking for that something that's a little different.
>> You've made history today.
the first blue ribbon in bread pudding.
>> I can't wait to have some.
thank you.
>> What is it that draws people?
I've heard fair administrators say it's the noise of the chainsaw that brings people and they're intrigued with the process.
the wood smells good.
hopefully they are impressed we take a log and make a sculpture in a short amount of TIME.
I've been carving for 21 years.
I've always admired sculptor and art and I always said what's the big deal?
I think I can do that.
20 years ago a friend of mine saw the chainsaw carving gun here.
I've never seen it.
they were telling me and I said I think I can do that.
They laughed at me.
they said bring it over and carve something.
I did.
it WAS slow, crude, rough but I WAS intrigued with the process.
I started playing around with it on weekends and started taking off.
to get a little adrenaline from the crowd to get the energy.
I love the rock 'n' roll.
it helps inspire me.
I almost always have the music on.
once I put on the gear and turn up my rock 'n' roll, I'm in my zone and I go.
♪ ♪ >> With a good size log, there is many different things we can make out of it so we have it in mind to make, say, a hummingbird and so we choose a log that fits that well.
a hummingbird looks graceful with a longer thinner log rather than real log.
it looks more dill kit.
it's longer than it is tall.
we have to downsize it to fit the log.
most people are intrigued and impressed with what we do.
sure use to watch the process.
virtually every fair there is that situation where we inspire somebody to try it and play around with it on weekends like I used to do.
I think it's great.
there is no such thing as too much art.
everybody has their own interest and ability and that makes the world go around.
if you can't make it to the fair or want another taste of that enchanting atmosphere, here is a chance to feel as if you were there at the fair.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> Well, we've come to the close of of fair highlights.
we're far from done.
we all want a little more.
I have a solution.
check out our website and youtube Channel and facebook and instagram pages to get your daily dose of state fair fun.
there are several ways you can engage with us about our beloved state fair any TIME, anywhere.
we look forward to seeing you tomorrow for more action at the fair like the micro minnow tractor pull, the mouth watering cookout contest and our friend charity hits the thrill zone.
hey, thanks for sharing in the electric state fair energy with us.
until next TIME, I'm bill RILEY hoping you had 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 commune tips we serve and the schools within them by donating our TIME, money and resources and by supporting the education of those pursuing a career in the insurance industry.
count on EMC.
♪ ♪ >>> I am Kevin RASMUSSEN and I'm a pig farmer.
we feel a deep responsibility to protect our environment and ensure sustainability.
>> Investing in a college Iowa 529 account can give future scholars financial support to pursue educational dreams.
they grow up fast.
learn more about planning their tomorrow at college savings Iowa.com.
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