By Sean CW Korsgaard
CP Reporter
As tens of thousands of people from across Virginia flood the Meadow Event Park for the Virginia State Fair, any number of things brought them out for a lovely day at the fair. Some, young teens on first dates to old married couples, have come to ride the Ferris wheel or win a prize for their sweethearts. Others have come to gorge themselves on carnival food, ranging from donut burgers to fried butter on a stick.
Others however, including more than a few locals, have tossed their hats and their talents in the ring to compete in the fair’s various competitions. Some have came through the local 4-H club, some entered independently, but more than a few of Caroline County’s own have been bringing home blue ribbons from the state fair.
Not far from where crowds have gathered to see Groundshaker, the great-great-granddaughter of Secretariat and one of the last horses bred by the recent passed Penny Chenery, there is a display of hay bales decorated by various 4-H clubs around the state. One from the Caroline Triple Crown Equine 4-H Club, has been made to look like Caroline’s most famous race horse, Secretariat. A wreath of flowers is around its neck, and two ribbons, one blue first place ribbon, and one red second place ribbon, have been pinned next to it.
Meanwhile, over in the Farm Bureau Center, among the booths of salesmen, in the back there are display cases showcasing everything from photographs to baked goods. In the Baked Goods showcase, two Caroline High School students took home the red and white ribbons, Nseya Gill coming in third for an iced cake made to look like a football stadium, and Chanera Thomas coming in second for a lemon blueberry bunt cake. A small group walking through the area stops for a moment to admire their handiwork.
“Wonder if they taste as good as they look,” said one of the group.
“I’d feel terrible cutting those apart though, they’re so pretty,” said another.
In the Horticulture competitions, some of Caroline’s greenest thumbs have been doing the county proud.
Emilee Catherine Broaddus of Bowling Green came a few shucks shy of sweeping the corn showcases, taking home the blue ribbon for both the tallest ear of corn and for her shelled xorn, and coming in third for the best 10 ears of corn.
The Broaddus family of Milford actually managed to sweep the barley showcase, with Bates Broaddus winning first, John Broaddus taking second, and Lynnwood Broaddus coming in third. Bates and John also took second and third respectively for their alfalfa, with Leigh Pemberton of Doswell taking first.
Fran Satterwhite of Ruther Glen meanwhile, took first place for her strawberry preserves and her tomatoes, second place for both her snap beans and a mammoth pumpkin she grew that weighed over 30 lbs.
Showcases like these, more so than date nights or fried foods, is what the state fair is all about, according to Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, vice president of operations for Commonwealth Fairs & Events Inc., which operates programs held at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. Since taking the position in 2015, Pierson-Jolliffe has made a point of making such showcases of agricultural ability one of the Virginia State Fair’s centerpieces. In an interview earlier this year with Governing magazine, she points out less than 2 percent of Americans are involved in farming, and that traditionally, state fairs have long had a mission of educating fairgoers about where their food comes from.
“Our greatest challenge is to be relevant,” said Pierson-Jolliffe. “Our agriculture education piece sets us apart from just going to a carnival in a parking lot.”
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