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The County Fair
Researched and Written by Janine Weins
(Posted 7/19/06)

For more than a century, many living in rural America looked forward to the county fair with eager anticipation. At the county fair everyone had a good time. Farm families could show their cows, their crops, and their kids, some with gestation periods of five months, others with nine months. They could taste the best pickles and apple pie. Farm women learned new recipes. Farmers saw new equipment and learned about new methods. Before there was Match.com and eHarmony.com, young women dreamed of meeting the handsome young man who had won a blue ribbon for his Holstein heifer. Young men hoped they could convince the beautiful young woman who had won a blue ribbon for her strawberry jam to step out behind the goat barn. Those who farmed in different parts of the county met up with family and friends they had not seen for a year.

Today few live on farms and more than three-fourths of the population lives in urban areas. At the turn of the 20th century more than 60% of the population lived in rural areas, and many of those lived on small farms. Farming is the original 24/7 commitment. Cows need to be milked twice every day. An animal can get sick at any hour of any day. Crops must be harvested when they are ready. The county fair was, for many, the only break they got from the long hours and hard work of farming.

Today, county fairs still give farm families an opportunity to show their crops and animals, compete against one another, and to learn. These fairs give those who do not farm an opportunity to see farm products and animals and to learn about farming.

County fairs are scheduled after the first cutting of hay is in the barn, and before the fall harvest of apples, pumpkins, and root crops.

Young 4-H members lead their spring Holstein calves to the arena, each hoping that in just a few minutes they will have earned a blue ribbon.

New Hampshire has eleven agriculture fairs. Vermont has even more fairs and field days. This year, the first county fair in the area was the Orange County Connecticut Valley Fair that was held this past weekend in Bradford, Vermont. The first of the New Hampshire county fairs is the Grafton County Fair which will be held July 26th through July 30th at the North Haverhill Fair Grounds in the foothills of the White Mountains on the banks of the Connecticut River. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Grafton County Government, the University of New Hampshire Extension, and local 4-H Clubs all contribute to planning the fair.

Some come to see the animals. There will be five ox-pulling competitions, the first of which is the Youth Ox Pull Wednesday at 7:00 PM. Thursday at noon there will be the 4-H Dog Show. The Sheep Trimming and Blocking will be Thursday at 4:00 PM Friday is a good day to see the goats. In addition to the goat milkouts which are held every morning and evening, on Friday there will be a 4-H Dairy Goat Fitting Team Competition at 3:00 P.M.

Some come to see the equipment. There will be antique tractors and classic cars. On Thursday evening, there will be a 4-Cylinder Demolition Derby. Vendors of farm equipment will bring their latest offerings.

Some come to the Grafton County Fair for the amusement rides and entertainment. For young children, the Poppy Town Puppets will be having multiple shows every day. There will be two free live concerts. Blue Country will perform Friday Night. Emerson Drive will perform Saturday night.

If you would like to learn more about the events at the Grafton County Fair, visit http://www.nohaverhillfair.com/.