Baked Goods at the County Fair

It's funny the little things you remember about your childhood once you are an adult.  Sure, some memories make sense.  Birthday parties.  Vacations.  Winning sheep shows (we're ag kids after all).  But others--those that are small and seemingly insignificant at the time--they are some of my favorites.

One of those memories for me was the day the baked goods were judged at the Quay County Fair.  I never won grand champion cake.  I never got a ribbon.  Heck, I never even considered baking something to enter.  For me, it was even better.  I was the granddaughter of one of the two official baked goods judges who served in this role for over 40 years.  Having a grandmother with such high ranking honors entitled us to special benefits.

Every year, Gran would arrive a bit early before her judging shift was to begin to come see us in the barns.  As was her usual motive, she would be dressed to the nines--big earrings, silver necklace, all the diamond rings she could fit on her fingers.  After she visited a while, she would head into the commercial building to do her duty.  Usually at least once my brother and I would sneak over to the commercial building to see how things were going.  Not because it was that interesting watching her sample five loaves of zucchini bread, but because there was a strict rule that no one but judges was allowed in the building and, well, we liked to be rule breakers.  Especially when we knew Gran would have our back if we got into any trouble about it.

When she was finished, Gran would venture out to the livestock barns to our show box bearing a plate full of samples.  She had to taste everything entered and would always take two of the best items and put them on a plate for us.  Other kids would flock around and sometimes we'd share, sometimes we'd down the food as fast as we could before they got to us.

Usually after that she'd head home and venture back out in a couple of days to watch us in the sheep show.  To which she liked to wear the shirt we had embroidered for her the year we won Grand Champion Pig and Lamb, over which she almost got into a fist fight with another grandma.   

Alas, another story for another day.