Farm animals (& food) are what the Richland County fair is all about

MANSFIELD — Every year our family tries to make at least one stop at the Richland County Fair.

Fair food is the big draw, but after several decades in the community, it’s also a good chance to people watch and maybe bump into old friends. Those opportunities weren’t available in 2020, so it was nice to renew an old tradition on Tuesday night.

Although I have virtually no barn experience, I come from farm stock. Both of my parents grew up on farms, used outhouses as part of daily life, and were heavily involved in 4-H as youngsters.

Dad won a reserve champion trophy for one of his pigs at the Harrison County Fair, and later raised Brown Swiss calves. Mom was in the sewing wing of her 4-H club.

The fair was so big in their neck of the woods, school closed the second week of September every year, because the overwhelming majority of students were in Cadiz tending their critters and showing their projects at the fair.

Just weeks out of college, in my first job as a reporter at the Fostoria Review-Times, I had to cover the swine barn at the Seneca County Fair. When the term gilt came up, I was at a loss.

Word quickly spread of my shame at the next family reunion. It’s true, I had embarrassed multiple generations. I was not up to speed on the term gilt (a young female pig).

“All that education, and you don’t know what a gilt is?” my Uncle Tom asked incredulously.

Scorn, ridicule, a pox upon me for such unforgivable ignorance of my rural roots — I’ve never really lived it down.

As a kid, whenever we attended the Ohio State Fair we always trekked through the barns. I simply had no excuse.

On Tuesday night, we followed a similar path. Veteran tip, eat AFTER you tour the barns.

The fair fries have always been a big favorite, although they don’t go down as easy as they once did. Fried anything is available at virtually every corner of the fairgrounds, from oreos to pickles and everything in between.

Personal note, next year I’m trying the BBQ pork on waffle fries — and will be sure to do so when I have the next day off.

If you haven’t had a chance to stop out at the fair, there is a full schedule looming for the rest of this week.

The pie auction and rodeo are both featured on Wednesday night. The tractor pull is Thursday’s headliner, the Showman of Showmen contest is Friday afternoon with Nashville Crush on stage Friday night. The Demolition Derby serves as the grand finale on Saturday night.

In-between you can find all the food and farm animals that pull the whole event together.