Getting ready for the Franklin Co Fair next week. We have been doing the fair for years, so just seems like that is what we do it.

I think we all got rain after a very hot and humid day.  We had 3” while the totals are all over the board from 4” to 6”.  Hope all stay safe.  Greenhouse was flooded so I saved the baby kittens and had them in a kennel for the night.  Now the water has left the greenhouse they are over there playing.

  We have been working on getting ready for the Franklin Co Fair. So was thinking about the Fair and all that we can bring to the fair.  I don’t like the forecast for next week.  Hot, humid during the day so it will hard on our crowd.   I will be there by the Ice Cream Parlor.  Monday we will start moving plants and wagon down.  Packing up and then on Tuesday take all the things to set up the awnings, tables and the rest of the display.

How long have you done this Becky?  Let see Larry was on the fair board for 22 years, and I did this for 20 years.  One year no fair because of covid, and one year I missed because of a poor hip and having surgery later.  Now Larry has been off the fair board for 6 years.  So, for a total of 26 years, I have been coming to Franklin Co Fair.  I started off by bringing two wagons of plants.  Then I was asked to do presentations at the Cultural building.  The programs then went to Gazebo.  At that point I asked if I could be on Pleasant Hill as it was closer to doing the presentations.  I always took lots of plants and things to talk about for them.  So that is how it all started.

We would bring containers, plants and baskets to decorate the fairgrounds.  I think the most I ever brought was 300.  It was great to have them there, and then it was my garden when I came back home.  BUT the downside of having all those containers was the cleanup in the fall.  Over the years, the Fair Board has done more landscaping, so all those flowers were not necessary.   We still bring baskets for the Ice Cream Parlor and the General Store.  Grandpa’s Farm will be decorated around the gate area with large flowerpots.  That is enough to keep watered and do all the setup and take down of them. 

We have been involved with the Franklin Co Fair as all three kids were in 4-H so it was that mad dash before Fair to get the projects done.  Many times, signs were taken beware of the wet paint.  Josh would have started 4-H in 1988 so that adds more years to our involvement with the Franklin Co Fair.  Girls graduated but that still wasn’t my last year as I stayed on to be the 4-H leader with 14 years as that role.  Larry was also a 4-H leader so had a busy time with our family during the fair.  We have memories of attending the Iowa State Fair as a family with 4-H projects, presentations and Share the Fun.

I still have those nights of waking up and making plans about what to do at the Franklin Co Fair, still have the signs to make, paperwork to do and all the plants to haul to the fair.  Once I am set up it is a good time to see many that I haven’t seen for a year.  If it wasn’t for the Franklin Co Fair, we wouldn’t get to visit with these friends or see them.

You all know how much Larry loves to visit and what a great time for him to just be out at Grandpa’s Farm and visit with the guests.  If you are at the fair, take a shuttle out to Grandpa’s Farm and have a look at what they are doing.  Lots of old-time farming is going on, and a lot of old-time equipment is there.  Plus, steam engines, sawmill, thresh machines and horsepower thresh machine from 1900.
This is just one small part of the fair, all of you have your favorite things to do, but I bet eating the homemade ice cream is one of them Come and enjoy.   
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See you at the fair.  July 14th with the parade till Sunday July 19th.  Hampton, Iowa  
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Beckysgreenhouse.com  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse