Irons in the Fire

What a day! Today was move in day at our county fair. There is 35 minutes left in this day so I am barely getting my blog in today, but by golly I am getting it done. #write31days

It is after 11pm and I am ironing a turtleneck if that tells you anything, and trying to think about what to write. When you resort to ironing after 11pm on a Saturday night it tells you something....you need more time and a friend willing to watch you iron so you can catch up.

So when you are short on time and have a list of to-do's longer than when you began your day you need  wine....just kidding but not really.

We all have crazy days  so keep what you can simple and don't stress about the small things. Enjoy this recipe that is nothing to stress over and it will keep your kids bellies full, smiles on their faces and time for you to catch up on ironing turtlenecks.

Heavenly Ham Sandwiches

6 pound bone in ham
8 ounces yellow mustard
1 pound brown sugar
24 dinner rolls

Cook ham in a crock pot (be sure to use a crock pot liner for easy cleanup). Cover with water. Cook 8-10 hours on simmer. Remove and cool. Shred  ham and put back in crock pot. Stir in sugar and mustard. Cover and cook on low just until heated.  Serve on dinner rolls.

In honor of this ham recipe take a few minutes to watch this fun clip to learn more about who is raising the ham you buy in the grocery.
Meet an Ohio Ham Farmer and my friend Mike!

It's a Derby Darling

Parker watching the heats.

Leave your fancy hat and mint julep at home and trade them in for some cowboy boots and a tall tea. Darling it’s that time of year!
The combine derby is an Ohio favorite on the county fair circuit.  There is just something about people sitting in the back of their pickup trucks and filling the grandstand to watch retired combines smash into each other watching smoke and sparks fly.

While there are rules it is a pretty rough sport. It is on my bucket list to drive a combine in a derby someday, kind of ridiculous I know but isn't that what bucket lists are for?

This was a great hit! No worries the drivers
are harnessed in there and wearing helmets.

While I have not driven a derby combine I can only imagine there is an art to maneuvering these large machines in between the concrete guards and around the course and strategizing where you will strike your competitors. It's a lot about the combine holding together but the driver really makes the difference.  They divide the entries into heats (3-4 combines per heat) and the last combine running in a designated time frame is the heat winner. Then anyone who can get their combine up and running again can come out for the final drive for the overall winner. The entries come with a pit crew of people, parts and tires some even have farm service trucks which are capable for most any fix including welding parts back on.

You may be thinking this is a little red neck but I like to call it good old fashioned county fair fun....then again maybe it is a little red neck but I love it and so do my children. Just in case you have never witnessed such an event here is a little taste of the Pickaway County Fair Derby.

Not your Kentucky Derby

In Ohio, when Summer arrives it is officially County Fair time. We live in Fairfield County and our fair just happens to be in Mid October and is the last of the County Fairs in Ohio (they save the best for last). As we await our fair, we usually try to go to a couple of other fairs around the state each summer.

This week the Pickaway County Fair kicked off and they have a Combine Derby. We decided to take the kids and visit our neighboring county for a little summer County Fair fun.

When I hear the word Derby, the Kentucky Derby immediatly comes to mind. The big hats, classic dresses and horses worth millions sounds like a ton of fun!  The Combine Derby is more like I imagine the infield of the Kentecky Derby is like but still a lot of fun in a way more relaxed redneck kind of way. Watching the combines smash each other, the loud screams from the fairgoers and people watching is always a grand time. Congrats to the winners who were from my home town in Fairfield County! This is a short clip in case you have never had the privilage to watch our kind of Derby! Maybe next year I will wear a big hat!