VOICE ONE:
Every year in summer and early autumn, more thanone-hundred-million people visit agricultural fairs in the UnitedStates. I’m Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. This celebration of America’s agriculturalpast is our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS ISAMERICA.
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VOICE ONE:
People can do many things at an agricultural fair. They can seeanimals racing. They can see sheep getting their wool cut. They canwatch cows being milked. They can watch horses jumping like greatOlympic competitors. Visitors also can look at new home products orfarm equipment. They can see products made by people who live onfarms.
Children and adults can go on rides that go very fast or travelhigh above the fair grounds. They can play games of skill. They canlisten to people play and sing all kinds of music. Or, people canjust walk around the fairgrounds and eat tasty food.
VOICE TWO:
It is easy to find an agricultural fair to attend. Almost allfifty American states have a state fair. Parts of states calledcounties also have fairs. They take place in August, September orOctober each year. They last for one, two or three weeks.Agricultural fairs help Americans remember their nation’s history.One-hundred years ago, most Americans lived outside cities in farmareas. Today, more than eighty percent of the population live andwork in city areas. Many people learn about animals they would neversee except at agricultural fairs. Experts say such fairs areimportant because people need to remember that they are connected tothe Earth and its products. They say people need to remember thatthey depend on animals for many things.
VOICE ONE:
Some people say you are not at a real fair unless you can smellthe animals. Most fairs have competitions for the best farm animals.More than ten-thousand animals compete for awards at the biggeststate fairs. People who live on farms raise the animals. Peoplewhose animals win prizes can sell them for a lot of money. Youngwinners sometimes use the money to go to college.
Many children and young people whose animals compete at state andcounty fairs belong to a group called the Four-H Clubs of America.The expression Four-H means head, heart, hands and health.
Four-H offers the largest unofficial education program in theUnited States. About five-million young people take part inactivities organized by the group. Many of them take part inprojects like raising and caring for a cow, pig or other animal.
VOICE TWO:
Many Four-H members and their animals took part in the MontgomeryCounty Agricultural Fair last month. The fair was held inGaithersburg, Maryland, near Washington, D-C.
In one building, Four-H members prepared their dairy goats forjudging. The goats were entered in milk production competitions. Thephysical condition of an animal often shows how long it will behealthy and produce large amounts of milk. Goat producers use thisinformation to help improve the physical condition and health offuture animals.
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VOICE ONE:
Visitors to a state or county fair should arrive hungry. Food isas important as animals at these fairs. Thousands of people takepart in competitions to prepare the best foods. For example, bakedgoods such as cakes and pies are judged and sold at these events.
Farm families sell breads made at home. They also make sweet jamsand jellies to put on the breads. These jams and jellies are madefrom apples, berries, oranges or other fruits.
VOICE TWO:
Many others kinds of food are sold at state and county fairs. Onepopular food is the corn dog. It is a hot dog on a wooden stick. Itis covered with cornmeal and then cooked in hot oil. Another popularfood also cooked in hot oil is called a funnel cake. However, it isreally a kind of bread.
Cotton candy sold at fairs is especially popular with children.It is made of sugar that is spun very fast. Then the spun sugar isgathered around a paper stick. Cotton candy looks like a big pinkcloud of cotton. Children always seem to get it in their hair.
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VOICE ONE:
Modern American fairs probably developed from fairs that began inthe early nineteenth century. Some historians say a man named ElijahWatson first had the idea for a state fair in the United States. Heorganized a small sheep demonstration in Pittsfield, Massachusettsin eighteen-oh-seven.
Other people say New Jersey and New York held the first statefairs in the eighteen-forties. Other early state fairs were held inIllinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
VOICE TWO:
Today, the New York State Fair in Syracuse is the biggest one inthe northeastern part of the United States. Last year, more thanone-million people visited that fair. This summer, the fair showedthe best of New York state’s agriculture, education, industry,technology and entertainment. There were also water shows with sealions and sharks. And there were car races. The New York State Fairalso had an Iroquois Indian village to show how Native Americanslived in the state long ago. In the evenings, there wereperformances by famous singers and groups.
However, the largest state in the United States also has thelargest state fair. The Texas State Fair in Dallas starts next weekand continues for more than three weeks. There will be more thansixty rides for adults and children. There will also be a small farmfor children. Visitors will be able to watch a college footballgame. Every night, there will be a huge show of fireworks, water,music and light. And every night there will be a parade. Visitorsalso will be able to attend a two-day Big Tex Music Festival.
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VOICE ONE:
State and county fairs are important to many Americans. Theyprovide many kinds of information. Farm families teach visitorsabout their way of life. Political candidates often attend state andcounty fairs to speak directly to American voters.
Businesses use fairs to sell products or services. Manybusinesses and government agencies were represented at theMontgomery County Agricultural Fair. In one small area, for example,visitors could buy sweet foods, playthings for children and objectsfor the home. They also could find people interested in talkingabout Christianity, local history and farming.
One area offered many publications from the Maryland Departmentof Agriculture. For example, the publications described how to usefertilizers safely or how to raise horses.
VOICE TWO:
Visitors to the Montgomery County Fair had many other activitiesto choose from. There were animal shows with live tigers. Forsomething a little more traditional, boys and girls could ride onyoung horses. The children also could feed other farm animals,including a llama and a pot-bellied pig. Nearby, children and adultsenjoyed a performance by Chinese acrobats. The acrobats demonstratedunusual skill at balancing objects spinning on sticks.
People of all ages visited an exhibit called the Great AmericanRailway. Model trains may be only a few centimeters high, but manylook real. Several model trains traveled in a big circle through aseries of make-believe mountains, rivers and towns. The exhibitincluded a small version of the fairgrounds, complete with smallrides and animals.
VOICE ONE:
Some non-profit groups raised money at the Montgomery CountyFair. Habitat for Humanity, for example, sold chances to win aprize. The winning ticket was chosen on the final day of the fair.Any additional money raised will help the group in its efforts tobuild houses for poor people.
As night arrived, many visitors began to feel tired. Some werehappy to sit and watch a show in the grandstand area. On somenights, country music singers performed. On other nights, there werebull-riding competitions and demonstrations of powerful farmequipment. The crowds also enjoyed three nights of “demolitionderbies.” Tired but happy people cheered wildly as they watched carscrash into each other. As the day ended, people of all ages seemedto enjoy their time at the county fair.
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VOICE TWO:
This program was written by George Grow. It was produced by CatyWeaver. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Mary Tillotson. Join us again next week for anotherprogram about life in the United States on the VOA Special Englishprogram, THIS IS AMERICA.