Ruthanna, that is a wonderful report about the Kutztown Fair. You look like a Dutch girl in your costume. (Have you lost weight? You are so much thinner than you look in that pic)I have not been there in many, many years. The PA Dutch sure know how to eat.

Thank you for posting a pic that shows how Chicken Pot Pie is supposed to look -- noodles, potatoes and broth -- NOT a crust! ;)

My grandmother made root beer and I always buy homemade root beer whenever I see it. I love that strong yeasty taste, although I never found one as good as hers.

Also, is Virginville anywhere near Intercourse, PA?

I doubt I will make it this year because I don't get the bandage off my hand until that week and it's too hot and sweaty to walk around with it.

Thanks for posting this. It brought back many memories.

I hope Teresa NC7 sees the pictures of the quilts. We were just talking about quilts. Here's the web site you mentioned.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kutztown Festival

Thanks Ruthanna! I did see the pics of the quilts - fantastic! Somehow I think I must have missed your original post over on Roadfood.com. The pics didn't look familiar. Nice report!

Teresa

Wow, where's Bobby? Look at all those antique washing machines!

That looks like a lot of fun, I only wish I were close enough to go. Sigh.

Pam, how's the hand doing? I had my knee surgery two weeks ago today and the doctor said I was doing "amazingly well for someone my age". And what the he!! is that supposed to mean? (grin)

I also hope you are doing "amazingly well for someone your age". (snicker)

Annie

Geez Annie, I might have had to crack him one for that! LOL.

Ruthanna I remember those pics from last year. I sure wish we could make it over there. One of my favorite things about summer when I was a kid was my Father's yearly club picnic where they'd have birch beer on tap. Yummmm.... the Kutztown Festival is certainly famous around here with a great reputation. I'm in awe of the washing machines. I love, love stuff like that.

That is fantastic! Certainly worth a visit; too bad we are in Colorado that week or I would be tempted to do a road trip.

Ruthanna - We have made it a family tradition to head to the fair each year on July 4th. Plans are to do the same this year. We usually sit to eat at the stand where the ox is roasted. The potato cakes are my DD's favorite! So is the fresh squeezed lemonade! Somehow we always manage to be there on the hottest and/or stormiest day. Do you volunteer at a specific stand??

We were in Kutztown this past Saturday for the Renninger's Antiques Extravaganza. Had to take quite a detour through the back roads due to the roadwork on the bridges. We passed by the fairgrounds and the kids are already planning our return next week!
Dale

Pam, I was about 40 lbs. lighter than in that photo when I met you this year.

Virginville is in a different county than Intercourse but is close to the village of Dryville, which somehow seems more appropriate anyway.

Last I heard, there will be about 2,550 quilts this year. No matter how many times I visit the quilt barn, I always notice some I missed on my last stop.

The washing machines are new this year. One of my favorite exhibits is the giant grundsow (groundhog), mascot of one of the lodges. Groundhog Day is a big deal around here.

Dale, July 4th is the one day I won't be there this season. I'm a greeter at the entrance gates and really enjoy it. You wouldn't believe some of the questions we get. Hope you and your family have a good time. The temperature should be better than last year's 100+ one.

When you've gone to Renninger's, have you ever stopped in at the Wooden Bridge Drygoods store? It's in the middle of a dairy farm on a road less than a mile from the market.

I would love your secret for losing 40 pounds! Please don't say say eat less and exercise more. Hanging out at this fair would be perilous for anyone's waistline. You looked wonderful when we met, and I bet you still do.

Nice looking groundhog. I'm glad that fellow isn't hanging out around the vegetable garden.

P.S. Did you get my return email?

I outlined our diet plan on the thread below back in January and that's still the way we do it, day in and day out, festival or vacation or whatever.

After years of battling the local groundhogs, we decided to live in harmony with them and leave the gardening to our neighbors. It makes life much less frustrating and a lot more interesting.

Here's one sunbathing by the pool.

And 3 out of the 4 kits that were born last year...

Here is a link that might be useful: Diet thread

Cute little devils, aren't they? My mom keeps a have-a-heart trap and caught one recently. My son drove it a few miles away and released it. It had been happily munching the tomato plants. No sooner was that one gone when another one took its place.

Your "diet" sounds so sensible. It obviously works! I like that you didn't weigh yourselves for a month or so. I hop on the scale almost every morning. The other day I went to the gym, ate lightly all day and could hardly wait to see if I had lost a half pound or so -- nope, the scale hadn't budged. Thanks for the link to that thread.

Ruthanna - Sorry we will miss you on the 4th. My husband is away on business travel until the night of the 3rd so there's a slight chance that we will put off our visit until the following weekend. But I know my two daughters will have a fit as it's become a tradition on the 4th.

The Kutztown Fair has become part of family folklore as DD #2 stood up and fell out of a wagon when she was 2 yr old while visiting the fair. Temps were about 102 degrees that year and we ended up with an ambulance ride to Lehigh Valley Hospital to check her for a head injury. All turned out ok 6 hours and a CAT scan later. The next year, we received complimentary tickets to the fair from the organizers after our "unfortunate incident". Within ten minutes of our arrival, we were back at the first aid tent with a now three year old who had sun tan lotion in her eyes!! First Aid group remembered us from the previous year!!!

We haven't been to the dry goods store as of yet. Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it.
Dale