There are certain things in Iowa Life you can only experience at the Iowa State Fair. Having two strangers walk up to you on the grand concourse wanting to talk to you about Jesus is one of them. Josh and Cole are 2 exceptional youth from the Des Moines area that are ‘taking it to the streets’.

I might have been sitting next to the next President of the United States. That is John Habjan of the Constitutional Conservative Party getting ballot access signatures on petitions in order to be on the Iowa ballot for president! If you’re getting signatures in August, your chances might not be all that great…  http://www.ccparty.us

For a photographer the highlight of the Fair is the photo competition in the cultural building. What the judges are thinking oftentimes is beyond me.

Sonya Finch of Grinnell had one of the Top 10 photos of the competition, and did she get ANYTHING? Nope. But several falling down barns got ribbons …  . Judges.

The line to see the butter cow / butter Star Trek was already unreal before 9 am.

$6 for a corndog? I don’t think so. Take 50 % tax of zero, State of Iowa. $6 ? That’s way too close to a lot of peoples hourly wage of $7.25.

The State of Iowa hasn’t figured out (yet) how to charge for looking at the animals in the barn. Give them time.

[photos by DME]