Collectibles from the Butler County (Ohio) Fair

I  have so many wonderful collectibles acquired over the last 80+ years.  Some were gifts, some were part of my life growing up, some are inherited, some were purchased at antique malls and thrift stores  – all are precious to me.  Some items are kept up year-around while others are brought out seasonally and on holidays.  Unfortunately, many priceless-to-me objects go undisplayed and unseen for years.  Each week, I’m going to pull out an item and post a COLLECTIBLE OF THE WEEK.

My collectibles this week are from the Butler County (Hamilton, Ohio) Fair.  This has remained one of our favorite fairs for over 50 years because it has never changed from being an oldtime county fair.  My only complaint about the present-day fair is they no longer have harness racing.

One of my favorite collectibles from 14 years ago is a coverlet with all of the things I love about a fair – horses, farm animals, displays, the midway, fruit and vegetable exhibits.  It comes out every year to display on the couch and usually winds up wrapped around one of the grandchildren.

Another favorite which I’ve had for about 20 years is an original photograph from the year they built a new grandstand – 1913.  Click on pictures to enlarge.

In later years I received a gift of a copy of the complete panoramic photo of that glorious day in Hamilton.

I love the old touring car and all of the dressed-up clothes the people were wearing.

From about the same era, I have a Ruby Glass tiny cup with the inscription – Butler County Fair – 1915.

My older daughter and I visited the fair yesterday to check out the exhibits by her and the younger daughter.  They accumulated a pile of ribbons including a blue ribbon for the younger daughter’s knitted shawl and a Best of Show for the older daughter’s crocheted doily.  It’s the 164th year for the Butler County Fair and it’s still the best fair in our area.

The First County Fair of the Season

My older daughter and I went to our first fair of the season – our Warren County Fair in Lebanon, Ohio.  The day was beautiful with bright, sunny skies and an 80 degree temperature.

I’ve exhibited many times in the past, but this year I left it all to my daughter who entered several needlework, jewelry and crocheted items.  As always, she did well with 7 blue ribbons and 3 second place awards.

I looked at all of the displays in the large building that housed the needlework, quilting, knitting, sewing, cooking, crafts, etc., exhibits and then found a seat near the racetrack while my daughter went to visit all the animal barns.

I’ve loved harness horses for as long as I can remember and always feel a sense of contentment watching them on the track.

I was able to watch three exciting races, close enough to the track to hear the hoof beats, and we started back home, both of us happy with our first fair of the season.

Poppyseed Rye Bread

In the 1980s, I started using Saco Buttermilk Powder to make bread and sent away for a collection of recipe cards.  It was a wonderful set of cards and this was one of my early favorites.  I first made the bread in 1986 and rated it “excellent”; in 1987, it won blue ribbons at the Hamilton County and Harvest Home Fairs in Cincinnati and won a 5th place ribbon at the Ohio State Fair.

It’s wonderful toasted and also a great base for a Reuben sandwich.

• Servings: Two nine-inch or three 7-½ inch loaves
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• 2 Tblsp. fast acting yeast*
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. salt
• ¼ cup buttermilk powder
• ¼ cup cocoa
• 1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
• 1 Tblsp. poppy seeds
• 2 cups rye flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tblsp. oil
• ¼ cup molasses
• 2 cups water
• 2-½ cups to 3 cups all-purpose flour

*I use Fleischmann’s Instant Dry Yeast. I buy it in bulk (454 g) and the package says that it is made in Canada. I understand it is packaged under the name “Instant Dry” for distribution through stores like Sam’s, “Rapid Rise” in the U.S. and “Quick Rise” in Canada. The “Instant Dry”, “Rapid Rise” or “Quick Rise” yeast is especially formulated to be used mixed with the dry ingredients and can withstand the hot water.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, place yeast, sugar, salt, buttermilk powder, cocoa, caraway seeds, poppy seeds, rye flour and whole wheat flour. Insert paddle beater and beat to blend dry ingredients.

In a four-cup measure, place oil, molasses and water.  Heat in the microwave to 130 degrees F.

Pour hot mixture into bowl and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

Remove paddle beater and insert dough hook.  Continue to beat for 6-1/2 minutes, adding flour a little at a time.   You may not have to use all of the flour – the dough should be smooth and elastic after 6-1/2 minutes.  The dough may feel slightly sticky because of the molasses.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn dough over once and cover with a napkin or tea towel.  Let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place that is free of drafts (I put mine on top of my microwave which sets under a cabinet).

After 45 minutes, punch down dough (press your knuckles into the dough to deflate it) and lay it on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough and form into two nine-inch or three 7-½ inch loaves. Turn over and pinch the edges to seal.  Place loaves in greased loaf pans.  Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes for nine-inch loaves, 45 minutes for 7-½ inch loaves or until bread is golden brown and has a hollow sound when tapped (210 degrees on a bread thermometer).  Cover with a piece of foil if top is browning too fast.  Remove bread from pans immediately, brush with butter, cover with a napkin or a tea towel and let cool on a wire rack.

Yield:  Two nine-inch or three 7-½ inch loaves

Health Bread

I first made this bread in 1988 when it won a ribbon at our county fair.  The recipe came from an old publication called Blue Ribbon Gazette, a collection of blue ribbon winning recipes from around the country.  It’s a nice, sturdy loaf that’s delicious fresh from the oven or toasted.  It’s good to have a loaf tucked away in the freezer to make grilled sandwiches or to serve with soup on a chilly, windy day.

• Servings: Two 9-inch or four 7-1/2-inch loaves
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• 4-½  cups all purpose flour, divided
• 2 Tblsp. fast acting yeast*
• 1 Tblsp. salt
• ¼ cup buckwheat flour
• 2 Tblsp. oat bran
• 2-¼ cups buttermilk heated to 130 degrees F
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup sorghum molasses (or any strong flavored molasses such as Grandma’s)
• 2-¼ cups whole wheat flour

*The “Instant“ or “Quick Rise” yeast is especially formulated to be used mixed with the dry ingredients and can withstand the hot water.  Rising time is cut in half.

Grease two 9-inch or four 7-½ inch loaf pans

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, buckwheat flour and oat bran. Add 130 degree F buttermilk, oil and molasses.  Beat with a paddle beater at medium speed for 3 minutes.

Remove paddle beater and insert dough hook.  Add 2-¼ cups of whole wheat flour.  Beat a medium speed for 6-½ minutes, gradually adding remaining all-purpose flour until dough is smooth and elastic.  Don’t use more all-purpose flour than you need.  Dough will be a little sticky from the molasses.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turn, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Use your knuckles to punch down and deflate the dough.  Form into two 9-inch loaves or four 7-½-inch loaves and place in prepared pans.

Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Bake 9-inch loaves for approximately 45 minutes; 7-½-inch loaves for approximately 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.  Cool on a wire rack. 

Yield:  Two 9-inch or four 7-½ inch loaves

Sugar Cream Pie

In the 1970s, my young daughters and I loved a Sugar Cream pie that we could buy frozen at our local grocer.  As the years went by, the pie disappeared from the grocery store and several of my attempts to duplicate it failed.  Then in the 1980s, I adapted several recipes to come up with one that I thought was very close to our old favorite and it won a ribbon at the Ohio State Fair.  I made it again for the two daughters for this week’s Sunday dinner.

• Servings: 6
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• 1 cup whipping cream (1/2 pt.)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• dash salt
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 3 Tblsp. butter, melted
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 9” unbaked pie shell*

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place a piece of foil or parchment paper in the unbaked pie shell and pour in 2 cups of dry beans.  Bake @ 375 degrees F for 10 minutes to “blind bake”.  Remove foil and beans and let pie set on rack while preparing the filling.  Note:  I keep dry beans in a jar to use in blind-baking pie crust.  The beans can be used over and over again to blind bake, but don’t cook them for other uses.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Combine one cup whipping cream, sugar, flour, salt in medium bowl – whisk until smooth.

Whisk in half-and-half gradually, add melted butter and nutmeg.  Pour into blind-baked pie shell.

Bake @ 375 degrees F approximately 45 minutes.  Pie is done when knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.  Good at room temperature or chilled.  Chill leftovers.

6 servings 

*Click here for my favorite pie crust

Garden Flag Made from Canvas Duck Fabric

I have a small garden flag stand beside my front walk and have a lot of nice seasonal flags for it, but I was never able to find a flag with a harness horse on it.  This past week, I bought some canvas duck fabric at JoAnn’s to make a floor cloth and thought I would try making a small banner out of this material, using the same general procedure I have used for floor cloths.

The duck canvas gets several coats of Gesso to provide a good surface for painting.  The design is painted with acrylic paint and inked with a Sharpie fine or ultra-fine pen on the canvas and then several coats of clear satin acrylic varnish are applied.

I cut a piece of fabric for the back from an old county fair panel I’ve had for years.  This was also coated with the varnish.

This piece is something of an experiment for me since I know the process works well for indoor floor mats and the acrylic works well for outdoor wood items, but I’ve never combined the two processes before.

I like the banner very much.  The barn is from a photograph of the horse barn my father had for his harness horses for many years.

It was a gathering place for the family in the 1950s and 60s, especially during county fair time when everyone congregated.

I’ll see how this banner works out in all kinds of weather and I may be making a few more throughout the year.

Pie Contest Table Topper–Mini-Quilt

In the 1990s, I did a large painting of our county fair pie contest.

I took a picture of this painting and printed it on June Tailor Colorfast Fabric for Inkjet Printers.  I left the backing paper on while I touched up the acrylic paint and re-inked the picture.  Then, I removed the backing paper and sewed on strips of fabric plus rick-rack to complete the top.

I used all scraps for the backing and completed a memory piece for my table topper rack.

The little pie was hand carved from wood by a good friend and I borrowed one of my daughter’s miniature blue ribbons for this display.

In 1995, I had used a version of this painting to make a floor cloth for my daughter.  It has been in constant use since that time and I’m going to freshen the paint and apply another couple coats of clear acrylic so it will be bright for a few more years.

In 1993, the original design was on a sweatshirt which won a blue ribbon at our county fair and at the Ohio State Fair.

My inspiration for the sketch was my first pie contest in 1983.  The story is posted here.

https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/the-pie-contest/

As hectic, hot and tiring as the experience was, it stands out in my memory as one of the highlights of my life.

My oldest daughter, who was there at the time and has entered contests herself, has a delightful poem about pie contests on her blog.

http://www.nudged2write.com/archives/2692

County Fair Table Topper

In a previous post, I wrote about resurrecting some old decorative art sketches to make pen and ink panels for a tri-stand quilt rack.  That post is here:

https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/july-4th-parade-tri-stand-mini-quilts/

I thought I’d give another favorite sketch a try and made a panel for my larger mini-quilt rack using a design from 1996.  I thought it would be nice to do a crazy-quilt border using actual fair award ribbons.  Although I have a box full of county and state fair ribbons I‘ve won through the years, I didn’t want to cut those up.  Luckily, my daughter found a box of Montgomery County award ribbons (Dayton, Ohio) in an antique mall and I used some of those.

It’s rather ironic that I’m using ribbons from this fair because it was a major event that we attended all the time I was growing up in the 1930s-40s.  I even posted about their big Labor Day Fair here:

https://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/labor-day-in-the-1930s-40s/

I added strip borders and quilted in gold thread to match the lettering on the ribbons…

…and a sleeve, label and binding.

Back in 1996, I had made several wood projects with this design to sell in our craft mall booth.  It was like meeting an old friend again after all these years.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

My Fresh Peach Pie

I first made this pie in 1987 for the Ohio State Fair and it won 3rd place.  I call it My Fresh Peach Pie because at the time I used what I thought would make a good pie and later found it’s pretty much the basic recipe.  With ripe peaches from the local farm market, it’s simply delicious.

• Servings: 6-8
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• 5 cups sliced peaches (6-7 medium peaches, peeled and pitted)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• Pastry for 9 inch two-crust pie (Here’s my favorite recipe)
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

To peel peaches easily and without waste, drop them into very hot water and let stand for about one minute.  Remove from water and let drain and cool for 5 minutes.  The skin will slide right off.

Peel peaches, remove pits and slice in ½ inch slices.

Place peach slices in a large bowl and add sugar, flour, salt and almond extract.  Let stand for 10 minutes or while preparing crust.

Place the crust in a 9 inch pie plate and fill with the peach mixture.  Dot with butter …

…and place top crust over filling.  Seal and crimp edges, brush with milk and cut small vents in top crust.

Place on a large flat pan to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Servings:  6 to 8 

It’s County Fair Time in my July Kitchen.

County fairs were the major source of summer entertainment throughout my childhood in the 1930-40s era and we went to as many fairs as we could manage on my father’s salary and his gas ration points during World War II.  My favorite part of the fair was sitting around the barn before and after the afternoon’s races, listening to all of the “horse talk” going on around me and just sniffing – a horse barn is still my favorite scent in the world.  Of course, a barn is always full of flies.  My mother used to say that my little sister, who was so anxious to get to the midway and rides, would sit on a folding chair in the barn area and constantly wriggle, scratch, complain, and whine, while every fly in the county landed on her.  Meanwhile, I sat very quietly, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells with not one fly near me.

In my childhood, the horses made up 90% of my interest in the fair, so all through my life, I’ve collected anything with a harness horse on it.  I have quite a few items in my kitchen:

Although I always loved the horses the most, I was also anxious to see the baking and canning displays, the animals, and the quilts.

My kitchen shelf has a large silver tray on top that was won by my father for a race in 1969, and there are two silver bowls plus a brass tray that I won in pie contests in the 1980s.

All of the family competed and won awards in our county fairs and the Ohio State Fair.

It’s fair time again and although we don’t compete any more, I have a small county fair to enjoy right here in my own kitchen.

Click on pictures to enlarge.