When Eric and I first started dating and became engaged (it happened around the same time), we enjoyed visiting a friend of mine and going with her to the [Dutchess County fair](http://www.dutchessfair.com/html/dutchess_county_fair.html) in Rhinebeck, NY. Eric and I, metropolitan that we were, would laugh at the booths selling hand-painted power tools and it’s always fun to go “pet the produce” as we used to say.

Today, I took the girls to the [Hunterdon County 4H & Agriculture Fair](http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/4hagfair.htm) in Ringoes, NJ. Only a 40 minute drive from here. Free admission, easy parking for $5. This fair made the Dutchess County fair look like it happened in downtown Manhattan. I can now say that I stood one foot away from a goat being milked, and I pet a cow. The girls loved it, and I had to practically drag them out of the petting zoo after nearly an hour. The animals all had names and awards and now Laini is begging to join a [4H club](http://www.nj4h.rutgers.edu/default.asp). She says she’ll bring our guinea pig. There does appear to be a [4H group in Mercer County](http://www.mgofmc.org/rutgers.html) and as Eric says, “well, there’s a lot of corn here.”