Village Fair Walking Tour

0:00I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future. This is the love story of real hinged couple Odin and Edward, written and read by me Curtis Garner. Listen to the free audiobook now. Welcome to stories from the village of nothing much. Like easy listening, but for fiction. I'm Catherine Nicolai. I write and read all the stories you'll hear on the village of nothing much. Audio engineering and sound design are by Bob Wittershine. Our village of nothing much app is now live. And it's pretty cool if I do say so myself. There are live events. You can take courses in mindful art and journaling.

1:00You can do yoga or sit meditation with me, hang out with fellow villagers, and participate in group projects like our glimmer gathering and our village bingo card. It's just a lot of fun. Besides, it's the best place to listen to all three of our shows. Link is in our notes or go to nothingmuchappens.com. I said to a friend the other day that I sort of wished there were eight seasons instead of four, because I love the feeling of the shift that comes as the weather changes and brings new things to look forward to. He told me that in some parts of India, they recognize the world. In India, they recognize six. And in traditional Japanese culture, they have 24. And I was like, of course, the idea of a season is largely a cultural construct. It depends on how you see weather and time and where you put holidays. And I'm sure many other factors. Now, my point, and I do sort of have one, is just that we can celebrate as we like.

2:03Almost everything is made up. So if making up extra seasons or deciding that on the 12th of every month, ice cream must be served for dinner or that your family crest needs flamingos on it. Or whatever you can, babe. Like I've decided that I can take you on a walking tour in the little village I made up. While I was talking millions of people in with my bedtime story podcast, nothing much happens. It's absurd, but they can't stop us. So imagine yourself here with me. Well, walk, we'll chit chat and see the sights. And this works well as an accompaniment to an actual walk. But any which way you like is groovy. Since again, it's all made up. Now, before we get our things together and head out the door, let's take a deep breath in through the nose. And sigh from the mouth. One more time, fill it up.

3:06And sigh out. Good. Village fair walking tour. Hey, I over here. I know it's busy out here today, isn't it? Oh, man, I am so excited for our walk today. I promised you a couple months back that I would take you to the village fair. And I am a woman of my word. And it looks like the whole town came out as well. It is a perfect day for it. Sometimes September starts and it's hotter than August. Like just when you're dying for a cool breeze and a few clouds, you get mugginess and blazing sun. And how kids are supposed to go back to school under those conditions is beyond me. But today, it is cool and fresh out. The sky is a little overcast, but there is no rain in the forecast.

4:07And I'm kind of excited to have a light sweater on. I feel like I've been squinting for the last three months. And this softer light is like having a pair of sunglasses. We are out at the fairgrounds northwest of town. Like I'm sure you saw when you drove up, the fair sits on this large tract of farmland. It was a family farm at some point, but the county owns it now. And besides the fair, they host craft shows and seasonal events here. And there's a big red barn over there just over to your right. See it? Yeah, I think there's a hay-bale tossing event in there later today. Oh, here. I got us a weekend passes. So you can come back tomorrow or the next day if you like. I've got my bracelet on already, but let me help you put yours on. There you go. So we can bypass this line. Pardon me.

5:10Excuse us. Oh, just sliding right by you. And then just hold your wrist up so they can see the pass. Thank you. And we are in the fair. I have those flutters of excitement in my stomach, like a kid at Disneyland. Hey, before we get swept up in all the sites, we do have a little work to do. I know it's becoming a regular thing on these walking tours. The villagers are putting us to work. I promised we would sell some raffle tickets for weather vane farm. Yeah, no, that's right. That is the farm animal sanctuary we went to a few months ago. We have to head over to the barn to pick them up. Oh, boy. I can already smell so many good things. There are a dozen booths and food trucks scattered around the fair. And I have to think that one over there is selling funnel cakes.

6:13Can you smell the cinnamon and the sugar? And that cart has snow cones. Gosh, that was such a treat when I was a kid. The blue stain around your lips was almost a brag. Okay, let's take this gravel path here. It curves around these arts and crafts booths toward the barn. Yeah, no, we can take a look at a couple. Let's just not forget about the raffle tickets. Don't get me in trouble. Oh, listen to those wind chimes. Oh, my gosh. I love wind chimes. Some sound high and tinkly like crystals tinging off one another. And some of these are like low gongs. I had a gong at my yoga studio and I was a menace with it.

7:14I just loved the resonance and the way you could feel the vibrations in your body when I rang it. This booth has some beautiful handmade jewelry, pretty polished stone set in hammered metals. And this one features photography. What looks like these are all of local spots. Let's see what we can recognize. Okay, well, that is the windmill outside of town in front of that lovely orange sunset. This one I'm almost sure is the view from the top of the flower shop building. Did I take you there? Gosh, we've done so many things together. I'm starting to lose count of them all. Do you recognize this shot? The long hallway with the portraits and all the wood trim? No, not the village museum, but that's a good guess. This is definitely the end. See this little arched niche in the wall?

8:17That's the dumb waiter. And if you look really closely, look in the corner of the picture by that door frame, that black tail slipping out of sight, that's sick of more the cat for sure. Oh, look at this pottery. I've seen this maker's work before. They always have a booth at the winter greens market. Hey, that would be a fun location for a walking tour. Let's try to remember that. And we can pass this way again on our way out. I can tell you've got your eye on a few things, and you don't want to lug them around all day, you know. Plus, we're going to be in trouble if we don't get up to the barn and pick up those raffle tickets. Oh, right is right. Let's go. It's a bit hard to tell right now, since everywhere you look, there are booths and tents and people, but outside of fair time, this is a wonderful place for solitude and beautiful views. The road goes up a bit here to the barn, but from the other side, the land slopes down,

9:19and you can see open fields and trees for miles. Now, let's see, the raffle tickets are supposed to be just inside the barn here. Yeah, come on in. There will be blue ribbon judging in here later for the quilts and cross-stitch competitions. And I know that sounds kind of cutesy maybe, or at least very gentile, but even in the peaceful village of nothing much, I would not get in the middle of a quilting competition. No, I'm not kidding. Stuff is cutthroat. It looks like the quilts are already stretched on frames and hanging over there. Wow, someone made the village seal impressive. And that one looks like a map of downtown. Yeah, it's got the bookstore and the bakery and the village square on it. If you can handle the intensity, we can come back later and watch the judges sweat out their decisions.

10:25Oh, here are the tickets. One role for each of us. Here's a vendor apron for the money and a fish bowl for the steps. Why don't you take the apron and I'll carry the fish bowl. Now, look at these raffle tickets. Talk about something that hasn't changed in my lifetime. These ones are purple. There are a couple of raffles happening today. Like I said, benefits weather-vane farm. They're raising funds to bring a cow who needs a home across from a few states away. And they are these classic rectangle shaped paper tickets, two side by side, perforated on either end and with identical numbers on the bottom of each pair. I know this is obvious, but when we sell them, we give the customer the one that says, keep this coupon and the matching one goes in the fish bowl. Yeah, I want a Christmas cactus at a raffle when I was like in first grade and my ticket looked exactly like this.

11:31Okay, we're burning daylight, my friend. Let's get back out there. I think we should head over to the pickle pavilion. We can feed two birds with one seed. Check out all the beautiful brined goods and sell some tickets. What's that? You've never heard that phrase before? What do you mean? Feed two birds with one seed? Come on, that's super common. It means get two jobs done at once. What? Wait, what is the version that you've heard? Two birds? Why are people killing birds and bragging about doing it efficiently? Yikes. I don't know, maybe this is a village specific idiom or something, but I find it hard to believe that the one you know is widely used. Next, you're going to tell me there is some creepy, violent version of, there's more than one way to pet a cat. Oh, look, there's the pavilion.

12:32Considering this is all temporary construction, they did a fantastic job of it. The tent is so tall that it feels like we're walking in a real pavilion made of glass and stone. There are booths and tables laid out in rows all around us, and you can see that some of them have ribbons already. Blue ribbons, of course, denote first place, red is second and white is third. Then there are other awards like Best in Show, which goes across categories in a group, honorable mention, and Best Junior Pickler, and so on. Let's have a look. Now, everyone knows that chefs' pickles are probably going to procure first place. I was trying to see how many p-words I could get into that sense. I should have said, it's the public perspective that chefs' pickles presumably will procure primary placement.

13:34Sorry, I'll calm down. It's just all the pickles. I get so excited. Anyway, there are many other strong competitors in this pavilion. As far as types of pickles and pickled condiments, are you up for a good long list? Good, because here we go. At the village fair, the following pickle varieties are all carefully judged. We've got dill spears, dill slices or chips, garlic dill, kosher style dill, half soures, bread and butter pickles, always controversial, mustard pickles, pickled beets, dillie beans, pickled carrots, pickled peppers, both sweet and hot. Dirtonera, pickled crab apples, peaches, pears and plums, water melon-rind pickles, and finally, chow chow, corn relish, pickle lily, sourcrout, salsa verde, and kimchi.

14:38Oh man, you still with me? I know. How did I rattle all of that off like that? I don't know, it's like how Santa Claus knows all the names on his list. It just comes with the territory. Hey, why don't we divide and conquer while we peruse the tables? I'll go this way. You go that way, and we'll meet over there in a bit, and see who sold the most raffle tickets along the way. Oh, the prize for the winner by the way? It's an afternoon at WeatherVane Farm and a cow-cud-ling session. I'm really trying to buy clothes that last, that feel classic and are beautiful and well made, and that has brought me.

15:44I'm really looking forward to Quince. They make elevated everyday essentials and beautiful materials like organic cotton and washable silk, and everything is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. I work Quince before they were a sponsor. My wife introduced me to them, and we both have several pieces in our wardrobe that we love. I recently bought the 100% organic cotton, boyfriend, crew sweater, and Big Sur Green, and I can't wait for the weather to turn so that I can wear it this fall. Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com slash village. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns, now available in Canada and the UK too. That's quince.com slash village. www.cicada.com

16:54How did you do? Wow! Better than me! Well the day's not over yet. Did you get to sample some pickles? Me too. And now my mouth is kind of permanently pinched from all the vinegar. So what do you say? We take a walk along the midway and we find something to drink. Great. Let's go this way. We'll go past some of the carnival games. Did you ever like playing these when you were a kid? The ring toss, duck pond, the one with the milk bottles? I don't know, I never spent my precious fair tickets on those. I think even when I was a kid I realized the house always wins. I did always want to go on all the rides more than anything else. Remember that one that was shaped like a flying saucer? And you just leaned back against the inside panels and it spun around like a centrifuge? And you kind of slid up the wall?

17:57Yeah. No thank you please. Ooh the lavender farm has a lavender lemonade stand. That sounds good but I just don't think I can do any more sour for a minute. What else do we have? Apple cider slushies, peach iced tea, cold brew. Where do you fall on the root beer spectrum? Lover, hater, indifferent? Yeah, I love it. And this is a local place that makes their own and hits on tap. Okay great, I'll get us a couple. Here you go. Now what do you think about that, Paris Wheel? I think we can trust it. And the view from the top would be pretty wonderful. Yeah, let's do it.

19:19The line is short, maybe we can sell a couple more tickets while we wait. When a cow cuddle session, a dollar ticket. Oh great, yeah. How many? Good man. Thank you. And for you, how many? Wow, you must really like cows. No, me too. Here you go. Ooh, looks like we can get on the ride. You good? Yeah, you do. It feels kind of good. Just to sit down. Do you think they'll let us ride it a couple times in a row? So there's the barn where we saw the quilts. There is the pickle pavilion and right there below us the midway. Over there is the stage. There's live music all weekend. Then look over there. It's the giant vegetable competition. The pumpkins are so big that from here they kind of look like normal sized gourds.

20:29Where? Yeah, that tent sitting all by itself. No, I see it. I just can't remember what that is. And it's weird that there's nothing else around it. Yeah, we'll definitely need to check that out later. Hmm, the air is so fresh up here. Let's just enjoy the view for a minute.

21:50Wow, I feel rested up. Are you ready to head back out? Oh, and I think our ticket selling shift is over. Yeah, the weathervane folks told me once we sold 100 tickets, we could drop the stuff off for the next volunteer. And I think between you and me, we've done twice that. Apparently we can leave everything with the person working at the carousel, which is, oh, it's right over there. Oh, boy, I'm pretty sure this is going to mean colliah be music, so take some deep breaths. Hi, we have the raffle tick. Oh, you know, okay, great. Here you go. Thank you. Hurry, I'm going to share that music in my dreams tonight. Okay, so giant veggie show. Let's beat a path to it.

22:56Know what I mean? Or should we leave them alone? I mean, if you care at all, we need to see them. Yeah, yeah, I had those locked and loaded. Yeah, now I'm done. I know because you're like peas. Just kale me now. Okay, I really am done now. So you might remember when we went to the apple orchard last autumn, I told you that the cousins that bought it a few years back, that they came from a family of farmers. And that family has had the biggest, heaviest pumpkins at the village fair for about a decade. It's not even close. They always win biggest zucchini, largest giant onion, but they don't have a lock on is largest sunflower head. And I happen to know that drives them crazy. Here we are. The pumpkin is the star of the show. So let's leave that for last. Let's see what else we can find.

24:06Look at this carrot. This is bananas. That one snuck up on me. Sorry, I swear, but it is almost six feet long. It's taller than me. Comparatively, the winning zucchini is small. Well, we stand a short king over here. So well done, zucchini. We believe in you. Sorry, that just reminded me of this time that nothing much happens ranked higher than the Conan O'Brien show. And I sent Conan a DM that said, don't give up Conan. You'll get there one day, kiddo. I know it just tickled me. Oh, look, they're weighing the cabbages. Come on over here. Let's watch. Consider the soup you could make with one of these. 62 pounds. I don't know. I think this one is going to beat it. It looks like it's the refeed across.

25:0968 pounds. Oh, come on. That thing is enormous. That's got to be the winner. Oh, that's the farming. Look at their faces. They know they've got this one in the back. And they're a whopping 83 pounds. We have over. Let's keep walking. There's more to see. Wow, this watermelon is 174 pounds. Here's the winning sunflower head. Look, it's got the blue ribbon. It's two feet wide. And it weighs over 12 pounds. Now you could really feed more than two birds with one of those seeds. Call back. This is cool. I heard about this in anticipation of the fair and the very popular giant pumpkin competition. The organizers started growing this pumpkin tunnel in the spring.

26:14They used cattle panels and wire and built this arch, which is about eight feet tall, I'd say. And then they grew small pie pumpkin vines and trained them up and over the structure. And now you can't see the metal bracing at all. It's like this long fairy tale tunnel with small orange pumpkins hanging from the vines all over it. Let's go through and take a look at the competing giants. It's so cool. It's like an Alice in Wonderland moment. But instead of down the rabbit hole, you go through the pumpkin tunnel and into a world where everything is so big. It looks like there are five finalists. We're all sort of lumpy and pale. I think when you stretch pumpkins out this big, it's like the color gets stretched out too.

27:18And there isn't enough pigment to make them bright orange anymore. Each one is on a reinforced wooden pallet and each little patch has sort of been decorated, which I appreciate. It can't sway the judges because in the end it just comes down to the scales. But I like the extra effort to set up a scarecrow or that cornucopia full of fall flowers. Since the pumpkin competition draws so many people, they won't officially award the Blue Ribbon till Sunday. But we can guess the weight before we move on. Over here at this table, see they have this long list. And you put your name by the weight you think the giant pumpkin will weigh in at. Last year's winner was, oh it says here, 1,329 pounds. So they're going to start the guessing at 1100 and it goes up to 1500. I don't think any pumpkin has ever even hit 1400.

28:22But whoever gets closest without going over wins a pumpkin pie from the bakery. What do you think? Do you have a number in mind? I mean, mine's a pure guess. But I think this is the year where they're going to break 1400. So I'm going to write my name beside 1,417. Here's the pen. What? 1,418. Are you doing the price's right strategy? All right, well we shall see, a rump. Hey, remember when we were looking down from the top of the Ferris wheel? Where was that lone tent that was sort of in the middle of a field all by itself? I'm really curious about that one. Now that's what I thought.

29:22If the Ferris wheel is right behind us, we're in the giant vegetable section. I think we need to go that way. It looks like there's a little path through the cornstocks there. See how they're kind of bent back in that row? I'm up for it if you are. Just one sec. And we're going to toss our root beer cups first. Be right back. I'm really trying to buy clothes that last. We're going to toss our roots and make this. What's the price?

30:22I feel classic, are beautiful, well made, and that has brought me to quince. They make elevated everyday essentials in beautiful materials like organic cotton and washable silk. Everything is priced 50% to 80% less than similar brands. both have several pieces in our wardrobe that we love. I recently bought the 100% organic cotton, boyfriend, crew sweater, and Big Sur Green, and I can't wait for the weather to turn so that I can wear it this fall. Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com slash village. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns, now available in Canada and the UK too. That's q-u-i-n-c-e.com slash village.

31:30Okay. Shall we? Hmm. I don't know if this is right. I mean, why would you put a tent away from everything else and down an unmarked trail that might not even be a trail? Should we turn back? Did you hear that? Yeah. Me too. Who's over there? Who's over there? Oh, Cinder. I haven't seen you in a while. What are you doing out here? Well, I guess it's obvious. She's leading the way. Come on, let's follow her. The cornrows are thinning out a bit. We must be close. Hmm. What's that smell? Lavender maybe? And something sharper.

32:33Roo? We're coming, Cinder. I think we're here. I'll look at all these herb gardens. We've come into this big circular meadow. And there's the tent we saw. That's so pretty. Blues and greens. I swear those windows in it. Look at the glass. Look at them sparkle. And these beds are full of herbs. They weren't just planted for the fair. They look like they've been established here for ages. And there's the rue I was smelling. Over here, basil. So much of it. Rosemary. Here's the lavender. And there's mint. And calendula. And that's chamomile. And this tree. Is... Oh, I know where we are. The tree.

33:33It's witch hazel. This must be the Curio Shops contribution to the fair. I don't know why I didn't realize it before. Sorry, Cinder. I'm a bit slow on the uptake today. I reckon that if we found this place, if we were able even to spot it from the Ferris wheel, that means we are welcome. So let's go in the tent. I feel like we're in the Curio shop. But I'm pretty sure we aren't. There are wide-plank wood floors, however. And I can hear a kettle coming to a boil somewhere. But instead of the shelves of books and tables of stones and amulets, there are just a few comfortable chairs. And a door over there. Looks like there's a little sign. Palm reading. Take a number. Okay. I'm down. There's a little turno-mattec here.

34:35I'll take a number. Huh. Yeah, I got 1,417. Yes, that is what I guessed for the pumpkin. Hmm. You take one. What did you get? 4? Uh, okay. Well, I see why there are comfortable chairs now. I'll just settle in here with Cinder and... Now, serve me. Number 4. Huh. I'll wait here. You go ahead. Cinder and I will just think up some ideas for next month's walking tour. It'll be in October after all. Good luck.

35:43You