F2 Sunday, September 16, 2012
The Hutchinson News
2012 KANSAS STATE FAIR
Junru Huang/The Hutchinson News
Brad and Linda Shores play the steel drums at Gottschalk Park during the Kansas State Fair Tuesday afternoon. Junru Huang/The Hutchinson News
Fair
A wind turbine was erected on Friday at the fairgrounds through a renewable energy grant and will serve as a living exhibition.
●From Page F1
Blowing in the ‘wind’
A few good gigs
The engines were slowly warming up for the Roy Coffey Antique Farm Machinery Show outside the building where the Kansas State Fair Board was meeting Saturday morning. Earl and Ivalee Vanderhoff, who manage the 4-H Encampment building, came to the fair board meeting to thank the fair for more than 300 new mattresses, and ceiling fans in some of the dorm rooms. The encampment is available to all 4-H members exhibiting at the fair, their family, leaders and 4-H alumni if there is space available. It’s a cheap night’s stay for only $15, Ivalee Vanderhoff said. But guests must bring their own sheets, towels, blankets and pillows. The rooms are more like sleeping porches, than dorm rooms. Denny Stoecklein, fair manager, reported that Fri-
The Tropical Shores steel drum band entertained crowds over eight performances during the Kansas State Fair. The band isn’t from Jamaica or another island nation known for beach sounds, as the name suggests. Instead, the fourperson family band is from Haven, with husband and wife Brad and Linda Shores leading the way. Brad Shores said he and his wife have been playing the steel drum together since 1989, when they lived in Arizona. The couple moved back to Hutchinson and Shores became band director at Nickerson High School. The couple eventually had three children, all of whom were recruited to be part of their steel drum family band. “They (the children) were kind of a captive audience,” Shores said. “They did it because they wanted to do what we were doing.” Tuesday afternoon, The Tropical Shores entertained about 20 fairgoers at the Gottschalk Gazebo. Shores said “Under the Sea,” from “The Little Mermaid,” was one of their favorite songs to perform, if only because it was one of the most widely recognized steel drum songs. He said it was becoming more and more difficult to get their family’s schedules coordinated enough for them to perform together. Because of this, Shores said the group would likely return to its original lineup without the kids. Shores’ 21- and 17year-old children performed with him and his wife on Tuesday. Shores said his 24year-old daughter has her own steel drum band. Although The Tropical Shores lineup will likely change soon, Shores said everyone in the band was excited to have at least a few gigs at this year’s state fair. “We work more this week than any other week of the year,” he said. – Kayla Regan
Traditional treat Fairgoers who missed the New Year’s cookies will be happy to learn they are back at this year’s fair along with the lady who knows how to make them just right. The popular German Mennonite treat had been a tradition at the Kansas State Fair for more than 30 years. Elva Schroeder was preparing the fitter-like balls at the Central Christian School’s food concession. However, the school no longer has the booth at the fair and last year Kathie and Jack Girst took over the space in Cottonwood Court.
Photos by Lindsey Bauman/The Hutchinson News
Nancy Belknap, left, and Elva Schroeder make New Year’s Cookies at Girst Deli and Bakery inside the Cottonwood Court. Along with the New Year’s cookies big sellers are the cupcakes and brownie cups. – Kathy Hanks
Freshly made New Year’s Cookies fill trays at Girst Deli and Bakery inside the Cottonwood Court. Year-round caterers, the Girsts provide a menu of sandwich wraps, salads and freshly baked cupcakes, cookies and other bakery treats. However, last year there were so many requests for the New Year’s cookies that after a year sabbatical Schroeder has returned to the fair, cooking the raisinfilled deep-fried yeast balls which she covers with a powdered sugar glaze. On a recent fair morning when most of Hutchinson was just stirring, Schroeder and Nancy Belknap were waiting for the yeast to proof before they could begin the process of making about 18dozen New Year’s cookies. But, after the 18-dozen were finished, they decided to make 9 dozen more. They are a popular item.
Schroeder learned about the Mennonite treat when she married her husband. “It’s a family tradition from his side of the family,” Schroeder said. Once she learned how to make them, she began tweaking the recipe and now adds less flour. On a recent morning she took an ice cream scoop of dough and dropped the ball in the deep-fat fryer. She explains it’s important to make sure the air is out of the dough or it will float. Then they must constantly turn each ball. Kathie Girst picks one up to sample. She appreciates the extra help in the concession while she and her daughter Beth Duft stick to all the other foods on the menus.
day night’s concert with Heart sold 2,327 tickets and covered only 64 percent of its guarantee. Billy Currington with Jake Owen Saturday night’s big concert had covered 94 percent of its guarantee selling 4,266 tickets. In other news, Stoecklein reported that the seventh calf had been born at the fair, in the birthing center. And a wind turbine had been installed Friday. It was suppose to be installed before the opening of the fair, and there had been concern how they would be able to set it up by Gate 8 with so many people coming and going. But Stoecklein said the work was completed. The 4-kilo watt turbine was made possible through a Renewable Energy Grant provided by the Kansas Energy Office. “It will be a living exhibit,” Stoecklein said. – Kathy Hanks