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Summer means fairs

North to south, east to west, county fairs offer a chance for exploration.

Kevin Schulz, Editor

June 21, 2023

4 Min Read
Cows relax in pen at county fair
IT’S SHOWTIME: 4-H and FFA members work hard all year to bring their best projects to county fairs, with the goal of showing at the Minnesota State Fair. Chimperil59/Getty Images

Summer in Minnesota means it’s fair time; fair as in the annual gatherings that bring communities together.

County fairs across the state provide opportunities for reunions to recall memories of the past, as well as a look to the future. The future exists in the promise exhibited by the 4-H and FFA members who showcase their projects, from crops to needlepoint to a wide array of livestock.

Below is a list of the county fairs that lead up to the Minnesota State Fair, also called the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Summer is a time to explore, so why not take in a county fair that you’ve never been to before? You never know who or what you might see when you venture out.

About the Author(s)

Kevin Schulz

Editor, The Farmer

Kevin Schulz joined The Farmer as editor in January of 2023, after spending two years as senior staff writer for Dakota Farmer and Nebraska Farmer magazines. Prior to joining these two magazines, he spent six years in a similar capacity with National Hog Farmer. Prior to joining National Hog Farmer, Schulz spent a long career as the editor of The Land magazine, an agricultural-rural life publication based in Mankato, Minn.

During his tenure at The Land, the publication grew from covering 55 Minnesota counties to encompassing the entire state, as well as 30 counties in northern Iowa. Covering all facets of Minnesota and Iowa agriculture, Schulz was able to stay close to his roots as a southern Minnesota farm boy raised on a corn, soybean and hog finishing farm.

One particular area where he stayed close to his roots is working with the FFA organization.

Covering the FFA programs stayed near and dear to his heart, and he has been recognized for such coverage over the years. He has received the Minnesota FFA Communicator of the Year award, was honored with the Minnesota Honorary FFA Degree in 2014 and inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame in 2018.

Schulz attended South Dakota State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. He was also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and now belongs to its alumni organization.

His family continues to live on a southern Minnesota farm near where he grew up. He and his wife, Carol, have raised two daughters: Kristi, a 2014 University of Minnesota graduate who is married to Eric Van Otterloo and teaches at Mankato (Minn.) East High School, and Haley, a 2018 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is married to John Peake and teaches in Hayward, Wis. 

When not covering the agriculture industry on behalf of The Farmer's readers, Schulz enjoys spending time traveling with family, making it a quest to reach all 50 states — 47 so far — and three countries. He also enjoys reading, music, photography, playing basketball, and enjoying nature and campfires with friends and family.

[email protected]

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