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Addison County Fair and Field Days 2008

Water Well Drilled Gratis, Bigger Demo Derby Planned, Ag and Family Fun Featured Daily

photo by Larry Johnson

Tuesday July 29, 2008

By Mike Cameron

    “We love this place,” a vacationing Mom with her husband and family told this reporter last year during Addison County Fair and Field Days in West Addison.  They were from the New York metro area and said that whenever they can, Field Days is a visit they look forward to year after year.  Dad, Mom and the three youngsters were enjoying a visit to the Children's Barnyard getting up close and personal with a variety of farm animals. It is one of the most popular places to visit during the week long event.  This year, Field Days will run from August 5th till August 9th.  Like every year the event has been in the planning stages since the preceding year's end date came and passed.

    Every year something is refined or added to make things better for the patrons and the exhibitors and this year will feature something new and special; plenty of fresh drinking water from a brand new artesian well on the grounds.  Water will not have to be hauled in for the livestock or utilized in limited supply by everyone else.  Here's why.

    The Williams Family, owners of Spafford and Sons Water Wells in conjunction with the Vermont Ground Water Association held a training session on how to control Artesian Well overflow during the past year.  They drilled a 515-foot well on the Field Days property resulting in a 40-gallon plus flow per minute.  Area businesses joined the effort.
Macintyre Fuels pitched in with fuel, Goodrow Lumber of East Middlebury supplied cement, Morris Piping Supply of Mechanicville N.Y. supplied all the steel well casing and Baroid IDP of Houston Texas supplied all the drilling products as well as a film crew who were on site to produce a training video that will be supplied throughout the industry to help other well drilling companies to learn and manage the new well overflow techniques and technology.  Atlas COPCO-CNC of Heiker N.H. supplied all the food for the crew.  Well drilling companies from all over the east coast attended the event.  Field Days are now the beneficiary of a brand new and badly needed, state of the art water well.

    Addison County Fair and Field Days President, Russell Carpenter is more than pleased about the new addition and so are the members of the board of directors.  “This is important technology because it allows for more water conservation by managing the overflow from the well. This results in less wasted water.  Having a reliable well managed water supply at the grounds and not having to haul water in is very important and we are very grateful to everyone who made it possible,” Carpenter explained to the Voice last week.

    Carpenter also pointed out that improvements to the electrical system, waterlines and the PA system at the Tractor Pulling area will be set by the time the Fair begins.  He also made an important observation about location and value.

    “With high gasoline prices continuing to erode family budgets, Field Days continues to be an excellent 'close to home' choice for families,” he explained further.  Field Days patrons pay one price at the gate and then only need to buy food or rides once inside.  There is plenty to do and see and the grounds are immaculate.

    No article about Field Days would be complete without a mention of the Demolition Derby.  The Demo-Warriors are serious and their fans are rabid.  They smash and crash and perhaps even a little cash might change hands in the stands on given nights.  There's something about a good rear end collision to get the blood flowing and it is legal!  This year pick up trucks will be added in a double figure eight.  Mimi cars will go or blow on Wednesday night.

    Tractor Pulls, and this year Truck Pulls, will also have the fans on the edge of their seats.
Pulling with these machines has a history of loyal and enthusiastic fan support that goes back generations.

    If original horse power suits your fancy there will be plenty of horse pulling for everyone interested by some of the best horse and oxen handlers in the business.  This is a truly unique look at Vermont Ag history and the men and women, who are keeping it alive,

    4-H, F.F.A. and their projects are always important and interesting.  Want to see the future of Vermont Agriculture? visit with some of the 4-H and F.F.A. members and their mentors.  

    This year you can also see the only competition in the state with miniature donkey.  Handlers will be showing from as far away as Pennsylvania.

    Addison County Fair and Field Days also features the largest working antique farm equipment area in the state.  The fair has a number of firsts and more are on the way.

    As Russ Carpenter points out, “This is one of the best family entertainment values in the country.  We look forward to seeing everyone at Field Days this year.
Addison County Fair and Field Days runs August 5th thru the 9th on Route 17, in New Haven.  Look for the special painted hay wagons on Route 7.  

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