Homage to Fair Ball jars

The 51st edition of the North Stonington Agricultural Fair opened for business yesterday, and today, I was charged with visiting and chronicling the event for a town periodical. I also figured that it would be the subject of my weekly column, since the fair represents the intersection of natural and human history, and that's essentially what I've been writing about for the last 40 years. So right after supper, with the light just about perfect and the events in full swing, I parked the car in a once and future hay field and trekked past the ancient tractors, the farm animals of every shape and size, the country music concert stage, the purveyors of wretched-for-your-heart-and-heartburn-but-delicious food items, and the midway. With a myriad photos on my storage card, I stopped at the Domestic Arts and Crafts building to view what in many ways is the heart of the fair: the handiwork of rural folks in the community. There were vegetables, hand-crafted baked goods, and a wide variety of quilts on display, but my favorite subject is always the home-canned items that capture the magic of the harvest and put it securely in a jar.