Exploring the Plant Kingdom at the 2008 Wisconsin State Fair

We saw some really cool plants -- both edible and decorative -- at the State Fair. Here are a few of the most photogenic:

Prize-winning beets. I was never a fan of pickled beets (just ask my sister Aberdeen about the social dangers of beets!), but roasted beets are another story entirely. Tossed with a little balsamic vinegar and some crumbled goat cheese and herbs, they're delicious!


I'm not sure what differentiates the first-place carrots from the second- and third-place carrots, but all of them are awfully cute, and surely nutritious.


Here is an adorable squash. Don't you just want to take it home and eat it? Or decorate with it? Either way, Security won't let you. It's a State Fair prize-winning vegetable, man!


This orchid is so beautiful! I have no idea what kind it is, because it was cordoned off by a velvet rope. Apparently after hours the State Fair doubles as a nightclub. The guy babysitting the orchids looked like he could have been a bouncer. It's plausible.


Finally, a pretty red flower. Considering that we visited the fair on the ninth day, this cut flower was holding up remarkably well.