I took my British girlfriend to an American county fair

[@DerpyDaringDitzyDoo]

To be fair, a lot of the reason some of those things like pig scrambles and mutton busting started turning up is to help younger kids learn to not be so scared of animals and get more comfortable wrangling them, as you have to do sometimes when you deal with livestock for a living. Family businesses and all that. My favorite part about county fairs is honestly just that every fair is a bit different, but always fun.

[@bes03c]

Makes sense. Great comment.

[@kishiroinfinitdiablo]

I understand the reasons why, but the term mutton busting sounds so wrong in so many ways 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ihateall3966]

@@kishiroinfinitdiabloit’s Mercia humor and one of the reasons why this country can be really great

[@DerpyDaringDitzyDoo]

@@kishiroinfinitdiablo I mean... yeah you're not wrong lol. Where I'm from we do something similar but just call it the "sheep ride". We do a lot more roping and horse riding though, both youth and adult competitions.

[@jazzingpanda3190]

As a Welshman , the term button busting got me feeling broody

[@annebolynzarsilve]

One of my favorite County fair memories was about 5 years ago now. They had a pen set up to show off sheep herding. Due to a scheduling mix-up, this couple didn't have their collie with them at the pen. They DID have their eight year old son with them. He did a great job! Everyone cheered him on while he herded sheep. Kid had a LOT of energy.

[@nigeh5326]

But did he do a better job than the collies?

[@annebolynzarsilve]

@nigeh5326 kind of a regular vacuum vs. Roomba situation. In a real field that was super big? He wouldn't have been able to keep up with the dogs. 15' by 30' pen though? He did good! Didn't need the level of supervision/instruction herding dogs would need either. (8 year old kid understands WAAAY more human phrases than 8 year old collie) Kid had CLEARLY seen this done before. Less speed, but less supervision required.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@annebolynzarsilve Nice.

[@help8help]

That seems like a great way for an eight year old to burn off some energy.

[@maybeIAMthetuba]

That is such a good story! Thanks for telling us :)

[@punkrockzoologist9449]

Next episode, Heather takes Evan to Gloucester for the Cheese-Rolling.

[@lucie4185]

Followed by the Bridgewater carnival and Ottery barrel carrying.

[@shaunbyrne9037]

Followed by the Atherstone Ball Game for some light hearted banter 😉 .

[@alicehughes4926]

@@shaunbyrne9037 and then to Tetbury for woolsack racing

[@RyanESmail]

Genius

[@0KiteEatingTree0]

Lts not forget the flaming barrel rolling. And county fairs in the Uk are a serious business 😂👍

[@BlooveyMcgrady]

I think the reason tractor pulls are a point of pride for farmers is that when you live in the middle of nowhere you have to do alot of engineering and mechanicing(?) on your own when stuff breaks.

[@chE3z1]

Depending on the class, i think a lot of it is the challenge/feat of modifying the tractor+engine to produce and handle that much power too. There are lots of vids of the huge purpose built tractors with multiple racing engines working in tandem!

[@maybeIAMthetuba]

I think they might call that machining, but don't quote me on it.

[@CentreMetre]

Its a shame comapnies like john deere are trying to stop that. Right to repair ftw!

[@brionl4741]

Those tractors you showed at the pull looked like mostly vintage models, 50 or more years old. It was probably a special class competition.

[@ianowens5255]

Thats pretty much east coats tractor pulls. We don't have the big farms midwesterners do, it's alot of smaller operation daires. If you do have a bigger nicer tractor youre not going to abuse it in a pull

[@MeghanHensley]

@@ianowens5255 Definitely not using the good tractors for pulls. There's a whole circuit for tractor pulling. The tractors used are typically enhanced specifically for pulling. It's similar to drag racing in what they do to the tractors. I have family friends who compete around the US.

[@davidcantwell2489]

What was she expecting, a Fête?

[@Videogeek95]

@@MeghanHensley Hey! Don't knock the Antique Tractor Pulls! My Dad not only restores Antique Tractors as a passionate side job, he also personally holds his own Antique Pull every year...

[@Videogeek95]

It's and Antique Tractor Pull... And they are actually more common than the big guys... They're mainly for the farmers across the country who are... well... FARMING most the time out of the year and don't have the time or funds for anything like the big stuff... Also for old paw-paw to bring out the putt-putt for a little fun one last time...

[@nickmaclachlan5178]

I'm a Brit and have been to a County Fair in rural Pennsylvania back about 35 years ago, the one overriding memory I have is the smell of all the food. Especially Funnel Cake, but the Hot Dogs, Corn Dogs, Candy Apples, Donuts and a host other of deep fried everything else, it still makes me feel hungry now!

[@dpixvid]

Tractor pulls too.

[@casinvader]

so glad you had fun here in pennsylvania!! probably one of the only fun things to do here is the county fairs haha

[@nickmaclachlan5178]

@@casinvader I was staying with a family on a farm in very rural Penn, the place was called Plumsteadville near Dublin. When I arrived and passed through immigration, the agents thought I was joking as they thought it was some sort of made up place name and I wasn't on the level! Imagine their surprise when I proved them wrong. I think the fair was possibly in Allentown?

[@keystone117]

⁠@@nickmaclachlan5178 I live about 10 miles from Plumsteadville!.

[@angelachouinard4581]

@@nickmaclachlan5178 There is a big fair in Kutztown, less than 30 kilometers from Allentown. I used to live in Bethlehem, next to Allentown and always went. The best funnel cakes I ever had were the ones there, no wonder you remember them.

[@BlackCatBritt]

upstate NYer here. Most of the county fairs I've been to have a demolition derby after the tractor pull, and a lumberjack competition happening throughout the day. Fascinating stuff lol

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

lumberjacks are ok !

[@tomraineofmagigor3499]

Haven't gone to one in years but I remember getting a free 2 lbs hunk of cheese at one in Wisconsin lol

[@jetv1471]

@@tomraineofmagigor3499😂

[@jetv1471]

@@mike_w-tw6jd😂

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

The demolition derby at our fairs in New Hampshire is always the most popular event. Very difficult to get a seat unless you get there hours in advance. But they are a lot of fun. Especially if you're in the infield, watching the cars get bashed at close range.

[@coasttocoast2011]

Aussie here, none of this was really surprising to me because we have agriculture shows here. We have chicken judging and horse riders doing barrel racing as well as the rodeo. I don’t think my show has mutton busting but I think other shows in Australia might There’s rides and a sideshow alley too with market stalls and show bags. My favourite part as a kid was always the show bag

[@everypitchcounts4875]

Australia also has lawnmower racing

[@coasttocoast2011]

@ oh nice, my local one doesn’t do that but we do poddy calf riding instead of sheep

[@Raptor3400]

I've always thought that Austrailia was more like America than Britian anyway.

[@getdonged1978]

america/aussie #1

[@russellbunton2323]

I imagine the Aussie version is more like if a normal American county fair that has been direct injected with Red Bull and then you add Aussie accents to everyone.

[@robertmartin6800]

I love seeing urban types experiencing rural culture, it's always fun. For as strange as this all seems to you, you guys are just as weird to us. I still remember the first time I ever saw a skyscraper, or visited a shopping mall, or the first time my girlfriend took me to Starbucks, I felt like such an alien. God, I remember riding a subway once, and it was terrifying! I don't ever want to do that again. The world is big, and people are weird.

[@GoddoDoggo]

Huh. That's some perspective. I've never felt so grateful to have moved around so much and grown up experiencing big city, suburban, and rural living, from trailer parks to townhouses. I guess it gave the broadest possible view.

[@justinbchen]

To be fair it sounds like she's from a relatively rural part of England, the culture is just different

[@JeffMcMenamin1027]

Your last sentence hits home. 👍

[@21Shells]

They mentioned shes from a small town in southern England. Outside of London there are no sky scrapers here really. I’m also from a small town in southern England and whenever I have to go to London for something its a pretty overwhelming experience. We have county fairs here too. Theres just more cheese, competitive sheep shearing, ferret racing and giant marrows. Really really big marrows.

[@thenewgray]

What's strange to me is you guys pretending to believe in god while voting republican.

[@scoutdogfsr]

Denver stock show 1977. My dad set me up for mutton bustin because I would ride our goats until bucked off. I was 7 and I won the 1st event. The next year I finished 3rd. I remember the feeling of the crowd and how they all were happy and slapping me on the back for my rides. One of my best memories with my dad carrying me on his shoulders as we left the arena.

[@davidwhite5800]

Tractor pulling is definitely a thing in the UK. I watched it this year at my local county show. English county shows are very similar to this American fair only there's definitely no Rodeo, fewer cowboy hats and with some more British things such as competitive sheep shearing and lots of local cheese stalls.

[@perryelyod4870]

Or saying a prayer to your god?

[@kellymoses8566]

@@perryelyod4870 England has an official state religion called the Church of England and 26 seats in the House of Lords are reserved for CoE bishops!

[@fools_opinions]

They also run a significant number of primary schools. I went to one and each day started with the lord's prayer and some hymns adjusted for kids to sing during the morning assembly. But after that was done the rest of the day was no different to a state primary school.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

​@@kellymoses8566 True, but it's not shoved down our throats. I say this as a long-term Anglican, medium-term (and counting) atheist.

[@azborderlands]

Definitely more pagan country England

[@kristophergoordman7225]

While tomatillos are in the nightshade family just like tomatoes, they are not a type of tomato. They are actually more closely related to gooseberries.

[@ADayintheLifeoftheTw]

Huh, I've always actually wondered about that, but never bothered to look it up. Thank you for confirming my suspicion. 🤔👍

[@danielsims6483]

You mean cape gooseberries, not actual gooseberries.

[@secondhandrooms507]

I came here to say this. He called it a green tomato and I made an audible gasp and was unreasonably aghast.

[@squizzyicetea]

They definitely taste more like gooseberries than they do tomatoes😂

[@triscuitbiscuit]

Heather- it is even uncharted territory for people who grew up in the north half of the state. NJ is such an insanely small state but cultures can be night and day different.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Yeah, I have extended family in New Brunswick, and from my experiences there, not once have I ever thought there would be half as much of the Southern-ness in Jersey that's in the video 😂

[@nigeh5326]

Same if you live on the edge of bigger British conurbations. I grew up on the edge of the Black Country and just a quarter of a mile away it all becomes countryside with farms and woodland. Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire all border my area of the West Midlands.

[@BH6242KCh]

I grew up in Sussex County and the county fair there was massive. Go see it if you get a chance.

[@MartijnPennings]

"insanely small" is still larger than half of my entire country (Netherlands)

[@JohnDoe-fu6zt]

@@MartijnPennings New Jersey is also entirely above sea level.

[@SternLX]

When I was a kid in the 70's & 80's me and my brothers LIVED for the annual County Fair in Reno NV. There was always something just so magical about them.

[@maplemothcottage3700]

Salem County local (and former 4-H’er) here, the mutton busting is very new!! Thanks for showing such a chill side of such a busy week for us. Props to you guys for braving the horrible summer humidity as well. By the way, when judging chickens during the fair, judges do look at plumage, but they also pay attention to overall health, grooming, cleanliness, and even temperament of the bird. The best in class rooster you guys looked at is most likely very spoiled and very loved at home in order to look that shiny and clean!!

[@Dan-is2qk]

I love watching evan being American. It's so surreal

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

From what I've seen she's hardly English, she seems to know nothing about the UK. 🤣

[@Dan-is2qk]

​@@user-yv2cz8oj1k...what lol?

[@arania.exumai]

Did you hear his accent change during the pig scramble? It suddenly got so "country" at around 13:30, lol

[@tonyluong6732]

​@Dan-is2qk People can't be happy so they're always a few dickheads who ruin shit for everyone else. Just ignore them, and they'll go away on their own. Everyone has an opinion, and unfortunately, the internet forces you to hear their dumbass ones but still just pretend they are just npcs trying to bother you about the cloud district.

[@LizzylovesLobo]

i used to watch when he lived in NJ!! his accents changed so much its so weird

[@JoeBleasdaleReal]

As a Brit, I can’t count the number of times I muttered “oh, fuck off” to myself during this video. Props to Heather for keeping a straight face the whole time 😂😂😂

[@TheAdambright]

Bemused.

[@MultiEquations]

I was the same as someone from NYC lol.

[@daanachmad4032]

@ As someone from NYC, how do you find yourself bemused by fellow Americans who are not from NYC? *how often

[@alloallie]

For me, a Filipino, it was 'What even is that?'

[@IceMetalPunk]

As a suburban boy from Florida: same. The South really is its own country, culturally speaking... guess that's why they tried to make that happen geopolitically as well 😂

[@lynnhamps7052]

We do have County 'fairs' in the UK, usually called County Shows, as a kid I'd go to the one at the East of England Showground in Peterborough where i grew up. They'd have steam traction engines, tractors and giant shire horses. Sheep and sheep dog trials. Lots of other farming equipment and sometimes classic cars. There would be loads of food stalls selling hot dogs, jacket potatoes, fish and chips and at least two huge spit roasting pigs. No kids on sheep or chasing piglets though, we'd think that was a bit cruel... to the animals, not the kids...lol.

[@Scuzzlebutt142]

New Zealand has something vaguely equivalent in it's Fieldays, and A&P Shows, more along the lines of the county shows the UK has. Much more in line with NZ culture though.

[@frankhooper7871]

I used to "perform" at the East of England showground - American square dancing in the main arena. Always a fun day out. I've also been to the Suffolk county show a few times. They're really not that different from American county fair; I also both Orange County Fair and LA County Fair...as well as the California State Fair.

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

At least it's not bull fighting like they do in Spain.

[@TheBreadthatcausedLesMis]

yeah here in Nottingham we have Goose Fair which has been happening in some form for the past 740 years.

[@evelynwilson1566]

Aye, here in Scotland we have local shows . There's also the big annual Highland show at Ingliston in Edinburgh. This has a lot more entertainment than our local show though. Our l8cal show has competitions for the animals, show jumping, sheep shearing demos and old tractor displays. Sometimes there is Highland Dancing. The show jumping are qualifiers for bigger events. There' s no special food just burger vans but they are usually posh burger vans. We don't do pageants or rodeo, and its not about patriotism. Its really a chance for people to demonstrate skills and be rewarded for their husbandry, for farmers to socialise, and for the public to learn and get up close to farming. We also have local Highland Games, where they do all sorts of sports. The big differences are: no pageants; no religion; no rodeos; no patriotism. Just a nice day out for everyone.

[@HaloGT1]

This is such a good and well run fair. For every event, there is a kids version. The children are very involved to learn and practice some kind of skill through the whole day

[@kw7100]

Excellent commentary on our county fair! Keep up the good work Salem County and thank you Evan for showcasing this spectacular event!

[@LogicalNiko]

I do have to say Heather is hilarious, her British wit is awesome. And a good deep fried pickle is a southern must, I agree when done well and fresh they are the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

[@tedioustotoro4885]

As someone who’s gone to British county shows a lot as a kid, the smoke from the tractor pull seems tame compared to some of the traction engines I’ve seen rolling around the shows

[@zanderdev57]

You have to see the case engines then. Like volcanoes spewing fire from their smokestacks. Look it up!

[@TheTomco11]

​@@zanderdev57that's only because they're throwing sawdust in the fire

[@ec7005]

Diesel vs coal

[@cyber_nuggets8302]

One time I went to a tractor race where they modified diesel tractors to go as fast as possible It was impressive but the clouds were massive, and I don't think I'll ever forget the smell lmaoooo

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

Honestly it was a pretty tame tractor pull as well, compared to Great Eccleston.

[@Kim_Music_books_racing_fan]

The thing with the kids is that you want to get the next generation interested in the events, so that as they grow up, they want to continue doing the stuff as adults. Without young people being involved, things will die off. Not every kid will like it, obviously, but some will get hooked for life. From my experience, I grew up going to a drag racing track (the kind at Englishtown, NJ and Santa Pod, for Evan and Heather) because my dad worked there. I grew to love it and still attend events at various tracks many times a year. Young people (kids and younger adults) are the lifeblood in keeping anything- sports, fairs, clubs, etc. alive and thriving. Also, as a southerner, I'm happy that Heather enjoyed sweet tea.

[@lloydedwards809]

Normalising violence & animal 'abuse' for everyone, especially children

[@higgme1ster]

@@lloydedwards809 That's better than being a pansy arse.

[@BillLaBrie]

@@lloydedwards809squeal like a pig for us

[@JustAGooseman]

@@lloydedwards809 L take. If you think pampering people is healthy you have never met a sociopathic rich kid lol. Exposing children to various stimuli that might be uncomfortable to some degree is how you raise healthy children. Its either they ride a sheep for less then a second, or maybe we can go back to the way the Brits did it and have children learn to fence? I mean, I'm perfectly down to let children poke each others eyes out and slash each others faces; because why put animals at risk aye?

[@aaronburdon221]

@@lloydedwards809 Those animals are probably better cared for than most people around the world. They're given food, shelter, warmth, comfort, and even love. The industrial farming needs to stop, but these animals are from small farms where the farmers literally take care of them like they're their own children because their livelihood depends on it. I live in farm country and know some of these farmers. Cows are like big dogs in that they love head scratches and hugs and most of them wouldn't run away even if they opened the gates for them.

[@TheChrisJaynes]

I hope for more of these videos. I am enjoying seeing my country through Heather's eyes. Bring her to the Del Mar Fair in San Diego County sometime. It's happens in June through July 4th, and is much bigger than this fair, with many of the same things, but many more too.

[@fabiennevlcan-sparks7445]

Not gonna lie, I just clicked on this video because I am living in China and though I love it here, I've been feeling really homesick lately. And this video did NOT disappoint. I honestly have a lot of love for American culture at its purist, and county fairs really embody that to me. It was very enjoyable watching a non-American react to these things! I might show one of my Chinese friends this video haha, she's often curious about the 'real' America I grew up in, and to me, fairs like this are a pretty good example!

[@really-quite-exhausted]

My only knowledge of US county fairs comes from reading Charlotte's Web multiple times as a kid, so I only really thought about the "best looking animal" competition that Wilbur is in. With all the other activities and spectator events this looks like such a fun day out!!

[@jeffragar3493]

It is fun. This fair was missing the carnival rides and games that most fairs have. Next level is a state fair which is like a county fair X10.

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Nothing beats a small town county fair to be honest. Especially when your town is on the national rodeo circuits its a blast.

[@mcmadness110]

@@jeffragar3493the fair I go to every year is the Big E in west Springfield MA. It is closest to a state fair but people come from around New England.

[@Imissnormal]

There are often small free standing amusement rides too like ferris wheels.

[@crae_s]

I live in Ireland, and we have lots of county fairs here. Similar to this. With chicken “beauty pageant”, cow auctions, demos of farm machines, flower arrangement competitions, sheep races, etc. Think some have plowing competitions too. The prison is really weird though, and riding bulls doesn’t happen here 😂

[@jmas43]

Funnel cake is dependent on who is making it, the batter that is used, and the method of cooking. Good funnel cake is made with two different pots of oil at two different temperatures to make sure it is cooked evenly throughout. If you ever take Heather to Dollywood, they make them right. Also, get the apple cobbler added on top, because it's divine.

[@patricianocerabrandy4190]

Love that you show that New Jersey has county fairs. My mom took me to so many. Thank you for teaching the world about our beautiful state.

[@farmdog93]

I was in 4h poultry when i was a kid, was so much fun and the free pass to the fair was a plus as well, awesome video, hope your new year is going amazing

[@LanceCSTCuddy]

remember that we get eggplant as a literal translation of the Arabic for “egg plant,” and British English got aubergine from the Arabic to Catalan to the French translation of “egg plant.” Also, the original plant absolutely looks like hard boiled white eggs on a stem.

[@alexanderacosta48]

Yeah, similar thing with zucchini. Americans use the Italian word, while Brits use the french 'Courgette', which honestly sounds like a better name for a car than a vegetable.

[@au1317]

@@alexanderacosta48 Wow I had no idea the British version of these words are more colored by French. I'm sure there's Brits that if they knew that they'd switch up quick!

[@tarrickmerdev2324]

@@au1317 Wait until you hear how they spell defense, theater, and color! The British are notoriously protective of how derivative of French they are! LOL. You would think they would appreciate the American efforts to simplify the language and remove many of the French-isms.

[@gwenethp511]

​@au1317 the British have a strange relationship with their French loan words. Sometimes they want to change pronunciation to be further away from the French (like with herb) or they want to be more French. Then they complain about American English being bastardized, when it's pronunciation and word choice is probably closer to the English of the time than England's English is lmao.

[@noodlelynoodle.]

​@@au1317yhe funniest thing is how often british people go on about americans spelling stuff wrong when in reality it's typically the american spelling is correct and the British changed how they spelled it later because they wanted to be different

[@R.L.KRANESCHRADTT]

10:00 I'm from Oklahoma... grew up around Rodeo for 50yrs...I never knew they did that in New Jersey....seriously....🤠🤠

[@dvdbluraydude3038]

Lol, I was thinking the same

[@BushnoSkillzz]

They fly confederate flags in South Jersey and will tell you if the Mason Dixon line ran straight like it should they'd be under it.

[@maggiee.3589]

South Jersey in general, but especially Salem County, has historically always been more culturally similar to the South than anywhere else nearby. The area is very rural and almost always elects a Republican to Congress. Interestingly enough, New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery (it mostly died out in the 1830’s but they still had some slaves even right after the Civil War ended) - and that’s largely because the Peach orchards, vineyards, and farms in the south of the state relied so heavily on slave labor. It’s kinda crazy to think that NJ was a part of the Union but still had slaves during the war.

[@MrYellowClyde]

They’re trying. Those boys definitely aren’t PBR material.

[@azborderlands]

I think people in the Southwest and Mexico don’t even realize it’s so popular in the upper US states.

[@davidhamm7909]

Deep fried Oreos? Sounds like something you’d get at Glasgow fair. 😂

[@jennievrchota2284]

Deep fried oreos are amazing!

[@IceMetalPunk]

Okay, but those are *amazing.* I've made them at home a few times, and they're just scrumptious. You dip them in batter -- at home, I go with Bisquick pancake mix. The cookie absorbs the oil, so it gets all soft, and the cream melts into the batter... the whole thing becomes a hot, soft, greasy, sweet, heart-attack-inducing piece of heaven.

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

Wouldn't that be Mars bars?

[@edwardballiet2167]

Serve with ice cream as well

[@alejandrorivas4585]

A lot of county fair food stem from scotch immigrants in the 1700s

[@jimsmith9819]

im glad that Heather enjoyed her fair visit thank you for sharing

[@aidenp265]

Southerner here, we have lots of fairs here in Georgia every year. Sometimes if it ain’t a fair we’ll have tractor shows, rodeos, and bluegrass festivals year round. I pull a 1952 Farmall Super A against other tractors and the fairs are just filled with kind folks. Glad y’all had a fun time

[@njm57]

I enjoyed your county fair. We have them in the Midlands too, in the Uk, but we only ride horses. Lots of animal judging, cakes and crafts, tractors, dog agility, displays, food. They are great fun. Villages put on their own smaller versions. We have Wakes Fairs in the towns, which are huge fun fairs that visit for three or four days and set up through the streets. I lived for years in a London suburb and had no idea this went on.

[@heneagedundas]

And some of the village ones can be pretty impressive, see Hecklington for example.

[@nigeh5326]

I live in the Black Country and as a lad used to go to the Malvern Showgrounds for shows there. I always enjoyed it.

[@TanksRock]

I went to a Northumberland village fair recently and they had sheep racing, they just put lightweight dummies on the back as 'jockeys' 🤣

[@spracketskooch]

Dog agility has to be my favorite category of any competition or show.

[@waynesanchez6504]

Seriously? In South Louisiana, USA, we have Fall Sugar Cane Fairs. They grind stalks of sugar cane, boil the sap down to syrup and molasses, which you can buy. The Cajun jambalaya and home made dishes, cakes, candies are to kill for! There are livestock exhibits, dancing to live bands (several), displays of antiques, HAY RIDES, art displays. Pretty fantastic stuff.

[@OogieWa]

Most of the same stuff in rural Ohio; apple butter instead of syrup and molasses. Yes we may even have Cajun food stands! You didn't think you could keep that good stuff just down there, did you?!

[@jackwalker4874]

Agricultural shows are definitely a thing in the UK. The Bath & West Show and the Royal Welsh Show are some of the better known ones, though most rural counties will have their own. They have tractor pulls too.

[@ericreese7792]

I imagine they're a thing most anywhere crops are grown & animals are raised.

[@LindaFranklin-i7m]

Royal highland show (Scotland) also has the ‘fun’ of dancing! Rural shows in any country are worth going to if you are there at the right time.

[@Eliteerin]

Surrey have a county show

[@FrankeeLee223]

Take your lady to the Texas State fair . I went a few years back and I loved it ! The ferris wheel, the great food, all the beautiful animals and all of the friendly people. It was Awesome

[@ericaschoenberg7782]

seconded! I went to the Houston Rodeo a few times as a kid, and remember a lot of the same things (pig races, fried food, carnival rides, local art contest, cowboy hats & lassos abounding) but taken to the next exponential power haha!

[@BackWordsJane]

Yes! Everything's bigger in Texas including their state fair. You get greeted by a giant Cowboy statue named Big Tex 🤠

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Nope come to Denver National Western Stock Show

[@thomashughes_teh]

I've been watching KZbin for hours. This is the most feel good video I've watched all day. It's almost sunset.

[@kg4wwn]

There are some points to having extremely powerful tractors. First, there are harvesters and plows that you can pull that are very wide, and if it is soil that hasn't been plowed before, it will take a lot of work. However I think the biggest strain on a tractor in normal setting is probably pulling up stumps or rocks. There are stumps that even the biggest of those tractors wouldn't be able to pull, but the bigger the tractor the bigger stump you can pull and the easier it is to clear farmland.

[@Spudz76]

It is also a nice demonstration of balancing horsepower and torque, since to get moving it needs torque but then to keep momentum it needs horsepower for a bit of speed but also not a whole bunch of wheelspin, and then a ton of torque again toward the end when the weight gets to the top of the sled. Being one-gear all of that must be accomplished in the engine setup, and throttle/brake control finesse. It's really a more complicated mechanical art than it really appears. Stump pulling is 100% torque and traction, who cares how fast it moves. But if you stump-pulled the sled you'd probably lose it part way through the run for not having any forward momentum.

[@Denis-ez8gd]

When I see "my British girlfriend", I always think that there is another AMERICAN girlfriend

[@rachelwalsh3575]

😂

[@bluekitty3731]

Don't give him any ideals!

[@MartijnPennings]

My dad introduces my mother sometimes as "this is my FIRST wife". Yes, they're together. No, they've never been married to anyone else. My mom finds this really annoying, my dad thinks it's funny.

[@JohnDoe-fu6zt]

Yes, he has to say that to keep from getting them all mixed up.

[@rancidmarmot1994]

😳🤫

[@Recman700]

Reminds me a lot of the various country shows you get here. Tractor displays, classic cars, sheep and cattle competitions. The most recent one I went to had 'dancing' sheep, a young vs old farmers relay (silage wrapping and loading) and a wacky horse jumping and quadbike relay competition between some of the local hunts

[@elizabethlockhart2103]

come to the county fair, where you can experience the wonders of agriculture, patriotism, and the us prison and police military industrial complex

[@kyledabearsfan]

This is just summer 4H life 😂 thanks for showing off some of the lesser appreciated parts of the US. Hard to beat the food :) im blessed to have been raised around this, its just such simple goodness 😂 its funny watching city people experience it. Best wishes.

[@nance1111]

Heather is a keeper. Also, a few thoughts about the fair. It's really a showcase of farming culture. The same thing happens in the UK - varying a bit, think the Highland show. The fair on the east coast is a bit different than in the mid-west which is a bit different than in the west. But all in all they, along with events like the Highland show all include showing off your animals, farming equipment, skills (bull riding, quilting, canning, crops grown,) and "fair food." It's a chance to get together and socialize, for many in the farming community it's the highlight of their year.

[@dalestockman4292]

Thank you. Warmed my heart. Glad to see that NJ still has a part that is down to earth.

[@Greenlion781]

The majority of NJ is like this.

[@fizgig2016]

I am in Burlington county and that's true for SNJ. We have tons of farms here still. But Salem County is essentially Alabama North.

[@user-tc6xg5ze2u]

Evan, not far from London : I recommend SouthOfEngland Summer show in Ardingly. Not as wild, but with plenty of beautiful farm animals (an odd pigs' race), great produce (food hall wth cider, pies & cheese counters being my favourite) & historic vehicles/engines, fun fair, etc. There is a Winter Show but not as pleasurable 😉 Love ya both - you make a cute couple ❤ Thank you for this episode: loved it, and now ....I want a fried pickle !

[@amberatartimec2564]

Also cowpie in Lingfield, although they've had to call it off last couple of years

[@user-tc6xg5ze2u]

@amberatartimec2564 never had a chance to go to this one, but seeing it's fairly local and there is one planned next year...I might be tempted 😉 Thanks for the tip 🙂

[@Joe-ch6mu]

your wife seems like a wonderful wonderful lady! so impressed with her enthusiasm thats super awesome! I wish her and the both of you all the best, it looks like you had a lot of fun. That's what its all about, buddy. 👍🏻🇺🇸

[@sparklykitten5179]

I'm blown away and heart warmed. I had no idea a NJ rural town fair would look exactly like my TN rural town fair. Beautiful.

[@carriep7378]

In Norfolk (UK) we have troshs which are rural fairs/shows that showcases traditional farming methods, such as threshing, ploughing, and baling. The word "trosh" comes from the phrase "we're going troshin", which was used by farmers when they went out to gather the harvest with threshing machines.

[@nigeh5326]

Same across the UK counties and towns have long had fairs and shows to encourage people to visit but produce and just have a fun day. I used to love the 3 counties showground events in Malvern Worcestershire as a lad.

[@PiersDJackson]

In the words of Stephen Fry, "normal for Norfolk"....

[@aaronburdon221]

I always was curious about using an old fashioned scythe. I know it's an acquired skill and a little bit dangerous but I always found it interesting.

[@aidansmith325]

We have the same thing here in the Midwest, we call em’ Pioneer Days, Steam Shows, or Steam Thresher Reunions. Steam Tractors and giant 1920’s tractors known as “Prairie Busters” are aplenty.

[@mytube001]

I went to a tractor pulling event here in Sweden as a child. Absolutely awesome!

[@BirdMorphingOne]

As an expat, this is incredibly nostalgic to watch. There’s definitely nothing quite like a county fair in Japan

[@Gioeli76]

The most fun part of any county fair is the food. It's mainly a contest to see who can deep fry what. If it's edible, there's a county fair where it's been deep fried.

[@SorosPhuvix]

Oh hey, I grew up in Salem NJ! Showed my animals there every year until aged out and moved away to college. Super glad ya'll took the time to visit the county fair, it has had some popularity fluctuations over the years but I think they've done a good job making it interesting to attract new people while keeping the history all the oldies enjoy. Maybe one day you can swing by Cow Town, the biggest rodeo on the east coast! You can find some interesting deals in the market.

[@TomekSmykowski]

21:06 Heather's tractor-attractor face is pure gold 😂 I love the chemistry between you two 😊

[@CareyTisdal]

I am surprised to see this in New Jersey! Thanks Evan, for broadening my horizons as an American!

[@jennievrchota2284]

This makes me miss my county fair. I was in 4h and FFA all through school and the county fair was the biggest event of the year in our town. We litterally plan my family reunions for the weekend of the fair. Though we dont have some of the events that apparently this fair does, they all seemed pretty on par with what i think of when it comes to fair activities.

[@tomrogue13]

I haven't gone to our county fair in a few years

[@brandonhernandez4840]

As a native of southern NJ I have dedicated my thesis work into understanding the region and culture of this area that is the “armpit of the armpit” a place that gets neglected from the rest of the state but there are so much history and culture that’s present today and I wish it was appreciated more than we see it. This is a cool video. I like it. 10:32

[@IDann1]

best episode yet, keep them coming with the better half

[@B.Evil.C]

I love US unsweetened Ice Tea and always get it when I can when I visit. It is amazing we in the UK cannot easily get it over here.

[@TheEulerID]

As Heather is a Buckinghamshire girl, then maybe take a trip the Bucks County Show to see the British equivalent. Also, the smoke is part of the atmosphere. Literally true of course... nb. there is a UK tractor pulling championship, but I don't think it happens at country fairs. There are also traction engine pulls, but again not, I think, at county fairs. Those are at steam fairs, which I tend to think are quintessentially British, but I could be wrong. They do generate a lots of smoke too.

[@Theodore-zd2mv]

Steam fairs are also very common in the U.S. and Canada. At least in the mid-west where I am from.

[@neilbucknell9564]

Many UK County Shows do include steam traction engines, horse-drawn vehicles, military displays, equestrian competitions and other "shows" - including such things as terrier racing. I think Evan going to one would make a good video.

[@haveyoutakenyourmeds]

I love traction and steam rallys. The atmosphere is amazing and listening to commentators is comedy gold (if you can understand them😂).

[@mescko]

My State, Oregon, hosts an annual event called the Great Oregon Steam-Up held on two consecutive weekends at a near-to-me events center that has several permanent museums including cars, commercial trucks, tractors, etc. There is a scale railway you can ride on. People come from all over the western states with stationary engines, steam tractors. There is a building housing several stationary Diesel engines as well as an operating steam sawmill and blacksmith shop. A wonderful event for historians, kids, and gearheads alike.

[@helenryan5217]

If a steam show is like an antique engine show, we have those in the US. My American father used to subscribe to a magazine called 'Antique Power," which was all about old engines.

[@jennifermoon3276]

:) I live in Salem County, NJ! I'm glad other people are seeing how rural NJ can be.

[@JAX5N]

Great video man! You should take a look around for a 410 Sprint car race, you won’t be disappointed :D

[@nb594]

Greetings from the New Jersey Shore! There's a fair here in Monmouth county every year at the Freehold fairgrounds. The state fair happens every summer up in the meadowlands. Lots of people in Jersey very serious about having a good time in the summer, without a doubt! It's not the heat, it's the humidity! Bet your girl loves Wawa!

[@Ciara_Turner]

Thats what a funnel cake is?? I honestly had no idea what I'd expect, but definitely thought it'd be more cake-y

[@headerahelix]

funnel cake because you have to pour the batter through a funnel into oil. If you're in Europe come to Finland and get tippaleipä, americans trying to claim everything for themselves.

[@nathangamble125]

I thought it would be funnel-shaped. I've seen pictures before where it's wrapped into a funnel.

[@MartijnPennings]

I thought it would be more liek a chimney cake. It's a Hungarian snack I think.

[@CortexNewsService]

Honestly, funnel cake is just an excuse to eat powdered sugar

[@syntheticjesso]

@@nathangamble125 The "funnel" part is from how it's made, or how it was originally made. It's basically like a pancake or waffle batter poured into a deep fryer through a funnel, so you get that kind of "pile of ribbons" thing going. I don't think they do it that way anymore, because efficiency probably.

[@nicolalocke5360]

As kids in the uk. We visited the old courts in stafford. Upstairs had been turned into a library. Old court still set up. Definitely can say we went in cells. Think it just depends on what is around you in your local history. We spent a lot of time at stafford castle and large churches.

[@makotoisme]

County fairs definitely exist in the Uk but without the rodeo aspects. Though I have seen donkey racing, pig racing and there is usually a birds of prey display and sometimes a petting zoo (I got to pet a skunk once). Near me we have the Caerphilly big cheese festival, lots of rides, many food and crafts stalls, medieval re-enactments and several live music/ performances stages. At full size it covers most of the town centre and the castle (it’s been mini for the past few years though due to repairs on the castle).

[@randomboomerang2787]

Actually wild to see someone doing cool content from this neck of Jersey. This video came up in my autoplay and I perked up when I heard Salem county and I've been stunlocked the whole time. Def subscribing, keep up the good work man

[@cornchipgod8609]

I've been doing 4h since i was really little it's so nice to get to see people from other countries having fun at a county fair!

[@carolineskipper6976]

Most UK Counties have a County Fair of some kind, which includes a lot of what was seen here. The exceptions are the 'rodeo' type events and the pig chasing. We do see piglet racing in some places - but not being chased by humans. It would be seen as as being against animal welfare. The other exception is the whole prayer and national anthem bit.....that's SO American.

[@tedioustotoro4885]

I’ve not seen pig racing at a county show, I have seen ferret racing though.

[@FlatDerrick]

Lincolnshire show has pig racing

[@ivetterodríguez-j4k]

I found the prayer bit strange as an American and I was raised Christian. 😂

[@JhericFury]

We had sheep racing

[@TheOriginal_BigMac]

Yeah, that bit was cringey and vomit-inducing

[@nedhill1242]

Come down South for some serious fair action. We have county fairs, but the annual state fair will blow your minds. The biggest is naturally in Texas, but SC, FL, and pretty much every state in the South has an insane state fair.

[@OogieWa]

Yeah, come to Ohio sometime for the state fair. Y'all don't have anything on us up here!!!

[@nedhill1242]

@ lol Whatever! SC, Florida, Texas, insane! No state fair beats Texas. Not even close.

[@cloudyview]

MN and TX get to fight about which fair is larger. MN wins by daily attendance (by about 50k attendees), but it only runs for 12 days, versus 24 days for Texas.

[@-Ricky_Spanish-]

TBH pretty much all states have an awesome state fair. The West, Midwest, South, New England, PNW, even Alaska and Hawaii all have amazing state fairs. They are ubiquitously American.

[@RNS_Aurelius]

Child pageants are one of those things I hear about and think "how is that still legal?"

[@IceMetalPunk]

I'd definitely recommend the child pageant episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 😂 (If you've never seen that series, keep in mind it's a satirical show, and the main characters are meant to be horrible people to hate, not protagonists to cheer for. You have been warned.)

[@DarrenMansell]

​@@IceMetalPunk"I'm going backstage now. To MY dressing room. Which is nowhere near the kids dressing room, which is on the other side of the stage"

[@andyf4292]

gotta think Saville would have loved them...

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

​@@andyf4292or a certain prince

[@Chomp-Rock]

Freedom! Yeehaw!

[@pidgeonpatrol861]

NJ really rarely has them but my favorite event is always the Oxen Pull if they have them. It’s all the excitement of a tractor pull but they’re creatures AND they’re the farmers best friend. Once I saw a guy walk out holding the lead lines for his oxen in one hand, an ice cream in the other. Dropped the lead lines halfway through the walk up to focus on his cone, just full trust in his loving oxen and love of his icecream cone.

[@alfredlear4141]

Royal Cornwall show (UK) is like this, no bull riding but tractor pulls and ferret racing ❤

[@mrnamelessgamer8945]

Demolition derby’s are always a the biggest thing at my local fairs. I’ve never seen a British person react to one of those, but would love to see it.

[@blisterfingers8169]

We have those here too.

[@diane9247]

WHAT? You couldn't find good CORNDOGS there? What on earth is wrong with those people? Oh...New Jersey. Seriously, though, I had no idea there were rodeos and a bible belt in NJ. I loved Heather's side-eye whenever an especially strange American thing would happen. By the way, that last little boy on the sheep who rocketed out of the chute - what a champion, even if he did fall off!🤠

[@ColdClock]

I'm British and I got taken to the local police station as part of the scouts to show us around the place, including the cells. It wasn't to scare us straight but it did have the opposite intended effect on us children as we were told the prisoners got McDonald's on Fridays.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Least Hotel Like UK prison

[@Bear-c4x]

You were in Canada when that happened

[@ColdClock]

@@longiusaescius2537 I believe this would be a gaol and not a prison.

[@ColdClock]

@@Bear-c4x No? I might be missing some context for this reply or I'm missing some joke by a mile.

[@DJScootagroov]

As a Certified country boy it’s always fun seeing people from the cities or from other countries react to country culture. I grew up going to American county fairs. It was always the highlight of the year.

[@susanschreiber8752]

Hi Evan, I just saw my first video in which you are a main character…on L3WG Reacts. I’ve been so enjoying the videos showcasing Brits and their responses to America. But, I’m also happy to now see that you have a platform showing the opposite! I have to admit though, that I was especially excited that you’re an old “ neighbor “! I grew up in Haddon Heights NJ, have family in Glassboro, and have lived in Lancaster county for many years…in said video on L3WG, you brought up the pronunciation of “wooder” 😂, and your interaction with an Amish shop keeper!! And, you made mention of Wawa several times! Personally, I’d love to hear more from you about things like “goin’ down the shore” vs R&R in the UK….also, about Philadelphia experiences vs London…but maybe you’ve already covered such things? As, I said….new to your channel! Anxious to dive in!

[@watchvidjedi]

Fried pickles... *Homer drool* There is a great pub on the Isle of Wight that does them, they are Frickles on the menu!

[@Randomaited]

A classic Glasgow delicacy

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@Randomaited Why do I feel like "fried " is a classic Glasgow delicacy? 😂

[@roarimadino8544]

I loved mutton busting as a kid! I was so sad when I got too big to do it but by then my younger brother just became old enough to start doing it so i got to cheer him on instead

[@bfgivmfith]

I could tell she was impressed when you asked her if she had ever petted a cow, and she responded, "Yes, I have petted a cow." LOL!

[@jameselam8259]

If you’re ever at the fair and they have draft horse pulling GO! It’s a tractor pull, but a team of draft horses. So much cooler. And quieter.

[@NebulaM420]

The algorithm recommended this to me I was gonna watch a few mins, ended up watching all of it & a few more episoded AND SUBSCRIBING causer the energy & vibe between u is amazing. Dressing modestly both of u & just enjoyinng the counntry vibe which I love Hope I find someone like that, if HEATHER has a SISTERI would go to BRITAIN for her lol HOPE YOU LIVE TILL YOU ARE 100, like the couple from UP 🎈🏡 Hello from 🇨🇦

[@dzzope]

On the rodeo riding, the bull is only going nuts cos of the rope around it's waist. 9:02 If you notice the guy in blue pulls the slip knot and the bull immediately calms down.

[@indigohammer5732]

I was always told that the rope was tied between it's neck and scrotum. Every time it looks up, the knot tightened.

[@Izamota-q5v]

Those bulls get spoiled and are generally pretty tame when not "working" too - You should see the bulls at the proffesional level, they're living the life!

[@mikeyoung490]

No shit Sherlock

[@johnbaker1256]

There is a professional bull rider who got his neck broken and had to retire. He bought the bull who did it, and they now live happily together in retirement on his farm.​@@Izamota-q5v

[@MarkHorton-n3t]

So everyone knows, the bucking strap used in Bull Riding is nowhere near his genitals. Some of the bills at the top level appear to be competing just as mich as the cowboys.

[@simonmatthews7512]

I quite liked the tractors to start with but not so much now. I'm an ex-tractor fan....

[@andyf4292]

that sucks!

[@Chomp-Rock]

​@@andyf4292and it blows!

[@CigarMick]

Our country fair also had lawn mower pulls. We had three classes for the lawn mower pull. Stock, modified and special. The stock was exactly what is says it is, a stock lawn mower with no modifications and separated in that class by engine horsepower. Then there was the modified which would be mowers modified with special tires and that sort of thing. Then we had the special class which were mowers with motorcycle engines. The special class would pull a special sled set up for that class.

[@christophersayrs907]

I'm from central Wisconsin, and it's great to see small town fairs are the same everywhere! FFA and 4H!

[@JSterling812]

oh my god i havent been to the county fair in YEARS. fellow new jerseyan here and man, i have such amazing memories of this stuff. always amazing

[@ryannewman3676]

I’m American, never seen a portable jail cell.

[@Scuzzlebutt142]

I thought the timing of talking about American culture, then having someone going into a Jail cell was thinking "Yeah, that's about right"

[@crw662]

@@ToxicMan2023 I grew up in Mississippi, going to county fair and rodeos every year, and have never seen this.

[@tea_time_t]

We had something like this for our Halloween fair as a kid. It wasn't a real cell, and it was usually for a tag game. You'd tag someone and give the "jailer" some tickets, and the person you tagged went in the cell for 5 minutes.

[@countesscable]

This is not too dissimilar to the Agricultural Show that he used to go to in a village in South Wales. People salivating over tractors and farm machinery, sheep dogs displays, coiffured cattle and sheep. Giant vegetables and perfect floral displays. Ahh memories.

[@aarongomez2032]

Glad to see New Jersey isn't any different from Arizona. A bit more Latin American influence (especially food and music) at our county fairs, but nearly the same.

[@jakeburns6566]

First off, first time watcher and will go watch more. I love the reality of you two, so far. Thank You. As an "American" I am from North America. There are Central and South Americas...which would make them "Americans" also. When I travel abroad and people aske me where I am from, I say " The States" and then which state. I have only been asked about my state because most people understand "The States." PS, most of my friends from central and south America prefer to be called by the country there come from.

[@nickydexgg4579]

I am glad you explained this anomaly in NJ. I have only been to NJ one time and I was surprised that they have what appears to be a midwestern county fair!

[@ThatITBloke]

I grew up in Norfolk in the 80s and the Norfolk Show used to have tractor pulling competitions. All the other stuff was there too, animal showing, vegetable competitions, lawnmowers and lights of tractors. No rodeo though unsurprisingly, sheep or bull. The show continues to this day, but the tractor pulling disappeared many years ago.

[@vickywitton1008]

My friend lives in Utah and their county fairs have amazing butter sculptures!

[@ekathird]

LOL! Those fruits were not that large. You guys should come to the Alaska State Fair for the large produce. The winning pumpkin this year (2024) was 2,035 pounds. 😉

[@ellievermore]

It’s so crazy seeing what a county fair on the other side of the country is like. Here in Los Angeles our fair is mostly rides, banda music, and a bit of the traditional stuff sprinkled around. It’s a lot of fun but a very different vibe. This video made me realize I should go to a full blown American one some day

[@chrisyingling8805]

You should try the York Fair in Pennsylvania. It is a very bid fair. They have rides like the Farris Wheel the Zipper and many more. I am older now. Just the thought of eating all those fried foods then getting on a bunch of rides that spin you and shake you, makes me feel like throwing up!😆