The Orange County Fair  

Did You Know? - They were cute and very active!  Pigs, also called hogs or swine, are ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food, leather, and similar products since ancient times. More recently, they have been involved in biomedical research and treatments, especially for their eyes and hearts, which closely resemble those of humans. Their long association with humans has led to their considerable representation in cultural milieux from paintings to proverbs.

Did You Know? - Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa. Allium cepa is also known as the 'garden onion' or 'bulb' onion and 'shallot'.

Onions, one of the oldest vegetables known to humankind, are found in a bewildering array of recipes and preparations, spanning almost the totality of the world's cultures; they are nowadays available in fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, and dehydrated forms. Onions can be used, usually chopped or sliced, in almost every type of food, including cooked foods and fresh salads, and as a spicy garnish; they are rarely eaten on their own but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet.

Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a snack. These are often served as a side serving in fish and chip shops throughout the United Kingdom. Onions are a staple food in India, and are therefore fundamental to Indian cooking. They are commonly used as a base for curries, or made into a paste and eaten as a main course or as a side dish.

Tissue from onions is frequently used in science education to demonstrate microscope usage, because they have particularly large cells which are readily observed even at low magnifications.

Did You Know? - The word pumpkin originates from the word "pepon" which is Greek for "large melon." The French adapted this word to "pompon," which the English changed to "pompion" and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin." The origin of pumpkins is not known, although pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico.

Did You Know? - The lemon (Citrus × limon) is a hybrid in cultivated wild plants. It is the common name for the reproductive tissue surrounding the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world. The fruit is used primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind (zest) are also used, primarily in cooking and baking. Lemon juice is about 5% (approximately 0.03 moles/Liter) citric acid, which gives lemons a tart taste, and a pH of 2 to 3. This makes lemon juice an inexpensive, readily available acid for use in educational science experiments.

Did You Know? - The sunflower (Helianthus annulus) is an annual plant native to the Americas in the family Asteraceae, with a large flowering head (inflorescence). The stem of the flower can grow as high as 3 meters tall, with the flower head reaching up to 30 cm in diameter with the "large" seeds. The term "sunflower" is also used to refer to all plants of the genus Helianthus, many of which are perennial plants.

Did You Know? - Melon is a term used for various members of the Cucurbitaceae family with fleshy fruit. Melon can refer to either the plant or the fruit, which is a false berry. Many different cultivars have been produced, particularly of muskmelons. The plant grows as a vine.

Did You Know? - No, not on her... The sandwiches were fantastic as usual!  Ten Pound Buns™, a leading provider of quality foods served at County fairs and specialty events in and around California. Based in Murrieta, CA, the Ten Pound Buns™ food concession business sells products at County fairs in San Diego, Orange, Ventura, Antelope Valley, and Los Angeles.

Did You Know? - A petting zoo (often called, and/or part of, a "children's zoo") features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo. Some petting zoos are also mobile and will come to your home for a children's party or event. Many areas have a qualified mobile petting zoo. All petting zoos should be licensed, insured, and USDA certified in the United States. In 1938, the London Zoo was the first children's zoo in Europe and the Philadelphia Zoo was the first in North America to open a special zoo just for children.

Did You Know? - Orange County Wine Society, Inc., is a rapidly-growing non-profit educational corporation whose purpose is to promote the knowledge and understanding of wine. To this end, the Society functions to enhance the knowledge of winemaking, viticulture and the appreciation of wine. The Society acts as the co-sponsor and main support group for the Orange County Fair's largest Commercial Wine Competition and the Homewine Competition.

During the Fair, the Orange County Wine Society proudly exhibits the award-winning wines and features the wines for tasting to the public at the Wine Courtyard at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Monthly meetings are held on the second Friday of each month. Many special events are conducted, such as trips to the wineries of various regions of California, special wine dinners and tastings for OCWS members and guests, and even wine cruises! The Orange County Wine Society has a very active home winemakers group.

Did You Know? - Hypnosis (from the Greek hypnos, "sleep") is often thought to be "a trance-like state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject."

The technique is sometimes used for medical purposes to relieve anxiety, or otherwise improve or alter behaviour. Its effectiveness has been clinically demonstrated in many areas, most notably in the area of acute pain relief. It is also used in popular stage acts in which subjects are persuaded to perform bizarre feats.

Other variations include so-called "mass-hypnosis," in which crowds are simultaneously influenced, and autosuggestion in which subjects persuade themselves. However, these phenomena are unlike those typically associated with the classical phenomena of hypnosis.