MN State Fair: Two weeks and Counting
For vendors like Sara Hayden, these last two weeks are filled with trial and error.
"I got a bunch of new equipment I'm still getting used to," Hayden says.
Her food stand, "Sara's Tipsy Pies," used to be in the smallest booth at the fair.
"I could stretch out my arms and touch both sides," Hayden chuckles.
After selling 18,000 pies last year, fair organizers decided to give her a bigger spot.
"It's nearly twice as big as my old spot," Hayden explains.
A new oven has also doubled her output.
"I can bake about 150 pies every 28 minutes," Hayden says.
That's compared to just 75 pies with her old oven.
But getting a new oven, Hayden says, is kind of like getting a new dance partner.
"We have to get to know each other a little bit," Hayden chuckles.
She's quickly learning that some spots in the oven get hotter than others.
Luckily, she has two more weeks to figure things out before customers start lining up.
"I'm just like, oh my gosh, it's fair time. I can't believe it," Hayden says.
The fairgrounds will be under a routine lockdown until the gates open up on Aug. 23.
Fair organizers says only vendors and fair workers will be allowed onto the grounds during the lockdown.
