The 2023 Guilford Fair is Dedicated to Board Member Brian Bailey

Ag Society Board Member Brian Bailey

Brian Bailey has been a member and Board Member of the Guilford Agricultural Society for many years, filling multiple roles, among them new membership, and has dedicated himself to preserving the heritage of the Guilford Fair, and to celebrating the innovation and ingenuity of American agriculture through the centuries.

He is currently Chair of the Vegetable Department, and is constantly looking for ways to involve young people in celebrating the food that we grow and eat. His idea to create a forage exhibit a number of years ago to display straw, hay, corn, and other forage vegetation to showcase how best to feed animals such as cattle, sheep and goats in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way has become a favorite at the vegetable tent.

When asked about Brian, John Hammarlund, President of the Ag Society said, “He is full of ideas, he inspires us to do innovative and thoughtful things to promote what the Ag Society does, in preserving the agricultural heritage of Guilford. And he is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.”

Many years ago the Woodruff Barn was donated to the Guilford Agricultural Society by Edward Perkins, owner of the Rollwood–Woodruff Farm on Stone House Lane, and the barn was lifted from its original location by a group of Ag Society members and moved by Peter Marlowe, a life member of the Ag Society, to the Fairgrounds. The Antique Farm Museum was born. The Ag Society already had many pieces of antique farm equipment and tools, and John Hammarlund’s father, life member Charles N. Hammarlund Jr. volunteered many hours setting up the donated farm equipment to ready the Museum for the opening of the Fair. It was a wonderful new asset to the Fairgrounds.

After the passing of Charles N. Hammarlund Jr. there was a need for a new Museum curator, and enter Brian Bailey to step up, and step up he did. John Hammarlund states, “Brian brought new life to the Antique Farm Museum with thousands of hours of his time, and a passion for making it organized. His enthusiasm and fascination with the ingenuity of American farmers continues to inspire him to collect antique farm equipment, tools, and even old milk bottles.”

Brian has been a member of the Ag Society’s Building Committee for 12 years, and it was during a Committee meeting that the idea of constructing permanent buildings was discussed. Brian once again enthusiastically jumped at the chance to contribute, contacted the Amish barn builders, and in 2013, the Fairgrounds had two permanent exhibit barns, thanks also to funding help from Lou & Susan Weady and Bill Butterly.

Brian loves the Guilford Fair, and everything about it, the animals, the vegetables, and above all the food. He is known as the “Official Ice Cream Tester of the Fair.” He works hard to make the Fair a success each year, always happy to lend a hand wherever he is needed, building signs, helping with exhibitor displays, and above all, coming up with new ideas to make it more enjoyable for everyone.

Thank you Brian, for your continued dedication to the Guilford Fair and the Guilford Fair family.