Ask Iowans what they love most about the State Fair, and I’ll bet the loose change in my desk drawer that they will answer it’s the food.

Sure, the Big Boar and Butter Cow bring in the camera-toting crowds. But fair foodies are willing to stand in hour-long lines, in sweltering summer heat, next to the guy with tattoos up and down his arms, just to get their hands on a double-bacon-wrapped corn dog.

Now I love a good corn dog like any fair-goer, but my favorite places to eat at the State Fair are the farmer-run food stands. They offer a place to sit down and enjoy your meal under the shade. Plus,...