Lots of celebrating at Friday's fair livestock sale
The sale totals alone would have been enough to celebrate. But the Friday livestock sale at the Holmes County Fair was so much more than that.The five-hour plus long auction was more a celebration of accomplishment and community than it was selling livestock. And yet, when the bottom line was added up, it was a financially satisfying evening for both sellers and buyers alike.
The sale of market turkeys, pen of two broilers, market rabbits, dairy feeders, dairy baskets, market dairy steers and market steers totaled $185,943.35.Coupled with the previous day's livestock sale totals, the 2010 livestock sale hit $321,964.65, up substantially from last year's sale.
Steve Andrews, who coordinated the scheduling of the 11 auctioneers who conduct the sales, wasn't surprised at the success of the sale. Andrews has been auctioneering at the fair for 39 years.
"More rural fairs like Holmes County always bring higher prices," Andrews said. "These people are rooted in agriculture, and they understand the work and responsibility the children put into raising their animals."
Tim Hershberger, president of the livestock committee, said he thinks the reason the sale has expanded in kinds of species sold is that "the landscape of farming has changed so much." Hershberger said that the decline in the number of small farms has expanded 4-H projects into new areas.
"That's what has brought on the smaller animals," he said. "You don't need much room to put chickens in a shed to raise them for the fair."
Andrews said it's nice to see the same buyers return year after year to support the sale. "We like helping the kids," he said. "It's their payday."
Indeed, the sale turned out to be quite a good payday for the 854 youngsters who had animals in the sale. Sales were $29,122.36 higher than 2009.
Hershberger cited two likely reasons for the increase despite the down economy.
"The buyers are a little more conscious of what the kids have in their projects and are willing to pay a little more," Hershberger said. "And we encourage the kids to sell themselves just the way they would for a job interview."
Lee Miller, Vice President of cash management at Commercial and Savings Bank, said buyers are willing to pay more than market price "because it's about the kids."
"The kids work hard all year," Miller said. "They should be rewarded for their efforts." He said his bank has been buying at the sale for at least 35 years.
Whitey Mullet, the owner of TMK Farm Service in Berlin, was even more effusive. "It's actually a pleasure paying above market price for the kids," he said. "They buy their feed from me."
Mullet emphasized that the personal contact by the 4-Hers and the way they show their animals as being very important to him as a buyer. Gloria Yoder of Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen in Mt. Hope, agreed.
"I even had one boy who came to our house to tell us about his project," she said. "That meant a lot to me."
Dennis Schlabach, owner of Denco Marketing in Millersburg, had a little different approach. "We support the kids that seem to be on their own," he explained. "That way we can get the price up for them, too."
Sadie Schlegel, a 4-Her in the Prairie Partners club, seemed a bit nervous as she prepared to enter the ring with her dairy feeder. "I'm a little sad about selling her," she said. "But I'll get a new one next year."
Buyers again had the option of donating their livestock purchases to the Love Center, the local food pantry, the Holmes County Home or a charity of their choosing.
"We appreciate the people that support us," said Mark Rohrer, co-director of the Love Center. He said that most buyers even pay the processing fees. He said the meat is made into sausage or hamburger for his clients.
"The poor don't have the money to buy good cuts of meat," Rohrer said. "We are blessed to live in a giving community."