Thursday, July 10, 2008

4-H Meat Animal Auction....

A little while ago I posted about Big Son and his fair pigs last year. I was going through the pictures that I have and came across a few that I thought (hope) you find interesting.

This is Big Son and Otis last year before the local fair. Otis, Maude, Bessy and Tillie were like HUGE dogs. Pigs are smart animals and are very interesting if you take the time to learn about them.



This has NOTHING to do with pigs, other than we were feeding them, but who could do without a Lispy picture every few days?


He was riding his 'Harley Bikin' - he cant say bikeing... Milk Man and I splurged and both bought Harleys - No we could not afford them, but our reasoning is that we have NEVER went on a vacation in the 16 years we have been together and have only stayed away 3 nights in the 16 years we have been together. We thought we were justified in having somthing fun. We DONT go out on 'dates', to see movies, or just to get away -So there I dont feel guilty, really I dont, can you tell I dont feel guilty - I will shut up now...

Anyway the auction:

Milk Man was taking pictures and unfortunatly didnt get any good ones of Big Son. This one is of one of our 4-H members, not sure wich one. The kids bring in their animal to the show ring and the auctioneer starts the bidding.



I think this is Dale, one of the older boys we have. He took 3rd that year and won the carcass clinic. The carcass clinic is judged by the butchers and this is where the rubber meets the road. This SHOWS who is breeding or raising meat producing animals - not just what the arena judges percive as being a quality meat animal. Not one person who has won the show has won the meat carcass judging. Unfortunalty, the carcass clinic gets little, if no attention because there is no $$ involved in it..

The auction is a very stressful thing. Its hard to find buyers for the kids' projects because things are getting so expensive! The kids usually get over what market price is, but the people who are the good buyers are being 'tapped out' financially when they try to buy a little bit from all the kids. Big Son was required to send out invites to the local business's that we use - like our feed mill, seed plant, vet, lumber yard,etc. BUT, living in a small town most everyone goes to or uses the same stores. The ones who spend the most $$ at these places are usually the ones that they buy from. Luckily our neighbor, a butcher named Denny, bought Big Sons pig. He paid $2.10 per pound which was the 3rd highest pig bought that day. Denny is a great guy and his son was bidding against him so they could buy Big Sons pig at a nice price for him. We baked Denny and his son a batch of cookies for being so nice..

There is some STIFF COMPETITION when it comes to showing, even for 4-H'rs. The bigger farmers, or people with 'old' money, can afford to buy the BEST calves, pigs, chickens, sheep etc. Sometimes spending $100's of $$ for an animal that will only make them a bit more than they paid for it. But for those of us who raise and breed our own, its not as easy. We have registered Black Angus and trust me they are gorgeous in every sense. The sad thing is that some people buy what are called 'club calves' and they are bred ONLY for showing. For me 4-H should be about breeding a good meat producing (hence "meat animal project"), genetically sound - not inbred or 'linebred' which is the same thing to a degree, and well taken care of animal. Sadley, so many times this is not the case and the same people win year after year afeter year. This sticks in my craw a bit and its hard for me not to want to buy THE BEST for my boys to show with just to kick someone else's rear - BUT - I am adimant that our boys learn about the morals of breeding stock and the principal of what good morals stand for. When Big Son did not win, he was not so disapointed because he had done a great job. We told him that even if he didnt win, Otis still was a great pig because HE did the work, took care of him and that at the 'carcass clinic' we would see who had the best meat producing animal. Big Son won that hands down - na na na na - sorry about that. I hope this post doesnt sound bitter, but I am sure it does!! LOL My point is how sad is it that parents feel the need for thier children to ALWAYS win or ALWAYS be the best at everything. Showing animals is NO DIFFERANT than being a soccer mom or the freak at the football games that gets pissed cuz his kid didnt play or whatever. We need to teach our kids how to be kind, appreciative and most of all thankful for the experiences in life that help us grow. Education about life is the most important thing we can teach our kids. When these kids get older, how are they going to handle disapointment or rejection and still be ok with who they are? So disapoint them and reject them now so they are used to it when they are older!!! LOL LOL!! JUST KIDDING!





Here is a picture of Milk Man on his Harley - not that this as anything to do with the meat animal auction... See how sidetracked I get - sorry - again. This is a picture of him in his barn cloths, riding his new Harely. What a tard.... For some reason he was wearing high water pants and making a stupid face. He is about 6.5, weighs about 210 and is built like a brick SH!T house. His chest is.... I need to stop talking about him or I will end up pregnant, wait - to late. Well, lets just say he does 230 push ups a day on his knuckles. This pictures does NOT do him justice... man am I ever off task.


This is Palmer 4 years ago - he won reserve champion and took 1st in the carcass clinic...

What a GORGEOUS steer he had. This steer is a purebred Aberdeen Angus and his name was Tank - fitting dont you think?!

Well - thats it for now, sorry to get off on a tangent but sometimes it just pours out like water. We try to live our life here as one big example and I just tend to forget that some things have nothing to do with other things!!! LOL See you in the morning!!

8 comments:

Suzanne said...

Woo hoo...terrific post. I've seen those competitions get tense. The steers auctioned off at the county fair bring in big bucks. The bidders are often the large grocery food chains. Meijer's is one that bids on steers. The kids have put some major bucks in their college funds auctioning off their prize winning animals.

I always laugh about people running to the fitness center. I say farmer's don't need a stinking gym, they do hard physical work all day long. I'm not sure about the physique of dairy farmers, there aren't any left around here, but I can spot a hog farmer a mile away. They are built like tanks. Literally. I'd want them on my side in a fight. Not that we fight around here.

Love the Harley! I used to ride before I got old. HA.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

Mrs. Mom said...

What a great steer... I can visualize some mighty purty steaks coming off him...lol


Giiiirrrllll, no WONDER you have 5 kids! LOLOLOLOLOLO..... There is something about a burly man isnt there? ;) The kind who can literally sweep you off your feet, and carry you around the house? :) There have been times, in some of the places we have lived, where my husband has to turn sideways a tad to get his shoulders in the door.... hehehe... You dont have to imagine much what THAT does to a gal. Sounds like YOU get that same display and feeling going on too...lol

Love stopping in here. WHen I have a rough day, you always make me laugh. Keep them coming Heidi!

goatgirl said...

Great post. What a great life for your kids. I have been involved in 4H and FFA all my life. My son was involved in dog 4H because we didn't have a farm at the time. We experienced the same things with parents and their kids. One mom used to train her kid's dog and then the kid won everything year after year. One year my son won Grand Champion at the state fair. He was so excited because he had worked so hard. They came to him later and said they had made a mistake and took it from him and gave it to another girl. I could almost cry about it now many years later. But I think all those disapointments help kids handle bigger ones in the future.
Now, after that description, I'm a little in love with the Milk Man. But I've always had a thing for farmers.

Take a Deep Breath said...

I saved your blog in my favorites and I have been checking everyday to read a new blog from you I guess I needed to refresh the page because I have missed several days.
My Husband would ne jealous of the Harley.
You guys sound like us. We have been married 20 years and have never gone on a real vacation, other than seeing family and with gas prices the way they are we are only taking the trip to get our son to his new college that is 10 hours from home.
And leaving the kids is not even an option or desire for me.
I would feel so bad leaving them and themm not getting to see whatever it is that we would be seeing.

I know it is an illness.
Oh well
Enjoy your ride!

Nancy said...

You sound like such a wonderful MOM! You are teaching your sons the correct way! The kids whose parents see to it that they win every year are really the true losers in it all, when you really think about it. Mommy and Daddy won't always be there to see that they win! Some things kids have to DO ON THEIR OWN! Those kids will have a hard time accepting when they lose. And it WILL happen in their lifetime! Life is full of disappointments, and the kids who have never had to experience disappointments during their younger years will end up being bitter adults when they don't win. I admire you for your teaching your boys the right way!!!

Loved the pics! Loved the Harley! Don't feel guilty one bit! Enjoy life while you're young and have each other.

You girls (you and Mrs. Mom) and your men! LOL I am older now, and a man couldn't turn me on just looking at his shoulders. LOL You'll understand someday when you get in your 60's! LOL For now, love 'em all you can!!!!

(((HUGS)))

Heidi said...

Thanks Sue! It's important to us that they know they are not perfect and should not expect to be. Just to do the best they can in whatever they do.

As far as a Dairy farm phyique - I am pregnant again, does that speak for itself LOL

Mrs. M - We REALLY need to get a DNA test done because we MUST BE SISTA'S!!! Hubby is 'chisled' and 'buff' and strong and cute and chisled... I said that one already didnt I.. After being together for 15+ years, his kiss still lights my fire! COOKIN WITH GAS BABY!!! LOL

Goat Girl - 4-H can really STINK like the dickens, but those of us who do it for the right reasons keep the spirit of it alive. To bad for your son, that should NOT have happened thier mistake should not have had a bearing on his placing once the award was given. Oh, btw - on the days I dont feel like lovin the Milk Man, I'll send him right over. LOL :)

Deep breath - Thats one of the reasons we dont go, I dont want to leave the kids to much. They are gone soon enough and will not be little for long - HUGS thanks for stopping over and please continue to@!

Nancy! I laughed so hard at your last statement - I think that I could be 70 and still think the same of him! He's my hottie!!
Never had anyone else make me feel like this and that aint the hormones talking either! LOL

Thanks to you all for the encouragment! I love to post here and have you all read it. Its such a privledge to have you want to read what I write. Tommorow is going to be a Lispy post - he has been a bit impish lately, like thats new......

Jenn said...

Wow. $2.10 a pound for a live pig, that sounds really high! Great job for "Big Son".

It is really nice that your community gets involved like that.

The W.O.W. factor! said...

LOL! Your getting 'sidetracked' cracks me up! Love to see the kids get big bucks for all their hard work at the fairs...and then to see the tears when reality hits them is precious!
Yep...talk all you want about your MilkMan...pregnant you already are :)
You are too funny! Love your Blog!