“These are the times that try men's souls.” | When you and I was kids they did blocking when fitting & showing to hide defects. Now all they do is slick shear, trim a little on the legs, face. I like it a lot better. The kids can shear and fit their own lambs if the parents will let them after they get old enough to shear one. It takes a little of the show jockey crap out of it. I hated to show and fit lambs as a kid ( and I came off a range sheep operation as a kid ). My dad was real good at fitting a lamb. My wife took on all those chores with my kids. She loves the competition of it, I in turn fund the kids projects, animals, feeds. I can honestly say my boys do 100 % of their projects with training from mom and 4-H, FFA instructors, and good friends. I find I'm better at soliciting buyers to be there at sale day, and making sure we keep a minimum average floor price for all kids projects. Typically all lambs, hogs sell for more than 450-500 dollars, and steers for over $2,000 dollars or more.
We make sure kids that put the time in, get paid. I will take businesses money and bid prices up, and buy for them. It is good on the ground advertising for the businesses. We also have kids write thank you letters to their buyers, a lot of the kids try to make a hand made gift or treat for their buyers as well. I was watching a livestock sale in another county last year, a kids hog wasn't really doing anything on price. So I bought it and the family sent me a invitation for my wife & I to a pork dinner picnic for all the kids and their buyers in their hog club. That was nice. August is the worst month for me for available cash, but these kids, and their future in agriculture is well worth it. |
Long week at the fair. (pics)
