Families carry on traditions
FRANKLIN TWP — Young farmers showed some of the bigger animals Tuesday at the Big Butler Fair.
The junior farmers led pigs and cattle around the show rings in the morning, sometimes needing a sturdy push to get the animals to move in the right direction.
“I've been doing this ever since I was little,” said Charlene Rosenberger, 15, of Kittanning.
Charlene, who also raises lambs, said she enjoys raising pigs.
“They are easier to show,” she said, comparing the two animals. “They're really smart.”
Her 205-pound pig Optimus Prime was named the medium weight class champion at the fair.
Her other pig, Bumblebee, was the lightweight reserve champion.
“I got them both back in March and April,” she said, adding she spent a lot of time after school raising them since that time.
She expects to show both at the Butler Farm Show in August.
“Then I'll sell them out there,” she said.
While showing her animals is an enjoyable hobby, Charlene said the fair also is a great place to spend time with her friends.
“We like to sit in the dairy barn and hang out,” she said.
Taylor Kennedy, 13, of Valencia was showing her 5-month-old Yorkshire Cross pig Pluto, which was named the champion of the lightweight class.
“It's a hobby,” she said of raising the farm animals.
Her family also raises cattle, sheep and lambs.
“I also have two siblings here,” she said.
Taylor is the granddaughter of former Butler County Commissioner Jim Kennedy.“I'd like to say how proud I am to see the next generation get into farming,” he said. “To see the kids have success makes me awfully proud.”Kennedy said Taylor is an excellent showman, continuing the family tradition of presenting at the show.“It's nice to see generation after generation continue to show up at the Big Butler Fair,” he said.While the pigs were judged in part on their thickness, the animals are small compared to the cattle that were on display at the barn next door.Emily Speer, 14, of Portersville showed a couple different cattle owned by both her family and friends.She has experience showing the large animals.“I've been here seven years,” she said.Raising diary cows is nothing new for her family either. The family has 10 cows. Emily's favorite is Spade, a milking shorthorn.Cindy Speer, Emily's mother, said farming is a family tradition.“We've been doing this forever,” she said. “We've shown cows for 35 years.”Cindy Speer said she remembers raising cattle growing up and presenting at the fair.“We used to bottle our own milk,” she said.Cattle aren't the only animals on their farm, as the family also has horses. Emily Speer said she'll be competing in the exhibition barrel event with her horse.“It's my first year for that,” she said.Emily said the fair has another attraction even more enjoyable than the thrill of horseback riding.“Funnel cakes,” she joked.In addition to cows and horses, Cindy Speer said the family has a few other animals on the farm.“There's two bears,” she said, laughing. “But we don't invite them.”Kaden Pyle, 3, of Fairview Township paled in size to the pony he was riding at the fair.But that didn't stop him from winning the pony pole bending, barrels and down and back competitions for children under 5.“This is his third year riding,” said Kristine Tarr, his mother. “He's been riding since he was in diapers.”Kaden, who turns 4 on Saturday, went home with trophies that were nearly as tall as him.Tarr said her son rides a couple times each year. Again, the hobby runs in the family.“We've all been riding since we were very little,” said Stephanie Snow, Tarr's cousin.Tarr said the Big Butler Fair is a great way to get children into farming activities.“It's definitely a good opportunity for the little ones to get involved,” she said.Snow agreed.“It keeps them out of trouble,” she said. “We need to get more involved out here.”The fair continues through Saturday on Route 422 west of Butler.
