Work pays off at market sale
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Luke Frazier worked day after day for months to grow his pig by 200 pounds.
Frazier, 10, is a member of Butler County 4-H and had a hog auctioned off as a Charity Hawk sale at Thursday's 40th annual Junior Livestock Market Sale at the Butler Farm Show grounds along Route 68 West.
Frazier got the hog at 78 pounds, and gave it starter feed to help it grow. He then progressed to feeding it feed with higher amounts of protein, while making sure the hog got its exercise.
Water for the hog was placed at the bottom of a hill, while food was at the top. This way, the hog would get its nutrition while exercising.
Frazier raised several hogs for show during this time.
“I made sure they looked like nice pigs, that way they didn't look sloppy and fat,” he said.
By the time Frazier was set to show the hog at the Livestock Sale, it weighed 278 pounds.
“I was a little nervous, and I was confident and excited,” Frazier said of showing the pig.
The pig was sold for $9.50 per pound, for a total of $2,641. The money went to the Butler County chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.
Keystone Ridge Designs, a business in Butler Township, won the bidding, and donated the pig to Disabled American Veterans.
“Farmers have always been important to us, and we want to make sure we support them,” said Artie Slear of Keystone Ridge Designs.
Frazier wants to return in 2018 to show more pigs.
“It was a really fun time showing my pigs, having people come and look at them, complimenting me,” he said.
He also was surprised by how much the pig went for.
“I figured it would be a little high, but not that high,” he said.
Frazier was one of many 4-H members who showed animals for bidding Thursday. Cheyenne Henry, 12, and her brother, R.J. Henry, 11, showed rabbits.
R.J. was first given rabbits as a gift when he was in preschool, and he and his sister were influenced to join 4-H by their older brother, who was a member.
The Henrys make sure to clean the rabbits' pens, give them food and water, and also supply wood for the rabbits to chew on so their teeth don't grow too long.“If you don't enjoy it, you're not going to do it right,” Cheyenne said.Another pair of siblings, 4-H members Jay Allen, 12, and Ben Allen, 9, auctioned off their cattle, who were named Scooby and Shaggy.In addition to feeding and watering the cows, the Allens took them for half-mile walks two times per day. It was the first year they did the bulk of the work themselves and without parental help.“There were sometimes it was very stressful,” Jay said. “There were lots of fun times, though.”Ben's cow, Scooby, was 1,370 pounds. It sold for $9.50 per pound, for a total of $13,015. Jay's cow, Shaggy, weighed in at 1,340 pounds. It was sold for $6 per pound for a total of $8,040.The money from each sale, except for the charity sale, went to the 4-H members of that sale. Tammy Schultheis, the treasurer of the Livestock Sale Committee, was glad to see 4-H members display the fruits of their labor.“As a former 4-Her (myself), it's the best thing,” she said. “You're learning all kinds of skills to take into life, like money management, planning and public speaking.”This year, the rules were changed so that each 4-H member could sell two animals each, rather than the three allotted in previous years.“It helps the kids get their prices up, but it limits the length of the sale,” Schultheis said.Mark and Alison Fry have children, Joshua and Madalyn, who also showed animals at the sale. The Frys have been coming to the show for years.“We enjoy coming to see all the animals,” Mark Fry said. “(And) getting to see the kids be rewarded for all the effort they put into their 4-H projects.”
