Time and money well spent!

[RockyMtnMT]

We spent the day yesterday at the NW Montana Fair FFA/4H livestock auction. This is the 3rd year we have participated. Last year and this year as serious bidders. We bought one market lamb, one market steer, and three market hogs. I have to say that I look forward to this event as much as hunting trips. Being able to support these great young kids that work their butts off to raise, train, and groom these fine animals, is more rewarding than I can describe. These kids are great kids that are working and taking care of their animals as well as being involved in the community. A solid bunch of kids that remind me that we do have great kids. They aren't all out there being hoodlums. There is still a great future generation of solid kids coming up.

I highly recommend any of you that have the means, should participate in your local county fair and purchase at the livestock auction. This should be a complete tax write off and quite literally some of the best meat you will ever eat. These animals have been given the best of care and fed the best feed in order to show them in premium market condition. I don't think you can get better quality meat or feel as good about the money spent. If you have never done this you should. I recommend going and watching the kids show their animals and then go to the auction and bid on some.

 

[74honker]

Steve, I would like to personally thank you for what you're doing there. I grew up in 4H and met my wife in FFA and we raised our daughter in both. These two groups helped raise our daughter to what she has become today. She too worked her tail off for everything she got on her own and didn't buy her success in the show ring. At sale time she did well and that $$ helped support her next project and then college money. Wife and I also still help both groups to this day at various events and fairs and sales. These sales mean alot to the kids and they do appreciate the support they are given from folks like yourself. In our area, buyers usually get a plaque or sign of sorts for a thank you for thier purchases, if that's the case there also please display them with pride for all to see. It actually helps advertise for the next one as well, it gets people that don't know to ask questions. Thanks again.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Steve, I would like to personally thank you for what you're doing there. I grew up in 4H and met my wife in FFA and we raised our daughter in both. These two groups helped raise our daughter to what she has become today. She too worked her tail off for everything she got on her own and didn't buy her success in the show ring. At sale time she did well and that $$ helped support her next project and then college money. Wife and I also still help both groups to this day at various events and fairs and sales. These sales mean alot to the kids and they do appreciate the support they are given from folks like yourself. In our area, buyers usually get a plaque or sign of sorts for a thank you for thier purchases, if that's the case there also please display them with pride for all to see. It actually helps advertise for the next one as well, it gets people that don't know to ask questions. Thanks again.

Last year and this year we were seeing buyer fatigue. As the auction wound down to the last kids they were having a tough time getting people to bid. Last year we bought the last animal into the ring. A very nice steer but nobody was bidding. We wound up bidding against ourselves to get the price higher. We were already over budget and had no intention of buying a steer. This year we bought the third hog the same way. Nobody would start the opening bid, do we did, thinking this would get others to bid. Nobody did. We were already over budget. I wish we could have been able to afford to pay more. I am sure other fairs need more buyers too. There is lots of people here that could afford to buy premium meat and write off the expense. I am hoping to touch some of you who have the means to do this and stay active in your community in a way that very beneficial to all of us.

 

[codyadams]

My 10 year old son built his first rifle recently with money from his 4-h market goat. I grew up doing it as well, and my first 4-h hog also got me my first hunting rifle, as my parents didn't have the money to buy a rifle for me at the time in addition to everything else that comes with raising 4 kids. So I got a 30-06 with 4-h money, and started my life of hunting.

And here is my son, with his semi custom .260ai I helped him build. He purchased everything minus the savage action, which I gifted to him. The rest was paid for by him, with money from his goat.

It's a fantastic program, full of great kids learning true life skills and lessons. Thank you for supporting it.

 

[wyosteve]

Thanks for the reminder. I bought a 4-H steer years ago, but haven't participated recently. Need to get involved again.

 

[hesse]

I was an FFA member and proud of it never took my steers to the fair had them sold before that way I didn't have to train him lmao. I also didn't want to compete with some of my friends that needed every Dollar that they could of the won

 

[Bghunter338]

My 10 year old son built his first rifle recently with money from his 4-h market goat. I grew up doing it as well, and my first 4-h hog also got me my first hunting rifle, as my parents didn't have the money to buy a rifle for me at the time in addition to everything else that comes with raising 4 kids. So I got a 30-06 with 4-h money, and started my life of hunting.

And here is my son, with his semi custom .260ai I helped him build. He purchased everything minus the savage action, which I gifted to him. The rest was paid for by him, with money from his goat.

View attachment 487477

It's a fantastic program, full of great kids learning true life skills and lessons. Thank you for supporting it.

Did the same thing growing up and bought my first rifle, by chance it was a 30-06 as well.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I bought my 1st rifle with the $100 I got for my lamb at the fair. Marlin 22lr. I still have it!

 

[hunter0925]

He didn't buy a rifle with the money from the 4H auction for his chickens but he did buy a new pair of hunting boots! He took first place for his chickens (best of breed) and I couldn't be more proud of him for the work he put in.

On a side note, he also pays for his own hammer bullets for his 260 from doing chores. If I can convince him to save a little we will be on a good track.

 

[adam32+P]

Just curious but what was the high market steer per pound?

Last year out here they were getting $25-30/lb...this year they barely broke $10/lb.

People just didn't show up to bid.

 

[huntoregon]

Good stuff. My son raised a lamb the last couple years to sell at fair market. He is going to do a steer and lamb for next years fair. He loves it, and I love that it adds some extra responsibility and competition to his life. So thank you to folks like you that look forward to buying them!

 

[Bob Wright]

I got to do this. Just need to contact a 4H friend who teaches the class near me. Had no idea they sold livestock!

 

[Ol' Red]

He didn't buy a rifle with the money from the 4H auction for his chickens but he did buy a new pair of hunting boots! He took first place for his chickens (best of breed) and I couldn't be more proud of him for the work he put in.

On a side note, he also pays for his own hammer bullets for his 260 from doing chores. If I can convince him to save a little we will be on a good track.

Are those your son's speckled Wyandots in the cage behind him?

 

[hunter0925]

Are those your son's speckled Wyandots in the cage behind him?

They are his barred rocks.