Berrien County livestock exhibitors earned $497,634.75 during two auctions last Thursday and Friday in Berrien Springs. Although the total was down from last year's $519,075, the 4-H'ers and other young people received strong, across-the-board support from buyers.
Still, the absence of poultry in this year's small animal auction made a big difference. Total lots offered for sale this year were 621, compared to 868 last year.
One of the big winners was Trent George of Niles, who showed not one, but two grand champions at this year's fair. A six-year 4-H'er, George exhibited the grand champion market hog and the grand champion market lamb.
During last Friday's large animal auction, George earned $8 per pound for his grand champion hog, for a total of $2,152, from 10 buyers (see list at end of story), and sold his grand champion lamb for $13.75 per pound, bringing in another $1,938.75. Lamb buyers included: Grandpa and Grandma Durm; Wolverine Electrical Contracting Inc.; Bruce Barwick Builders; Shipshewana Livestock Auction; Matt Warda Hay Sales; Grandpa and Grandma George; Dr. Larry Smith DVM; and Bittner, Hyms, Daly, Riemland and Racht Attorneys.
Joining George as a double winner was Matthew Koebel of Berrien Springs. His reserve champion market hog sold for a record $58 per pound. Five buyers—SMP Marketing, Georgia Crate and Basket Co., Maat Produce Inc., First Farmers Bank and Trust of Converse, Ind. and Dwayne Knuth Excavating—secured the winning bid. For Koebel, the transaction was worth $16,530, which he plans to save for college.
Earlier in the day, Koebel appeared in the auction ring with his grand champion Holstein. As the top exhibitor in the dairy show, he was entitled to receive half of the proceeds from the gallon of milk sale, with the other half going to the Berrien County Youth Fair. But, shortly after the last bid was taken, Koebel told the announcer that he was donating his share to the fair. The gallon of milk sale raised $10,650, with contributions coming from over a dozen buyers (see list).
Also in swine, Annette Donner of Three Oaks sold the grand champion carcass for $9 per pound ($2,214) to Rob and Debbie Dunphy, Nelson's Saloon, Schlundt Ag Supply Inc., Pat and Sheri Vance, Donner Farms, Keefer Automotive, Seifert's Service, Tractor Girl Quilts, and Dale and Deanna Robson.
Cora Schau of Buchanan sold the reserve champion swine carcass for $3.75 per pound ($1,001.25) to Water Management LLC and Dale and Deanna Robson.
Another Buchanan youth, Kyle Dargus, exhibited the grand champion barrow, which brought $10.25 per pound ($2,747). The buyers included Dargus Ag LLC, Dale Seyfred and Pioneer Seed, Wilbur Ellis, Vern and Vickey Herter, Zak Kretchman, Nye's Autotech, Jeff Jackson of Farm Bureau Insurance, Crop Production Services and Community Mills.
Charlie Ewalt of Berrien Springs sold the reserve champion barrow for $3.25 per pound ($942.50) to Ned Totzke of Heritage Farms.
In the lamb show, Drew George of Niles exhibited the reserve champion market lamb, placing behind his older brother, Trent. Drew earned $11.50 per pound ($1,552.50) from Grandpa and Grandma Durm; Wolverine Electrical Contracting Inc.; Matt Warda Hay Sales; Grandpa and Grandma George; Bruce Barwick Builders; and Bittner, Hyms, Daly, Riemland and Rays Attorneys.
Also selling was the reserve champion ewe, shown by Kaydence Jacobs of Niles. She sold the lamb for $10 per pound ($1,240) to Erin and Grandma Messner, Wolverine Electrical Contracting Inc. and RMC Quality Construction.
The Zeilke brothers of Coloma led the way in the beef auction, with Jason showing the grand champion and Robert holding the reserve champion. Jason's grand champion steer brought $5.72 per pound ($7,549) from Robert Brunke Plumbing, Carson Wood Specialties, Family Farm and Home, Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant, Grandma and Papa Timm, MC Metal Works, Shannon's Daycare Inc., Rocky Acres Farms, Seldom Rest Farms and Lakeview Farms. Robert sold the reserve champion steer for $2.75 per pound ($3,863.75) to AEP-Cook Nuclear of Bridgman.
In goats, Grace Bachman of Niles earned $400 from AEP-Cook Nuclear for the grand champion Boer goat. Cody Williams of Galien sold the reserve champion goat for $300 to Crazy Acres Farm of Galien.
Emily Howell of Bridgman exhibited the top dairy/other breeds goat and received $1,150 from 13 buyers (see list). Andrew McKee of Niles sold the reserve champion dairy goat for $500 to Bitter Sweet Pet Resorts and Stables, Palmer Funeral Homes, EM's Acres, Dixie Dougherty and Elaine and Greg Crump.
Selling a quart of goat milk was Jonathan Reneberg of Berrien Center. He received $400 from Dave's Farm Repair, Whirlpool Corp., Schrumpf Farms, Grandpa and Grandma Davis, and Udderly Natural Goat Milk Soap.
Youth dairy cattle exhibitors also sold a basket of dairy products, with the proceeds divided among them. The basket sold for $500 to Mike and Pam Lawrick of Berrien Springs.
In last Thursday's small animal auction, Haleigh Wendzel of Watervliet received $33,100 for her grand champion pen of rabbits. The buyers were Haleigh's parents, Brad and Joyce Wendzel, and her grandparents, Alton and Millie Wendzel, also of Watervliet.
Zeke Rohl sold the reserve champion pen of rabbits for $255 to Rural King of Niles.
Andrew Lies exhibited the grand champion single market rabbit and earned $550 from AEP-Cook Nuclear. Allison Mitchell sold the reserve champion market rabbit for $500 to Mike and Kris Baker, Dave and Dawn Mitchell, and Al's Tackle Box of Galien.
A stuffed bird was offered for sale to benefit poultry exhibitors, who could not show due to the statewide ban on live poultry exhibitions. The bird sold for $1,100 to Heritage Farms, Klug Farms LLC, Pri Mar Petroleum, Honor Credit Union, Family Farm and Home, and Whirlpool Corp.
The average price for 226 hogs was $3.76 per pound, with total receipts at $227,426.75. Forty-five beef steers sold for an average of $2.45 per pound, amounting to $137,264. Forty-three sheep fetched $25,087.50, an average of $4.55 per pound.
Other subtotals, with averages in parenthesis, were: 76 goats, $24,126.50 ($317.45); 227 rabbits, $71,080 ($313.13); poultry, $1,100; goat milk, $400; and dairy sales, $11,150 ($5,575).
Support Groups
• Grand champion market hog—Carroll Ott Construction, Fifth Third Bank, Grandma and Grandpa Durm, Tyler's Automotive, Greenmark Equipment, Country Heritage Credit Union, Cuthbert Agency Inc., JD'S Truck Stop, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Wolverine Electrical Contracting Inc. and Great Lakes Power Systems.
• Gallon of Milk--Robert Brunke Plumbing; Mike and Pam Lawrick; Country Heritage Credit Union; Bob Mischke Farms; Greenmark Equipment; James and Suellen Mischke; Zak Kretchman/AgriGold Seed; Jerry and Trish Vigansky; First Farmers Bank and Trust; Wilbur Ellis; in memory of Ben Koebel/Jeanne Koebel; Keith Anderson family; Todd, Noreen, Alex and Austin Soos; Maat Produce Inc., SMP Marketing LLC, Georgia Crate and Basket Co., Crop Production Services, Sunnybrooke Growers, Whirlpool Corp., GreenStone Farm Credit Services and Dwane Knuth Excavating.
• Grand champion dairy/other breeds goat—Jeff's Towing and Recovery, Seifert's Farm Supply and Heinold Feeds, Grandma Ann Howell, Grandpa and Grandma Gilbertson, Uncle David Howell, Lakeview Farms, Whirlpool Corp., Wolverine Electrical Contracting Inc. and Great Lakes Power Systems, Honor Credit Union, Strefling Grain, Payne Farm Drainage, Fifth Third Bank, Family Farm and Home, and BEP Farms.