When the Greene County Fair Board announced that the fair would be cancelled for 2020, the notice was met with a range of emotional responses, especially through social media. While most people understood the fair’s decision wasn’t made lightly and was in the best interest of everyone involved, many people expressed their sadness that the children of 4-H and FFA would be left without a place to show and auction the animals they worked so hard on for the past year.
These children, some of whom we talked to last month in our article about youth in agriculture, expressed their own sadness and understanding of the situation. Benjamin Archer, a member of both 4-H and FFA, took the news pretty hard. “I am very upset that this year‘s fair was cancelled. I have been working very hard for it, as I know other kids were,” Ben says. “But I have a sense of hope. I’m hoping that the fair next year will be twice as great as any other year.“
Karlie Wright, the current Agriculture Educator and co-FFA advisor at West Greene High School, believed the cancellation was inevitable. “Of course, it’s sad and I feel bad for members who are going to age out. But it’s better to focus on the positive and work on a plan to create a way that members can safely show and sell the projects that they have worked hard on.”
And thanks to the tireless efforts of the Fair Board, parents, and 4-H leaders, an organization – the Junior 4-H Livestock Sale Association was created. “The organization was established with the sole purpose of helping the children that haven’t been able to sell their animals cause of the cancellations,” says Debbie Stephenson, fair board secretary/treasurer. “We worked with the Commissioners and the County of Greene to arrange the use of the fairgrounds.” Through these efforts, the Greene County Junior Livestock Show & Sale was built.
The sale will be held at the show barn on Wednesday, August 12, at 6pm, corresponding with the week the Greene County Fair would have been held this year. The sale is open to buyers only and will be closed to the general public. All interested bidders must pre-register and have the choice of either attending the sale or bidding by phone. To register, please contact the office at 724-627-3745. After registration, bidders will receive a packet explaining the process, as well as a list of do’s and don’ts. Bidders have until Tuesday, August 11 to register for the sale.
During this year’s sale there will be no resales allowed. If you are bidding to assist the 4-H participants but don’t actually want the animal purchased, there will be announcement at the close of the show explaining what to do.
If you are interested in bidding but are unable to attend the sale, phone biding will be available for the event. “When bidders receive their packets after registration, there will be instructions on the phone bidding process,” says Debbie. “Bidders will be able to call in when the animal wanted comes in and we will stay on the phone with the bidder though the process and bid for them. There will be a live feed of the shows available on the Greene County Fair’s Facebook page so that bidders from home will be able to see the animals.”
Prior to the sale, the Market Lamb and Market Steer shows will be held. The Market Lamb show will start at 10am and the Market Steer show at 2pm. These shows are also closed to the public and will offer the youth a chance to compete with their animals in different categories before the sale.
