The Grand Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Zoe Knoll
Members of the Franklin County 4-H program who participate in projects raising goats, lambs and pigs have spent a lot of time this program year raising their project animals. The youth are required to care for the animals on a daily basis and also attend club meetings to participate in educational programs that help them better understand their animals’ needs and how to meet them. (Photo by Penn State Extension)
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Franklin County 4-H members who participate in projects to raise goats, lambs and pigs have spent a lot of time raising their project animals this program year. The youth are required to provide daily care for their animals and also attend club meetings to participate in educational programs that help them better understand their animals’ needs and how to meet them. Throughout the year, members record their goals, work, expenses and more in their project book. This is designed to help teach the value of reflection and documentation, both of which show how far the youth have come since the project began.
The animal project concludes each year when the youth sell their animals at the Franklin County 4-H livestock sale that follows their reunion event. This event is open to the public, and 4-H members make an effort to personally contact local businesses to gain support to purchase their animal projects. On Saturday, August 10, 2024, local businesses and individuals filled the Greencastle Livestock Market to support Franklin County 4-H members. Ultimately, forty local businesses successfully purchased animals from the sale.
The Grand Champion Market Hog, exhibited by Zoe Knoll, was purchased by Heck’s Diesel Tech, LLC, and the Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog, exhibited by Ella Dice, was purchased by Franklin Feed and Supply Company. The Champion Pig Pairs, exhibited by Ava Heck, were purchased by Heck-Meyers, LLC, and the Reserve Champion Pig Pairs, exhibited by Peyton Heck, were purchased by Scott’s Hauling & Excavating, Inc. and Shetron Auction & Equipment.
The Grand Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Zoe Knoll, was purchased by the Community State Bank of St. Thomas and the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb, exhibited by Hannah Brenize, was purchased by Timmons Oil Company, Inc.
The Grand Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Zoe Knoll, was purchased by Franklin Feed & Supply Company, and the Reserve Champion Market Goat, exhibited by Jake Knoll, was purchased by F&M Trust.
This year, Franklin County 4-H had the great opportunity to partner with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and add their Bid-Buy-Done program. This partnership gave our buyers the opportunity to donate the animal they purchased to the food bank for processing. Protein is an expensive food that is impossible for food banks to source, so this program is extremely beneficial to participating communities. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank coordinates the transportation and processing of the donated animals. They then work to distribute the meat back to the food banks in the county where the donations originated.
Since this was our first year implementing this program, we weren’t sure what the response would be from buyers. Franklin County 4-H is extremely proud to report that fifteen local businesses contributed to the Bid, Buy, Donate program and donated a total of 22 animals, 1 feeder lamb, 8 feeder goats, and 13 feeder pigs to the food bank. Through this partnership, an estimated 3,000 pounds of meat will be provided to the Franklin County Food Banks to help combat food insecurity here in our community.
We would like to thank the companies that donated: Barra Orthodontics, Community State Bank of St. Thomas, F&M Trust, Franklin Tractor & Equipment, Heck-Meyers, LLC, Marion Auction, McCleary Oil Company, McKinney Station & Restaurant, Meyers Bus Lines, Inc., Patriot Federal Credit Union, Rife Moto Co. Inc., Statler Body Works, Timmons Farms, Timmons Oil Company, and YB Welding, Inc. These companies helped our 4-H youth give meaning to the 4-H Promise motto, “Hands to Larger Service.”
The Franklin County 4-H Livestock Sale is a success as many supporters gather in the sale hall to bid on the market animals that 4-H members work so hard to raise. We would like to thank all bidders and buyers for their support of 4-H youth in Franklin County. Together, your support helps us continue to work to “make the best even better.”
The Franklin County Market Beef Sale will be held at the Greencastle Livestock Market on Saturday, September 28th at 7pm. We encourage you to stop by to see the hard work 4-H members put into raising their project animals and to support them by bidding and buying. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Bid-Buy-Done program will also be available for this sale.
For more information about Franklin County 4-H, contact 4-H instructor Quinn Martin at [email protected] or 717-263-9226.
–Quinn Martin, Penn State Extension
