Well, sort of.............
Attended the livestock auction at the County Fair this evening. One of the standard events is the selling of the animals shown at the fair by the 4-H kids. There is either one or two buyers of each animal. The way it works is that each type of animal (steer, hog, sheep, goat) has a base bid that will be paid by a commercial packer. Then local business people bid on paying a premium over that amount to reward the kid for their hard work. The premium bid winner then has the option of matching the base bid so that they end up with the animal. Maybe one out of ten do this.
All the premium bidders get is a little bit of advertising value and, in some cases, making one of their regular customers/clients happy because their kid got top dollar. Frequently, one extra bidder can drive the final amount up by several hundred dollars.
Bottom line is that I paid the premium on a goat shown by the daughter of a former employee and the granddaughter of a current employee. That extra $675 will go a long way on getting started on next year's projects. I let the critter go to the base bid winner. Not about to start eating goat at this late date.
Anyone else do this sort of thing?
Closet thing I came to this is a college scholarship for a student at the local high school that has a graduating class of about 60. Where I live is pretty poor and I was very thankful for a good job so for a few years we gave $1500 to a student going to college in a STEM subject. We selected a student based on essays and personal interviews. The first counselor understood the type of student we wanted and worked with us. She left and the new counselor just didn't get it and was not active in helping us. He kept sending us students going into nursing - not what we were looking for. As my grandkids are getting older and more involved in stuff and with the lack of care from the counselor, we finally just dropped the scholarship; but one year we couldn't decide and gave money for 2 kids.
Holy Cow, post: 329346, member: 50 wrote: Anyone else do this sort of thing?
Eat goat? Yeah goat taco is pretty good (edit; I hope it's goat anyway)
R.J. Schneider, post: 329351, member: 409 wrote: Eat goat? Yeah goat taco is pretty good (edit; I hope it's goat anyway)
Cabrita (barbequed goat) is delicious.
And good on ya' Mr. Cow for financing a young 4H member's project. Goat would probably be my choice, too. Trying to get a testy 450 lb. Poland China in the cab of truck for the trip home might be tricky...
Holy Cow, post: 329346, member: 50 wrote: Well, sort of.............
Attended the livestock auction at the County Fair this evening. One of the standard events is the selling of the animals shown at the fair by the 4-H kids. There is either one or two buyers of each animal. The way it works is that each type of animal (steer, hog, sheep, goat) has a base bid that will be paid by a commercial packer. Then local business people bid on paying a premium over that amount to reward the kid for their hard work. The premium bid winner then has the option of matching the base bid so that they end up with the animal. Maybe one out of ten do this.
All the premium bidders get is a little bit of advertising value and, in some cases, making one of their regular customers/clients happy because their kid got top dollar. Frequently, one extra bidder can drive the final amount up by several hundred dollars.
Bottom line is that I paid the premium on a goat shown by the daughter of a former employee and the granddaughter of a current employee. That extra $675 will go a long way on getting started on next year's projects. I let the critter go to the base bid winner. Not about to start eating goat at this late date.
Anyone else do this sort of thing?
Yep. Every year (13 years) my business buys a 4-H/FFA pig. Mmmmmmmmmmmm - very tasty!!
Good advertising and it supports local youth.
Goat burrito is pretty good...
I've never bought one but I sold several steers while in 4H and FFA. If you figured all the time I spent raising and training those critters I think I made about $0.01 per hour on them. But it sure didn't hurt me and I did learn a thing or two about how to finish what you start.
Andy
Holy Cow, post: 329346, member: 50 wrote: Well, sort of.............
All the premium bidders get is a little bit of advertising value and, in some cases, making one of their regular customers/clients happy because their kid got top dollar.
You forgot bragging rights...around here there is always a few people that take the opportunity to show off how much money they have, which helps the kids. I have witnessed some bidding wars that would blow your mind.
4H / FFA is a great thing for the kids and supporting it is a good way to support the community. For many kids, that is their college money.
I wish I could get $675 for all my goats. They'd be gone faster than a cat could lick its ass.
Holy Cow, post: 329346, member: 50 wrote: Well, sort of.............
Attended the livestock auction at the County Fair this evening. One of the standard events is the selling of the animals shown at the fair by the 4-H kids. There is either one or two buyers of each animal. The way it works is that each type of animal (steer, hog, sheep, goat) has a base bid that will be paid by a commercial packer. Then local business people bid on paying a premium over that amount to reward the kid for their hard work. The premium bid winner then has the option of matching the base bid so that they end up with the animal. Maybe one out of ten do this.
All the premium bidders get is a little bit of advertising value and, in some cases, making one of their regular customers/clients happy because their kid got top dollar. Frequently, one extra bidder can drive the final amount up by several hundred dollars.
Bottom line is that I paid the premium on a goat shown by the daughter of a former employee and the granddaughter of a current employee. That extra $675 will go a long way on getting started on next year's projects. I let the critter go to the base bid winner. Not about to start eating goat at this late date.
Anyone else do this sort of thing?
Yes. Been on the buyers committe for FFA for some time now.
Holy Cow, post: 329346, member: 50 wrote: Bottom line is that I paid the premium on a goat shown by the daughter of a former employee and the granddaughter of a current employee. That extra $675 will go a long way on getting started on next year's projects.
Good on you brother! B-)