Meat is Donated to Local Pantries, Nonprofits
Raising a farm animal to sell is hard work, and local youth are taking on the challenge. Each year, young farmers learn the business of raising an animal and preparing it for the market.
Festival Foods is formally asked every year to bid on animals at the fairs in Clark County and Central Wisconsin, and donates the meat to pantries and nonprofits. “It’s dollars that we’re giving to support the kids in the 4-H program, and the actual meat winds up benefiting the community,” Marty Chy, Store Director. “In our case, it’s a double win.”
Bidding and donating the meat gives back to the community that makes the store successful, said Kyle Southwick, Assistant Meat Department Manager. “Personally, I like the auction itself and seeing the satisfaction on the faces of the exhibitors when their animal is sold. They put in a lot of hard work and effort to get their animals where they need to be.”
That work includes everything from purchasing the animal, feeding and cleaning pens, nursing it back to health, prepping it for showmanship, and presenting on the project to potential bidders, said Peggy Kopf, Shift Manager. Her grandkids Damyon, 15, and Lizzie, 12, have spent three summers raising piglets through FFA and 4-H that they purchase with their own money.
The experience is rewarding for the responsibility it teaches, said Kopf. While their first market was difficult, over the years it’s become easier to part with the animals.
At least four bidders need to be secured for market day. “It’s nice that there are businesses that will come and support these kids,” she said. “There is a profit, but most of it goes right back into next year.”
Her grandkids are raising three piglets and will show and bring them to market at the Central Wisconsin State Fair, a satisfying end to a summer of hard work.
