Miller Grove third-grader, Madison Rater, gives her goat a "heart-to-heart" talk about being a winner,
in preparation for the upcoming Market Show.

It's Show Time !

Miller Grove 4-H & FFA Members
Are Preparing for Market Show

by: Bobby McDonald

While many of their counterparts were enjoying a relaxing Christmas-New Year's break from school, Miller Grove 4-H and FFA members were actively feeding animal projects for the upcoming Hopkins County Market Show & Sale, to be held on February 23, 24, & 25th. "It doesn't matter what you have going or where you want to go, you must walk your animals and make sure they are fed properly," explains thirteen year old, Cayle Watson. "It is about 50 days until the show and 'crunch' time for getting your pigs, lambs, and goats ready for the show!"

Cayle Watson, left, and Brandon Roberts, right, exercise their pigs as a daily routine, in preparation
for the upcoming February Market Show.

"This 'far-out' from show day, you are busy exercising your animal and daily monitoring the feed intake," explains Chance Lee, as he takes his lamb from the pen. "It's a daily routine to make sure he is gaining weight properly and on the right track for being at the correct weight by show day!"

Miller Grove FFA student, Chance Lee, brings his lamb up the ramp to feed him, a routine that is
repeated twice daily.

"We're weighing the pigs once a week and seeing if they are gaining the proper weight, and then exercising them once or twice a day to keep them hungry and putting their gain to muscle," explained Brandon Roberts, as he walked his Yorkshire-Cross barrow. "Exercise is the critical thing in the feeding regimen, now!"

"The weather has been a problem with the projects this year," acknowledged veteran Vocational Agriculture Teacher Richard Watson. "With it extremely dry and dusty, the projects are prone to get the 'sniffles' and need a round of antibiotics to keep them growing and on feed. It seems like someone has something needing a little bit of help, almost daily. But, that's just part of the process!

The Miller Grove FFA & 4-H students will be showing lambs, goats, pigs, and chickens in the upcoming show. "The baby chicks will be here later in January and then, things will really get busy," explained Watson. "Many of the kids feed two or three different projects, hoping to at least place one of their market animal entries in the sale, at the Market Show. With over 150 entries in this year's show, the competition gets stiff!"

Taking him for a spin.......Chase Lee, takes his market goat out of the pen for a walk around the farm,
to make certain he gets the needed exercise and continues to gain weight properly.

"I can't think of anything that is more rewarding and educational for my kids to be participating in," advises Vickie Mabe Lee, a former 4-H and FFA member, and now a parent of two children showing in this year's market show. "It teaches them discipline and that they must take care of the animals regardless of what other plans they might have. I want them to learn these lessons early in their lives, so they will be prepared for the adult world!"

"Sure, it is inconvenient to spend the Christmas holidays taking care of projects for the market show and the major stock shows, but the rewards far outweigh all the trouble," inserts Shelley Rater, another former 'showgirl' from Miller Grove, and an enthusiastic parent. "The lessons these kids are learning will be with them for the rest of their lives!"

Seth Roberts, left, works with his lamb to train it to set-up properly for the judge. And, Madison Rater talks to her
goat, assuring it that a haircut is just what it needs!

"Some of my fondest memories of growing-up were the times that I spent showing livestock," revealed Shane Watson, Cayle's dad. "Like anyone else, I get tired when the stresses of my job begin to 'close-in,' but, I first learned perseverance and that you had to stick with what you started, from my early livestock projects. And, I want my children to learn the very same lessons!"

So, at Miller Grove, the feed pans are rattling and the alarm rings early, so students can get their animals fed before school. Then, once the school bell rings in the afternoon, they'll be out walking, pigs, lambs, and goats, until the Market Show in February. "It's kinda hard to walk a chicken," inserted little Madison Rater. "But, if you could walk one, I'll bet they'd have me out walking one!"

"Me and Tom  many not be big enough to show, yet, explains three year old, Harli Watson. "But, we help a lot!"

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