Kelli and I ended up recently in central Michigan and noticed it was the last day of the Jackson County Fair in Jackson, Michigan.
Naturally, we took a couple of hours to walk around the fair including a visit to the livestock barn. As most of the activities were winding down, it was easy to see the ribbons hanging that identified the winners. I ran into 11-year-old Malachi Johnson who was quick to tell me that his mother loved to show horses, but he wanted to show and raise cattle.
Before I get into my conversation with Malachi, I will issue a reminder that when our girls were home and exhibiting cattle and pigs, we traveled everywhere. I am an old-fashioned purist in this regard as I see work ethic, responsibility and learning to lose graciously as the greatest life lessons that should be experienced and showing livestock offers all those skills. The true mission of livestock exhibition should be that “we do not use the kids to make the livestock better, we use the livestock to make the kids better.”
To be honest, at the past couple major shows I watched, I found myself disgusted because many, not all, parents fail to understand the mission of showing as it was intended. The parents were hiring “professionals” and often the exhibitor doesn’t even watch the preparations, but rather just shows up when it’s time to walk in the ring to compete and walk out with an award that means nothing to them (unless it involves cash).
My story today is the exact opposite of all that. Malachi told me that three years ago, when he was 8, he came to the fair and helped a friend show his steer. That was all it took for him to be interested in his own beef project. This year, in only his second year with a beef project, his purebred Simmental was crowned the third overall market steer.
Toward the end of our conversation, I told Malachi I have just one tough question left. “What happens to your steer now that he was in the premium auction last night?” Without hesitation, he told me that the steer sold for $4.46 per pound to a guy who conducts the Bibles and Burgers program in Jackson. He bought the steer to feed homeless people from his food trucks while bringing ministry to them. I look forward to my interview with Lloyd McCormick, the founder of Bibles and Burgers.
I spend most of my days trying to prevent hurdles from being placed in the path of food and fiber producers. This 11-year-old boy had a single focus after his friend asked him to help take care of animals and show them at the fair. From that experience, He knows nothing about the roadblocks and is focused only on what he wants to do for the rest of his life, which is own cattle.
The opportunity to be involved in the cattle business has honestly never faced greater challenges in my life than it is today, but I did nothing but encourage him to pursue his dreams. Honestly, it is someone like this that comes at the problem-solving process from a different perspective that will bring about innovations that will open doors.
One thing is for sure; this boy has already figured out the most important opportunity to be realized through these livestock projects. His favorite part has been the relationships he has developed with the people involved and with his bovine project animal. That first-hand experience in building a network of information and support will help “steer” him in the right direction.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of agriculture. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com or email Trent at [email protected].
PHOTO: Children showing steers at a rural county fair. (iStock-#2178774820 │ Emily_M_Wilson)
