Page 4B – THE WAKULLA NEWS, Thursday, October 29, 2015 thewakullanews.com
Save the Swine Show
From Front Page “My husband and his family were also in many shows throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s; and my son Dylan participated from 2010 to 2012, until he got into high school and unfortunately got out of it.” Welch said the lack of local participation is very disappointing on the cusp of the 50th annual Swine Show. “There’s a lot of work and money that goes into preparing for a show; and I’m not sure we’ll be able to have a show with only six people,” she said. “We need participants; if we can’t get more participants then we will have to consider canceling the show.” Commissioner Ralph Thomas’ daughter Bethany, 13, is coming up on her third show – if it can be saved. “It’s really sad to me, but it’s an indication we see all around our county – we were a very agricultural community, and we see that going away. This is one more way that that is happening. It’s sad to me, because it’s different when you grow up on farm, with wholesome farm values.” Piland said, “There’s not anything out there to duplicate that experience as a family or as kids anymore. This is not an agriculture-based county like it used to be. But the values and lessons they learn from that experience haven’t changed. So we have to change to meet needs of families. We’ve tried to find some solutions, we need to communicate them.” Because her kids are grown, it would be easier for Piland step back and let it go, “But it’s not over until there is no other option.”
WAKULLA NEWS ARCHIVES
Susan Payne Turner of Wakulla Bank (now with Prime Meridian Bank) with weight class winners at a past show.
NICOLE ZEMA / FILE PHOTO
Youth show their pigs at the 2015 Swine Show.
SWINE BENEFITS On a cold mor ning last February, the soft sound of crops against pigskin could be heard in the area, as Swine Show competitors kept their pigs in formation while also maintaining eye contact with the judge. Some pigs got out of hand – both aggressively and amorously. The youth, dressed in crisp white shirts and jeans, showed no signs of frustration. They just kept working. Ask anyone who has participated in the show, and they will tell you keeping and showing pigs instills a high level of discipline and responsibility. “The participants are really learning a variety of things that will follow them throughout the rest of their lives,” said Rich-
The 1973 Showmanship Winner was Ronnie McCallister, pictured with Gene Miller.
MEETING & FUNDRAISER Rodney Williams was the 1976 Showmanship Winner.
Above: Reserve Champion trophy winner Jeremiah Creech with Susan Payne. At right: Amanda Piland, now a senior at FSU, shows her pig at a past show.
The Eighth Annual Saturday, November 7, 2015 The Streets will be filled with
•LIVE Bands! •Artists & Vendors •Great Local Food •Stone Crab Claws •Wine & Beer •Chowder Cook-Off •Guided Boat Rides through Kings Bay
Those who cannot make the Nov. 2 meeting but want more information may contact PJ Piland at or Mike Duncan at (850) 5093263 or (850) 3000171. As a fundraiser for the event, a $1 donation buys a chance to win a whole, processed hog. Tickets may be purchased from any youth fair participant or at Ashley Feed Store, 8056 Wakulla Springs Road, (850) 421-7703. The pig auction is open to anyone, if you have something you would like to sell, please email WakullaCoSwineShow@gmail. com for more information. Piland said, “Let’s all come together for the good of the kids.”
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ard F. Gowdy. That knowledge includes: animal nutrition, the confidence to show in front of a crowd, and one of the most important lessons in life – the responsibility of taking care of another living creature. Gowdy added, the youth form a camaraderie with other par ticipants who might have started out as strangers and ended up as friends. Ralph Thomas agreed that showing pigs is a great deal of responsibility. “They learn to care for these animals, feed them, deal with the problems of raising animals, keeping them penned up…” Thomas said. “They learn about calculating how much feed it takes, and to measure the weight. Everything is based on a market sale.” There is a lesson to be learned about our food sources too. “Last year my daughter raised two pigs, sold one, and processed the other one,” Thomas said. “It came home to our freezer. That’s her pig she put her time and love into. It can be sad, but anyone who eats meat has to deal with that. It teaches respect for where food comes from, and there are no chemicals or hor mones. You have natural, sad reaction for a pig or chicken, but it’s part of the circle of life and that’s how we sustain ourselves.” Richard L. Gowdy said preparing for the market sale is a bookkeeping process that most kids never have the opportunity to learn. Welch said raising a pig teaches responsibility and leadership, “And not only that, it’s a chance for families to work as a team and have fun together.” In a world of technological immediacy, Piland said keeping and showing pigs takes youth away from their fast-paced lives, “and back into something very simple, traditional and wonderful. It’s just them, nature, and the animal.”
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