The Ottawa County Fair auction, held July 30 in Holland, featured 225 animals and raised a record $233,000. There were 96 4-H participants.
Along with 4-H animals there were three fundraisers for the Ottawa County 4-H program. First, a 224-pound hog, which was donated by Maple Lane Ag LLC in Hamilton and raised by the Plaggemars family with donated feed from Morren Brothers Agri Services, was sold at the auction to benefit all of the Ottawa County 4-H programs. It sold for a grand total of $784. The hog was bought by Zeeland Farm Services.
Second, a large wooden toy barn was sold for $1,200 and bought by A&B Farms in Holland. The money raised from the wooden barn will go toward the Ottawa County 4-H endowment fund, where the money will be matched by another donor.
Third, a drawing created by Jennie Ferwerda of Zeeland was auctioned for $1,700 and bought by A&B Farms of Holland. All proceeds will benefit the Jack Ferwerda scholarship fund. The scholarship fund provides financial aid to college-bound students pursuing a degree in agriculture.
In the sale of livestock, Megan Geurink of Zeeland sold both the grand champion gilt and the reserve champion barrow. For the gilt, she received $6.50 per pound ($1,690) from R.E. Barber Ford of Holland. The barrow sold for $4 per pound ($1,092) to Mark Hop, Farm Bureau Insurance agent.
In the barrow show, Kaiya Antrup of Holland showed the grand champion and earned $4 per pound ($1,108) to A&B Farms of Holland.
Alex Boersma of Holland sold the reserve champion gilt for $3.25 per pound ($796.25) to Tony Boersema of Holland.
Dakota Boerson of Zeeland brought the grand champion steer, selling it for $5,482.40 ($4.40 per pound) to R.E. Barber Ford of Holland. Grace Van Kampen was next with the reserve champion steer. It sold for $2.60 per pound ($3,354) to AAD Technologies of Holland.
Leah Hassevoort of Holland led the way in the dairy beef sale, selling her grand champion steer for $2.50 per pound ($3,912.50) to A&B Farms of Holland. The reserve champion dairy steer, shown by Jacob Boersema of Holland, brought $2 per pound ($3,122) to Request Foods of Holland.
In feeder calves, Avery Baumann of Holland sold his grand champion calf for $5.10 per pound ($2,376) to J&R Blueberry of Holland. Marissa Raterink of Zeeland teamed up with Burnips Equipment of Dorr on the purchase of the reserve champion dairy feeder. The price was $2.50 per pound ($1,210).
In sheep, Grace Van Kampen of Holland exhibited the grand champion lambs in both the ewe and wether shows. She sold the ewe for $7 per pound ($945) to VanKampen Farms of Holland. The wether brought $4.50 per pound ($6.79) from AAD Technologies of Holland.
Angela Raterink of Zeeland earned $5.50 per pound ($665) for the reserve champion ewe. The buyer was Lighthouse Insurance of Holland. She also had the reserve champion wether, which sold for $5.50 per pound ($704) to Farmers Co-op Elevator Co. of Vriesland.
In goats, Jenna Timmer of Zeeland led the way. She sold the grand champion market goat for $423.50 to Lon Kimberlin. Molly Cook of Zeeland held the reserve, earning $465 from Dr. Henry Reinart.