Oh my, I do not know what I am going to do! I need some advice. Now, I know some of you might get tired of my show steer talk, but I need you to listen one more time because I am in need of some advice.
We were choring tonight when Brooke (followed shortly by Blake) started crying hysterically!
She told me that she is NOT going to take Stewart (her steer) to the Fall Festival because she's not going to let him get butchered. Well, that's the deal - it's a terminal sale. You sell them after the show, tie them out one last time, and go home without them. I guess reality has set in with the kids, knowing now that there is just one more show until they get sold. I don't know what to do. I, of course, started crying, too, and I think Jeff was getting a little misty in the eyes! They cried and carried on for over 30 minutes. I tried explaining them that that's what steers are for - meat. They think they should be able to stay on the farm forever! I tried telling them that they are raising a product that everyone else benefits from. Didn't work. I tried telling them that we are getting new calves and we would look forward to those. Didn't work. I tried telling them that maybe they could go to a big feedlot in Texas (my nose grew on that one) and they could be fed out with other steers. Didn't work. Also told them that if we don't sell them, the festival men would come out and get them while we were at school. Now they don't want to ever go to school again and they want new locks put on the barn. Guess that didn't work either!
When we came inside after that, Jeff did tell me that I need to start making some phone calls to line up a couple heifers for them - they don't have to sell them! They keep them and then will always have their babies. I just don't know how we are going to handle this - I need some help! I feel so bad that we ever put the kids in this position!!! HELP!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I wish I had some advice for you but I don't. We never had 4H animals but I do remember some of the animals that we had become attached to being taken to the sale barn. I know I didn't understand why they had to leave and it was hard. I'm not sure there is a way to soften this blow so to speak. It's just a part of farm life that's hard to accept as a child.
You shouldn't feel bad or like you did them wrong. They've learned some great lessons taking care of these animals. They've taken on a huge responsibility and have done a great job. Unfortunately, this is a part of the process (and life). Sorry to hear they are having such a hard time with it. Hang in there.
I read this last night and have been thinking of what I would do and I don't know. It's hard but it is part of the whole project, right? Even if it's hard, aren't there lessons to be learned? Circle of Life . . .easy for me to say I don't have to kids in love with their steers. What if a choice was offered? You sell your steer this year then you get to do this whole fun thing again (of course it only works if they thought it was fun . . . maybe it's too soon after a fair to say it was fun?) What do other 4H parents say about this especially when it's the first time, I'm sure all kids go through this.
Another idea that would be some work what if you made a small scrapbook about their animal, one for each one of them or one together. It could be really small. They could get some farm paper (I don't have any). You have some photos. You could come over some afternoon and I could help you put one together, quickly. The kids could write their memories of their steer and then maybe write their animal a little note to put in the scrapbook. I don't know maybe that would make it worse . . . just an idea, let me know if you're interested.
Post a Comment