This year more than 70 local youth from Chelsea, Dexter and Grass Lake have raised farm animals to show at the 86th annual Chelsea Community Fair.
Steer, pigs, lambs, turkeys, goats, and feeder calves to name a few.
Although some of the smaller animals go back home with their owners at the conclusion of fair, the larger farm animals are auctioned off to members of the community. By purchasing them, buyers are supporting the youth members of the Chelsea-Dexter-Grass Lake Community Livestock Clubs. (See the list of buyers from last year’s auction at the end of this story.)
Not sure how it works?
Each year, the auction is held on Thursday night of the fair – this year on Aug. 22 – in the Multipurpose Arena after all the animals have been shown. The total purchase price from the animals’ sales go to their youth owners.
There’s a pre-auction buyer’s buffet at 6 p.m. but plan to get there a little earlier as the lines for food are sometimes long. Or, you can skip the meal and find a seat a little before 7 p.m. when the auction begins. Be sure to stop by the check-in table where friendly folks from Chelsea State Bank will issue you a number for bidding and hand you a program, which lists all the animals and their owners available for purchase.
Plus, they’ll be glad to help you with other questions you might have.
Be sure to bring your phone, so you have a calculator handy to figure out how much you are willing to bid per pound before the action begins.
You will be asked to choose a processor when you get your bidding number. When you buy an animal, the auctioneer will ask which processor you’d like and the animal will be picked up from fair at no charge to you.
Keep in mind that in addition to the purchase price, you will also be paying for the animal’s processing.
Typically, the processor you’ve chosen will call you a couple days after fair and each will assist you in deciding what cuts of meat you’d like and you can set up a day and time for pick up.
For example, if you buy a pig (and there will be lots of pigs to bid on) you’ll need to decide things like if you want pork chops or pork loins. Different cuts of pork come from the same areas of the animal. But, take it from me, the processors are wonderful about walking you through the various choices.
Each year, the animals are auctioned off in a different order. This year, the order will be goats, feeder calves, hogs, lambs, rabbits, beef, turkeys. And remember, more than one person can purchase an animal to share the cost.
Or, if you just want to support local youth but you don’t want the meat, you can always donate it.
If you’ve never gone, you should give it a whirl this year. Maybe just visit, ask questions and get an idea of what happens if you’re nervous about bidding.
But take it from me, there are lots of people who will help you.
And remember, it’s all about supporting our local youth.
