The second annual ag auction, held Sept. 8, raised about $90,000 for new sheep barns at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
About 80 persons gathered for a dinner prepared by the Greene County Lamb Producers, and 65 of them were ready to bid as auctioneer John Schaben sold seed, chemicals and services donated by area ag suppliers. Most of the items went for very close to their market price, but 100 percent of the price went to the Greene County Fair Foundation.
Schaben volunteered his time and commented on the value of the county fair and the opportunity it provides youngsters. “I’m convinced that if you could put all these kids through a county fair and let them learn the work ethic, we’d be in a better place,” Schaben said.
There were 81 items listed on the sale bill. Donors included Agri Gold, BASF, Cargill Pork, Champion Seed, Channel Seed, Christensen Ag Services, Curry Seed, Duff Seeds, Farmers Cooperative, Fouch Ag Services, Golden Harvest, Greene County Ag Services, Hamilton Redi-Mix, Jon Minnehan Ag, Justin Ostrander, Kruger Seed, LG Seed, La Crosse Seeds, Lawton Chiropractic, Mycogen, NEW Cooperative, Pfister, Pioneer Seed, Producers Hybrids, Riley Seed Sales, Rueter’s, Van Wall Equipment, West Central Coop, Wyfells Seed and 360 Feeds.
Businesses that have donated cash to the building fundraiser include Home State Bank, Peoples Trust & Savings Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Community State Bank, United Bank, Midland Power, Rueter’s Red Power, Murphy Brown, Prestage Farms, Schaben Livestock, Junction Hilltop Wind LLC, POET Bio-refining, Pioneer Brand, Louis Dreyfus Commodities and Channel Brand Seed.
“I think the whole evening went very well,” Fair Association secretary Doug Hawn said.
He said that with the auction and donations, pledges and other funds raised, the Fair Foundation has about 75 percent of the funds needed for Phase Two of the capital improvement project. Phase One, a new swine barn, was completed in time for the 2015 county fair. Phase Two is a similar 72’ X 135’ four-season barn to replace the aging sheep barns. Those barns have been razed and the new barn will be ready for the 2016 Greene County Fair.
All donations to the Greene County Fair Association or the Greene County Fair Foundation are tax-deductible.
