Williams, Pastryk Win Big at the Berrien Youth Fair
Published: Friday, August 23, 2024
Two cousins who did chores together all summer earned a sweet reward for their hard work last week at the Berrien County Youth Fair.
Makynna Williams and Alec Pastryk, both of Galien, finished one-two in the youth fair's swine show. During the large animal auction last Friday, Williams sold the 271-pound grand champion market hog for $16.37 per pound ($4,836) to a support group (see list at end of story).
Next in the ring was Pastryk and his 270-pound reserve champion market hog. The barrow brought $7 per pound ($2,090) from Grandma and Grandpa Clark, Janet Swartz Kuhn CPA, Country Heritage Credit Union, Andrew Pastryk, Reyes Adent Family Foundation, Mark Farm Supply, Hahn Auctioneers, Ameriprise Financial/McCourt and Associates, and William Hasse.
Williams and Pastryk shared a hug following both of their sales. They both kept their animals in the same barn this summer and "worked really hard," Williams said.
"It's just nice that all our hard work paid off," she said.
She said she was "way beyond satisfied" with the selling price of her 4-H pig but added that she doesn't show pigs for money. She says the real payoff is the learning experience and meeting so many nice people at the fair.
Now 16, Williams has been showing swine since she was just 5 years old.
After all the receipts and add-ons were totaled, youth exhibitors last week raked in $587,182.21 from the sale of 789 lots. Small animals were sold last Thursday, and large animals were auctioned off on Friday.
Last year's auction total was a bit higher, at $587,813.09, but with fewer lots, 803.
The beef auction was also a family affair, as sisters Megan and Kylie Brunke claimed the top two spots. Last Friday, they sold their beef animals for impressive prices.
Megan's 1,495-pound grand champion brought $4.20 per pound. With add-ons, the total reached $6,304. Meanwhile, Kylie's 1,425-pound reserve champion sold for $4.50 per pound ($6,437.50). The same buyers (see list) were involved in both sales.
In addition to their wins in the beef show, Megan and Kylie also claimed top honors in the goat exhibition. Megan brought the grand champion Boer goat, selling it for $18 per pound ($2,196) to Dale Jasper Farms and Ott Insurance. Kylie was next with the reserve champion Boer goat, earning $18 per pound ($2,070) from Dale Jasper Farms and Robert Brunke Plumbing.
Adyson Baker of Buchanan showed the grand champion dairy wether and earned $4.50 per pound ($486) from Reyes Adent Family Foundation. Jase Baker, also of Buchanan, showed the reserve champion dairy wether and picked up $4.25 per pound ($369.75) from Indiana-Michigan Power/Cook Nuclear Plant.
In another goat sale, Emeliah Teachworth of Baroda sold a quart of milk for $1,615 to a large support group (see list).
Raelynn Forler of Buchanan led off the sheep auction with her 154-pound grand champion market lamb. She received $5 per pound ($770) from Weinberg Farms.
Kylie Brunke exhibited the reserve champion market lamb, selling the 161-pounder for $10 per pound ($2,010) to Robert Brunke Plumbing, Shannon's Daycare Inc. and the reserve grand champion lamb buyer's group.
Isabella Totzke of Stevensville partnered with Crystal Flash Energy on the sale of her champion ewe. Crystal Flash purchased the 97-pound lamb for $10 per pound ($1,164). Taylor Costanza of Sodus sold the reserve champion ewe for an impressive $53.28 per pound ($8,060) to Taylor Costanza's buyer group, SMP Marketing LLC, Nutrien Ag Solutions, GreenStone Farm Credit Services and GreenMark Equipment.
In the dairy sale, Camille Lozmack of Galien app-
eared in the ring with her grand champion Holstein heifer. A gallon of milk, along with cookies, was sold, with the proceeds split among all the dairy youth exhibitors. The total amount raised was $7,810. Buyers are listed at the end of the story.
In the small animal auction, Micah Necas of Three Oaks exhibited both the grand champion and reserve champion turkeys. He sold the grand champion for $665 to Kugler Farm, and the reserve champion for $815 to Sacend Farms.
Meredith Dinges of Buchanan received $250 for the reserve champion tom turkey from Weldy Sales & Service. Honor Credit Union had the high bid of $110 on the reserve champion hen turkey shown by Isabella Tibbles of Niles.
James Jasper of Sawyer led the way in the poultry show. He exhibited the champion broilers and earned $2,150 from a buyer group (see list). Wyatt Baker of Niles was next with the reserve champion broilers. He received 2,690 from Tacy Brothers Excavating.
For a bid of $230, Sophia Bachman of Niles sold the champion fryers to Masten Farms and Country Heritage Credit Union. Emily Holt of Buchanan auctioned her reserve champion fryers for $175 to Honor Credit Union.
A dozen eggs from Jessie Schwark's grand champion layer brought $350 from Mark Seifert of Three Oaks. Schwark is from Galien.
Cora Weinberg of Buchanan earned $200 from the sale of her grand champion single market rabbit. The buyers were Country Heritage Credit Union and Masten Farms. Zach Shall of Watervliet received $550 from Rick and Melissa Shall and Whirlpool Corp. for the reserve champion single rabbit.
The grand champion pen of rabbits was shown by Matthew Britton of Niles. He earned $200 from K2 Power Solutions. Next was the reserve champion pen of rabbits shown by Mattalyn Weinberg of Niles. HRP Construction and Patton Farms had the high bid of $150.
Subtotals, by species, were: 141 hogs, $264,945.71; 29 beef steers, $141,044.50; 23 sheep, $43,642.10; 252 rabbit pens, $42,465; 115 poultry pens, $30,490; 94 turkeys, $18,700; one gallon of milk, $7,810; 72 still exhibits, $6,030; one quart of goat milk, $1,615; and a dozen eggs, $350.
Support Groups
• Grand Champion Buyer's Hog Group—Hein Electric, Memaw and Pops Lee, Larry and Barb Money, Janet Swartz Kuhn CPA, Dylan Crocker, Reyes Ardent Family Foundation, Dale Seyfred/Pioneer Seed, Murdocks Glass, Ron and Margaret Cowles, Automotive Plus, The Hemphill's, Mike and Kristin Baker family, Strefling Grain, Nick Totzke Farms, Florey family, Meadow View Farms/Brian Totzke, Andrew Pastryk, Jackson Lyden, Masten Farms, Country Heritage Credit Union, Weinberg Farms, Whirlpool Corp., Chad and Brooke Baker family, Versaw Earthworks/Dan Versaw, Diggidy Dogs Grooming, DeVries Farms, REV Excavating, Brenda and Butch Payton, Grandma Neidleige, Seiferts Farm Supply, Pat, Teri, Marissa and Natalie Freehling
• Grand Champion Beef Buyers Group—Slowik Refrigeration, R.A. Mort Supply Co., Nyes Auto Tech & Tire, Art Brunke, Ed and Linda Brunke, Dale Jasper Farms, Gary's Custom Meats, Country Heritage Credit Union, Robert Brunke Plumbing, Hein Electric
• Reserve Champion Beef Buyers Group—Slowik Refrigeration, R.A. Mort Supply Co., Nyes Auto Tech & Tire, Art Brunke, Ed and Linda Brunke, Dale Jasper Farms, Gary's Custom Meats, Country Heritage Credit Union, Robert Brunke Plumbing, Hein Electric
• Emeliah's goat milk group—Scott and Beth Klug, Quarter Mile Nubians, Mark Farm Supply, Bob and Jo Ellen Gamso, Whirlpool Corp., Joe Rydwelski Construction, Heritage Family Farms, Pearson Seed, All In Farms, Udderly Natural Goat Milk Soap, MET Farms, George Brothers Show Lambs, Smitty's Heating and Air Conditioning, Grandma and Grandpa Young, Cross Creek Farm, Bruce and SuEllen Foster, Ferry Farm, Your Auction Management Team/Tom Gear, Allen Weich and Teachworth Excavation Co.
• Gallon of milk—Jerry and Trish Vigansky, Whirlpool Corp., Great Lakes Electrical Maintenance, Strefling Grain, JR Automation, Cross Creek Farm, All in Farms, Southwestern Michigan College, Reyes Adent Family Foundation, Rodney Roberts, Zak Kretchman/AgriGold Seed, Pearson Seed/Tom Pearson, REV Excavating, Crystal Flash Energy, Klug girls, Marsh Farm Trucking, Burnips Equipment, Nick Totzke Farms, Nutrien Ag Solutions/Justin Scherer, Jackson Lyden, Masten Farms, Dale Seyfred/Pioneer Seed, Murdocks Glass, Berrien Quick Lube, Dean Lozmack, SOOS Insurance Agency/Todd Soos, Dylan Crocker, Dan and Val Stacey, Welcome Home Design Group, Bintriss Moving and Storage, Jason, Susan, Tyler and Charlie Ewalt, Coastline Realty Group, Dargus Farms, Dargus Ag LLC, Brunke-Geiger Heating and Cooling, Heritage Family Farms, Pike Funeral Home, Al and Kristine Shuler family, Grandma and Grandpa Young, Korfmacher family, Wasko Farms, Adam Evans, Studio L.K. Family Salon, Wilbur Ellis, Shelly Weich, Krieger's Nursery, Lakeshore Die Cast, Hardings Market of Three Oaks, Pat, Teri, Marissa and Natalie Freehling
• James Jasper Buyer Group—Aunt Shelly, Uncle Steve and Aunt Debbie, Jasper Farms, Uncle Bob and Aunt Melissa, Dale Seyfred/Pioneer Seed, Nyes Auto Tech & Tire, Ott Insurance, Country Heritage Credit Union, David Schaffer-Kruggel Lawton CPA, Keystone Co-op of Buchanan, Grandma Jasper, Uncle Steve and Aunt Sheila, Uncle Mark and Aunt Pam, Uncle Tom and Aunt Meg, Baroda Valley Farms
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