Young Royals on the Farm

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This week on our HBR blog, we are excited to introduce you to some extraordinary young students who balance the world of education with their deep-rooted passion and love for farm animals. These remarkable elementary school students are not just your average students; they are also budding farmers, dedicated to the care and exhibition of farm animals. As they walk the halls of their school, you'll be amazed at how they manage to juggle school work and recess with the responsibility and commitment that comes with raising and showcasing their beloved farm animals. Join us on this heartwarming journey as we get to know these young farm enthusiasts, their adorable animal companions, and the invaluable lessons they learn along the way.

Hollyn Fatland is a 4th grader at HBRES. Along with her 2 sisters, Hollyn is the 3rd generation of her family to show pigs at county fairs and national shows. Hollyn cares for her pigs 365 days a year. She feeds them each morning and each evening. In addition, Hollyn has to walk her pigs in order to get them used to walking in a ring for shows. Along with being a member of 4-H, Hollyn loves to play soccer. Her favorite pig is Betty, who likes to cuddle. Don’t let that sound too sweet- Betty and the other pigs are loved while they go from wild to tame, but then they are happily sold for bacon. 

Our next livestock loving student we want to introduce is Scott Pritchard. Scott is a 5th grader and lives on a 200 year old farm! Scott shows cattle at many area fairs. He receives his cattle as “bucket calves” and raises them until they are about 1- 2 years old. Scott shared that cattle go to market after 1-2 years to be the best, most tender beef. One of the most challenging aspects of raising and showing cattle is taking these young calves and teaching them to walk with a halter. Scott needs to halter break his cattle every morning and every evening by walking loops in a ring, while the cattle work to hold their heads up high. Scott’s favorite calf in Peanut. He bottle- fed Peanut 3+ times a day for months. Now he feeds Peanut 6 pounds of oats, corn, and barley twice a day. Scott shared a few tricks he has learned- he guides the cattle to keep their legs in a showman style position and he scratches his cows’ underbellies to keep them calm during shows. While waking up very early and taking on the responsibility of raising show cattle is an incredible amount of work, Scott loves doing it and looks forward to new challenges with every season.

Josie Willrett is a horse- loving farmer. She enjoys showing her horses at both area fairs and local rodeos. Josie rides on Western saddles and has 2 horses she considers her favorite- Dolly and Peanut. Josie explains that there are various types of horses- or purposes for horses. She works with cow horses and barrel horses. Cow horses help farmers work with their livestock, specifically cattle. Barrel horses are taught skills such as jumping and showman skills. As a 4-H show person and a junior rodeo contestant, Josie has earned quite a few belt buckles and ribbons. If you see Josie rocking 4th grade or the soccer field, be sure to ask her to see her belt buckle too!

The last person we interviewed is James Davis.

James is a 4th grader who is also in 4-H. He has been working with sheep on his family’s farm in Morrison, IL for as long as he can remember. James feeds his sheep each morning and each evening, he gives them hay for their stalls and he preps them for showing. In early Spring, James assists with patch shearing the sheep to prepare their shapes for showing. Then, James hand shears his sheep just before showing. James shows sheep at area fairs, but he also travels the United States to show sheep at the National show, held annually in June in any given state. James’s favorite state to show was Wyoming- and he has traveled as far east as Ohio as well. A highlight of the shows James has attended is when Lizzie, one of his sheep, won the National Point Champion award. James’s favorite sheep is by far his ram, Peanut Butter Cup. Named for his brown and black coloring, Peanut Butter Cup has become a buddy for James, who has raised him and cared for him since birth. 

For many of us, area fairs such as the Sandwich Fair, are fun events to enjoy treats, ride exhilarating rides and visit livestock on display. But for a unique handful of HBR elementary students, these types of fairs are also an opportunity to showcase beloved livestock. And the aspect of showing the animals is just a small part of the work these students put into raising, caring for, training and finally showing their animals. Whether it is through 4-H or being a part of a family farm, we celebrate our agricultural- rich culture here at HBR- and we thank our students for sharing their many skills and talents for us to all learn about!

~Deb Hervey, HBRES Principal