Hard to say goodbye: Young farmers raise animals for Lorain County Fair auctions

WELLINGTON — Few people understand the circle of life — and the difficulty of saying goodbye — like the young farmhands who will sell their animals this week at the Lorain County Fair. Each summer, thousands of dollars change hands at the fair's auctions for livestock that will go to the butcher's block. Addison Webb, a 13-year-old Firelands student, has raised lambs McGee and Gibbs the past six months knowing full well they'll go to market. "Right at the outset, you can't get emotionally attached," she said. "I'm going to cry when they go, but it's just part of the deal." She said it's important for farmers not to grow attached to their animals. It's been difficult, but Addison said she's kept her distance while walking her lambs each morning, feeding and grooming them and teaching them how to walk in the show ring. While they're not quite as smart as dogs, each sheep has its own personality, she said. Morgan Adkins, a seventh grader who also attends Firelands, agreed. She said there will be nothing easy about saying goodbye to her cow, whom she's named Toby Keith. "It's kind of difficult, because you've grown up with him," she said. "You know how they live, you know how they eat. It's basically your forever friend." Raising cows requires care and caution, Morgan said — they're large enough to do real damage if scared. That means kids who raise steer need to build bonds of trust with their animals, while steeling themselves against the certainty they'll be sold for slaughter. "I've had to learn to love my animals but not to get too attached," said Morgan, who has raised Toby Keith, two draft horses and a pig on her grandparents' farm. Nine-year-old Adam Shaver, of Lodi, has raised Samson the cow for nine months knowing his friend's fate was sealed. Adam tried to put on a brave face Sunday night in Samson's stall, saying raising his buddy was just business — but then his face fell and the tears came. It's the first market animal he's raised for the fair. "Every single morning I wake up, have my breakfast, go outside, feed him and water him," then walk Samson up and down the driveway for exercise, he said. The Junior Fair auction for meat chickens, ducks, goats, lambs, rabbits and turkeys will start at 1 p.m. Thursday. The dairy auction will start at noon Friday in Show Barn 4, and the livestock auction for market beef and hogs will start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in Barn 9. Read our 2021 Lorain County Fair tab for more highlights Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.