SUMMIT STATION - While there were numerous activities Thursday at the Schuylkill County Fair for Dairy Day, the main event was the 4-H/FFA Livestock and 4-H Dairy Champ Milk Sale.
The livestock that were for sale are owned and raised by 4-H/FFA members, who put much time and effort into growing and training them.
Animals selected by the members are said to be chosen for their superior genetics and are raised on special diets to present an optimum quality animal for the consumer.
During the event, which started at 6 p.m., a gallon of milk from the Dairy Champion was sold for $1,725 to Bob Dunn from the Hometown Farmers Market.
The supreme champion this year, a four-year-old cow named Nova, belonged to Coy Campbell, 15, of Gratz.
His parents are Garth and Melissa Campbell, and the family owns Penn-Gra Holsteins.
This is the third year in a row they won the competition for the supreme champion cow and last year, their cow, Daphne, was the supreme champion.
Daphne's milk in the Dairy Champion Milk Sale sold for $1,425, according to Republican-Herald archives.
Of the money from the sale, 95 percent of it goes to the 4-H member to help with cost of purchasing and feeding the animal, while the remaining 5 percent goes to help pay for the sale, including banners.
There were also two scholarships given out before the sale started.
While there were seven 4-H members who applied, two recipients were chosen: Madeline Daubert, Pine Grove, and Kayla Romberger, Pitman.
Also before the sale, there was a market bidders livestock reception.
Another activity for Dairy Day included the 4-H/FFA Dairy Show sponsored by the Hometown Farmers Market, that took place from 9 a.m., before the fair opened to the public at 4 p.m.
"The biggest part to Dairy Day goes back to education, where we partner with Lehigh Valley Dairy to educate people about milk and the dairy industry," said fair President Paul T. Kennedy. "We also have one of the most successful livestock sales in the region and that money goes right back into the scholarship fund."
Kennedy said that the fair saw about 3,686 people Wednesday, an increase of about 60 percent from Wednesday of last year when there were just over 2,000 people.
The number of people attending the fair has been steadily increasing each day over last year.
"Tomorrow (Friday) we're expecting to get blown out of the water," he said.
Other grand champions, their owner and price were: Best of Show dairy goats basket, Rachel Brennan, $260; market steer, Mark Miller, $3,800; market hog, Madalyn Gruber, $1,775; beef steer, Chloe Readinger, $1,575; goat, Kayla Romberger, $1,125; lamb, Colt Morgan, $1,325; rabbit meat pen, Meredith Lengel, $600; roaster rabbit, Nicole Snyder, $600.
The Schuylkill County Fair will continue through Saturday, with Country Day today.
For information on the schedule, visit www.schuykillfair.com.
