Bidding for quality — and the 4-H

Photo by: The Vindicator

Photo

LONG HISTORY: Don Braham of Grove City, Pa., is in his 27th year of auctioning., and was working in the market beef auction Friday at the Canfield Fair. In the audience were local business owners, professionals and residents who enjoy supporting the 4-H members.

By KATIE SEMINARA

‘Can I get $2, let me hear $2.25’ was the call at the Canfield Fair livestock auction.

CANFIELD — The auctioneer’s song rang through the Canfield Fair’s Junior Fair Coliseum during the Market Beef Auction on Friday night.

Bill Baer, of Baer Auctioneers Realty, was on the microphone and, to the untrained ear, it sounded like he was speaking gibberish. But to the bidders in the room it was music.

In the audience were local business owners, professionals and residents who enjoy supporting the 4-H members.

Keith and Corrine Martig of Goshen Township have been buying livestock from 4-H auctions for more than 10 years.

“People supported our kids and we just want to continue doing that,” said Corrine, whose two sons were heavily involved in 4-H.

Corrine said they try to bid on 4-H members from Goshen, or on the livestock owned by families they know.

The Martigs purchase a steer and a hog each year and split the meat with friends.

They also bid on pens of chickens and turkeys.

Buying turkeys from the grocery store for Thanksgiving hasn’t happened for some time, said Keith, and this year they bought a 40-pound bird for $130.

“That’s Thanksgiving dinner,” said Keith, who noted his family hasn’t had a nonfair turkey for 15 years.

Keith is the statistician when it comes to the auctions, writing down all the prices and buyers as the auctioneer goes down the list of livestock.

“We bought a steer for $2,100 one year,” said Keith, who has figured out the best times to bid.

Support and the tradition of 4-H are what keep the Martigs coming back to livestock auctions each year and, besides that, Corrine said, the meat is simply better than any other.

In front of the Martigs was a belt-buckled, cowboy-hatted man working the ring.

Don Braham, of Grove City, Pa, has been an auctioneer for 26 years and took his turn at the Canfield Fair on Friday night.

While working the ring, he gave a loud “hup” and pointed out those whose bidder cards would fly up in the air during the steer auction.

Braham has lots of practice because he does four auctions a week at the New Wilmington Produce Auction in Pennsylvania.

“I was born into it,” Braham said of the reason for becoming a speed talker.

“My father was an auctioneer,” he said.

Henry Nemenz wasn’t born into an auctioneer family, but was born into the grocery business.

“My dad used to buy them [livestock] in the ’50s,” said Nemenz, owner of IGA and Save-a-Lot food stores.

Nemenz was the high bidder on the Grand Champion Market Steer this year, which he purchased for $5,830.

“We really like to support the 4-H kids,” said Nemenz, who added that he and the Rulli brothers are always big bidders at the livestock auctions.