Pl2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 29,1984
Youthful Charolais
BY ROBIN PHILLIPS
Staff Correspondent
OLEY 4-H can mean many
different things to many different
youth. It can be an occasional
meeting or contest or it can be a
whole life project.
Kirk Fisher, R 1 Oley, and his
family have taken full advantage
of what 4-H has to offer. It’s their
life and they enjoy it. The benefits
and opportunities of the various
programs in 4-H are very obvious
at the Fisher homestead as well as
in the Fisher brothers, Kirk, and
Kent.
Kirk was recently chosen the
1984 Outstanding 4-H Boy in Berks
County by the Agricultural and
Horticultural Association of Berks
County. He was honored at the
Reading Fair Kick-off banquet and
was featured this week at the fair
showing his Charolais steers. To a
young man who rents land and
farms it to support his beef herd,
and uses earnings towards feed
costs and other project animals,
this honor was very fitting.
“The education I have gotten in
4-H has given me a head start,”
Kirk states. “4-H is an experience I
will never forget.”
Kirk is involved in the Berks
County Beef Club, The Berks
County Swine Club, and the Oley
Valley Saddlelites Horse Club. He
and his younger brother, Kent,
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“Empress" is the favorite of Kent Fisher.
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rent and farm 30 acres with the
help of their father, Steve, to raise
feed for their 30-head registered
Charolais herd, several goats, and
several pigs. The two boys are kept
busy throughout the year
managing their animals and
participating in hundreds of 4-H
activities.
“It’s kind of a team project,”
Mrs. Fisher says. “It has to be,”
Kirk adds. “4-H is really a family
type thing,” he says. “I don’t know
how we’d be able to do it if they
(his parents) didn’t support us. ”
What Kirk was referring to was
the help needed from his parents to
go to the 10 to 12 shows they take
their Charolais to every year.
Showing not only in Pennsylvania,
but also in Ohio, New Jersey,
Maryland, and New York, Kirk has
garnered his share of Cham
pionships and showing and fitting
honors with his Charolais steers.
He was also selected the out
standing boy in the state in the
livestock program by the Penn
sylvania Livestock Association
this year.
A beef club member for nine
years, Kirk enjoys showing his
steers and participating in
livestock judging contests the best.
“I’m still shooting for Chicago,” he
adds smiling. He is referring to the
national achievement contest and
has set his sights on that for the
Extra goat milk is fed to swine herd by KVkffaher
breeder
Kirk and Kent Fisher, who prefer the Alpine and Nubian breeds, stand with their
growing herd. Mrs. Fisher enjoys helping out with her sons’ projects.
future,
Younger brother, Kent, is behind
Kirk only by three years of age.
“This is Kent’s year,” his mother
says. Kent shows Charolais heifers
since he really hates to part with a
project steer after the year is over.
He had Supreme Champion heifer
in New Jersey, and was also the
Champion Junior Fitter in Ohio.
Kent also had the Champion beef
animal at the York Fair with Kirk
taking the reserve honors.
How’s the competition between
these two boys? “There was
some,” Kirk replies, but says,
“now it’s getting to be more OUR
animals.” The boys enjoy working
together and use their joint
resources to help each other out.
Kirk selects all the steers that
they purchase to show. The steers
are bought as calves from the
Pennsylvania Charolais
Association Feeder Steer Sale held
each year. They like to select
animals from Royal Charolais,
Greensburg, or Bratton Charolais,
McVeystown, because of the
prominent bloodlines and growthy
animals. Kirk can’t really explain
what he looks for in a calf but adds
that he prefers not to buy those
that are fitted for the sale. He
prefers to evaluate them on their
natural appearance and work with
them at home.
At home, Kirk does much of the
clipping and Kent assists with
teaching to lead and other chores.
“It’s kind of a team project,” Mrs.
Fisher says about the preparation
for a show.
Kirk prefers Charolais beef
animals explaining “they make
money for you faster. They’re
more efficient.”
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His first cow still remains one of the top mothers in Kirk
Fisher’s herd. She calves regularly every year.
With their cow herd increasing,
they are able to raise and sell or
show some of their own calves. One
of these animals became the
Champion Carcass Steer at a show
in New York for Kirk recently. “It
was the first calf that we raised out
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Fisher Charolais herd because one of
cows lost her calf and had too much milk.
is honored.
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of Kent’s cow,” Kirk explains.
The boys use artificial in
semination on their heifers and
cows. They like to utilize the Royal
Charolais bulls to improve the
bloodlines in their herd. “It’s like it
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