Folkers aim to ‘bring
BY SALLY BAIR
Staff Correspondent
NEW HOLLAND - Laura and
Chad Folker are veterans at Farm
Show, having shown their market
pigs there for several years. This
week will find them in their usual
location in the swine barn, doing
what they like to do most -
preparing their pigs for the show.
Children of Mr. and Mrs. Tony
Folker, E.D. 2, New Holland,
Laura and Chad work together on
their swine projects, sharing not
only the work but also the profits.
Members of the New Holland
Community Club, has been
a member for six years and Chad
for four. They have also taken
photography and rabbits, and
Chad has taken handyman and
rocketry.
Chad would like to repeat his
achievement of three years ago
Show. The Garden Spot seventh-grader is a member of the
New Holland Community Club.
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when he won grand champion at
Farm show at the age of nine. He
showed a Chester-white barrow
and has his picture in the hallway
of the Farm Show for the honor.
His father Tony, says he believes
he is one of the youngest ever to
show a grand champion. Hatfield
purchased that prize winner for $l5
a pound. Unfortunately, Laura’s
pig was disqualified that year for
being overweight.
This year they will be showing
either two Hampslures or one
Hampshire and one cross. Tony
said that the warm weather of this
winter has the pigs growing bet
ter than they normally would,
partly because they have been able
to remain outside which is
healthier for them.
There will be no disqualification
because of weight this year
because Tony explained that they
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home the bacon 9 at Farm Show
have done away with a weight
limit. There is a bottom weight of
190 pounds, and Tony said that a
“good heavy hog usually can beat
a good lightweight hog.” There will
be 12 weight classes at Farm Show.
He explains that with scales at
home you can push a hog in the
final weeks, and weigh every week
to keep track of their progress.
Both children say they usually
don’t mind having to sell their
market hogs after a show, but
Chad qualifies that by saying, “It’s
hard only if they did good.” Laura
says, ‘ ‘I mind it if I work with them
a lot I don’t eat pork."
Swine projects can be profitable
if you have champions, the Folker
children have discovered. In the
past two years they have had three
champions which totaled $5,000.
Tony explained that the children
split the prize money and put it in
the bank as well as using it to
purchase something for them
selves. Normally, however,
breaking even is what they expect
to do with the projects
The Folker children arc not
unaccustomed to winning. At this
year’s Lancaster County pig
round-up, Laura won grand
champion with a Hampshire gilt.
Chad was first in his class and had
reserve heavyweight champion. In
fitting and showing Chad was
second and Laura was third.
At the Ephrata Fair Chad out
placed Laura with a first in the
heavyweight class. Laura had
second and they both showed
Hampshire gilts. In fitting Chad
was first and Laura was third.
Chad was second in showmanship
and Laura was fourth in showing.
At the New Holland Fair Laura
also took grand champion with a
Hampshire and was second in the
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Laura’s brother, Chad, 11, will also be in the thick of swine
competition at Farm Show. The fourth-grader has logged four
years in the 4-H program.
showmanship contest. Chad placed
first in showmanship in the 12-and
under category.
Preparing the pigs for a show is
not easy, and Laura says she
doesn’t like giving them a bath, but
likes clipping ears and tails. Chad
says he prefers the showmanship
aspect.
Both children have had con
siderable experience in the
showring, both locally and
nationally, having had op
portunities to show at the national
Chester White spotlight sales and
shows. At these shows, where Tony
works as an unofficial field man
helping with the show and sales,
they borrow a gilt and show with
kids from around the country.
Tony says, “It is good practice and
they get to show against a lot of
kids. It gets pretty serious.”
Laura explains that pigs can be
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shown with either a whip or a cane
The whip is used to guide the pigs,
which should be kept between the
showman and the judge.
Using the national exposure as a
learning experience, Tony ex
plains that the judges are usually
very good in telling the kids what
they did wrong. There is also the
opportunity to win trophies or
canes.
Asked how the children decided
to have swine for 4-H projects,
Tony replies, “We’ve always had
pigs. We had 200 sows until a few
years ago. He was the proprietor of
Pork Chop Farm, but now works
with Four Seasons Landscapers in
New Holland, something he enjoys
and feels uses some of his farming
knowledge.
The children’s 4-H projects are
(Turn to Page A 34)
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