The reason for all of this: feeding the steer, brushing it, washing it, walking it, is all for one major reason-- the market. Every year in March, the Central Florida Fair Grounds host a Livestock show, complete with rabbits, chickens, pigs, heifers, sheep, and steers. Kids spend about five days out of the week at the fair grounds with their steer, participating in Skillathon, showing in their animal, and finally, selling the steer in the market.
Every participant is required to provide his own buyers. The steer goes to the highest bidder, and prices usually go higher than market price. However, any money over market price when buying a steer is a tax deduction because it is considered a donation to 4-H. The most common way to find buyers is by sending out letters. This blog is intended to compliment the buyer letters I sent out by allowing me to show potential buyers more of the process of raising a steer. It also allows the buyers to see more pictures of George.
If someone doesn't have the money to buy, but would still like to support a participant, they can do what is called an "add-on." An add-on is when you give a certain amount per pound that you would like to add on to the amount the student gets paid for the steer. Whether a person buys a whole steer, or just contributes add-on money, buyers can feel satisfied that they have contributed to the development of a young person and to the agriculture industry.
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