County youth learn to care for livestock

Sitting on the steps by the stand of the Junior Livestock Auction, Kyle Helms, was confident he would get a good deal on his hog Lucy.

She's a 6 month-old, 242 pound pig that likes to eat eggs. When she likes a treat Kyle says she lets him know.

"She'll look up and lick her lips," Kyle, 11, said.

Kyle is one of 76 kids and teens auctioning off their livestock through the 4-H program at the Highlands County Fair. The program teaches kids responsibility and gives them hands-on-training in agriculture. The money from the sale of livestock goes toward their college fund.

Kyle added about $550 to his college fund with this sale. He's had a head start, this is his second auction. He plans on studying agricultural science and working with his grandfather who's a Georgia farmer - that is if professional baseball doesn't work out.

"My grandpa grows lots of crops ... tobacco, peanuts, cotton. This is something to fall back on," Kyle said.

Through the program and his agricultural roots, Kyle knows what it takes to raise livestock.

With Lucy, he woke up every day an hour before school to feed her. After school he walked, trained, cleaned and brushed her.

"He's a kind hearted kid and willing to do anything," said Bobbie Helms, Kyle's father.

Tyler Langston's hog, Charlotte, scratches herself like a dog and boy can she jump.

When Tyler got Charlotte into her pen for the first time, "She jumped this high," he said gesturing his hands to about four feet. She grew from 66 pounds in September to her current weight of 250 pounds.

Ten-year-old Rachel Caldwell says her hog Sassy is stubborn.

"Sometimes she won't walk when she's supposed too," Rachel said.

Rachel got $3.50 a pound for her pig.

In the steer auction 16-year-old Kate Bryan, a nine-year veteran to the livestock auction, showed off her grand champion steer to a full crowd.

"The economy has been hard but I think I did a pretty good job this year," Kate said.