4-H'er saves money to buy house

I thought this was an interesting article:

http://static.dispatch.com/www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/05/17/hog-wildnot-this-girl.html

Enjoy!

What the article doesnt say is how much the bank of mom and dad financed the whole deal.  How many of us have broke even showing livestock? 

If you are not breaking even, then you must have other reasons for showing livestock.  However, what is important is that the kid had the discipline to save it, not put it into consumer goods, and close the deal on real estate.  She owns it free and clear and that investment is returning better than 10%.  If your showing livestock gets in the way of doing that, then how smart is what you are doing or the way you are approaching it?

Oh! Come on!! What nay sayers.

I saved all my profits from showing cattle and was able to buy this house. I'm just waiting for the cable guy.

Her circumstances sound pretty rare, $15k for a county fair reserve? For a pig?  A state fair dont pay that most years.

You guys must not be involved with a lot of young adults?  Honestly take away how she won the money for a second or the fact that the money sounds like a lot for a county fair.  It's still remarkable to me that she saved the money AND had the sense about her to use if for an investment.  I struggle to get my kids to save their babysitting and premium money from year to year much less 15 years. 

simtal said:

Her circumstances sound pretty rare, $15k for a county fair reserve? For a pig?  A state fair dont pay that most years.

Click to expand...

It said that was for both grand and reserve.

Good 4 her. Thats what Jr. Livestock programs are about. I bet no kid bought a house with money earned playing travel baseeball.  (clapping)

This girl lives in an adjoining county to ours
and the college she attends is in our town.

A few interesting side notes about this story:
15K for reserve and Grand hogs sounds high
but a few years ago the
champion feeder calf at that county’s fair  brought 20K.

This past May that county “Highland” had a tax levy on the ballot
for OSU 4-H Extension and it FAILED.
As of right now it appears this could be the last year for “4-H” in Highland county.
With the support Highland county receives for its jr. fair sales
it was a huge surprise to see this levy fail.


I believe the fiancé they speak of in this story is kin to the McNeal family
that dominated our county fairs hog show (300 to 350 head shows) for about a four year stretch here recently.

This hits home with for sure.  My wife was able to fit the bill for our first house thru what she had saved from her 4-H steer projects alone.  Not from any other show winnings do to the fact that she did not show much other than local 4-H shows when I met her.  We were able to build our own house and pole barn with what she had saved.  I think 4-H and youth projects like this can teach a great deal, it's when you get into to higher levels of showing cattle that you get an eye opener about so much more of the real world of business.  Think heavens she was responsible with her money, she still is, I try to spend every last penny we have on cows

Sure wish I would have had some in the bank when I decided to go to college. Even if mom and dad did finance the cattle aspect, the learning to save is amazing, IMHO. Nice story... Thanks for sharing... enjoyed the Monday a.m. pick me up!