RACHEL — Folks from all over the county came out to support youth Friday at the annual Ham, Bacon and Egg Show.
Each year, the county’s Future Farmers of America program sponsors the event, held at the Marion County Technical Center, which raises money for the youth who participate.
Here’s how it works: FFA students raise chickens or hogs at their homes. When the hogs mature, they’re butchered and the students cure and process the meat at the MCTC, then they’re judged. The bacon, hams and eggs are put on display, then auctioned.
“This is a wonderful program,” said Matt Call, principal of the MCTC. “The students learn to care for and feed the animals, slaughtering practices, and how to process the food. There’s also elements of business and marketing. This is a good life experience project.”
