What to do with a pig not porky enough?
A Lincoln Middle School student works with "Lard" the pig.By Christopher O'Donnell
Friday, January 14, 2011
Manatee County, FL, With pigs being sold by the pound, students at Lincoln Middle School were hoping to get a good price for the 245-pound porker they reared to show and auction at the Manatee County Fair.
But it turns out “Lard,” as students affectionately named the pig, is just not fat enough.
Lard weighs enough to be auctioned at the fair. But when it comes to her future as bacon, ribs and chops, fair organizers rejected her for sale after an ultrasound measurement of her backfat revealed she was too lean.
“She's very long, but really lean. You don't see a lot of wobble or jiggle on her,” said science teacher Kimberley Lough.
And that's not good for a pig. Standards for the fair are similar to those of meat processors, which want similar-sized cuts to end up on supermarket shelves.
So Lard is now back at the school farm being fed steam-pressed corn and vegetable oil to fatten her up. Her reprieve is only temporary since the school still plans to sell her for slaughter.
But her rejection at the fair was a blow for students who missed out on showing her, and for the the school's Future Farmers of America chapter that typically uses auction proceeds to fund the school's farm.
At the fair, pigs typically sell above market prices since buyers know they benefit schools and 4-H clubs.
Lard was expected to raise upward of $1,500.
“It's our biggest fundraiser of the year but we'll be able to recover from it,” Lough said.
Lough said she has a buyer willing to pay $2 per pound for the sow. She is still searching to find a better offer.
Anyone interested in buying Lard should call the school at (941) 721-6840.
But it turns out “Lard,” as students affectionately named the pig, is just not fat enough.
Lard weighs enough to be auctioned at the fair. But when it comes to her future as bacon, ribs and chops, fair organizers rejected her for sale after an ultrasound measurement of her backfat revealed she was too lean.
“She's very long, but really lean. You don't see a lot of wobble or jiggle on her,” said science teacher Kimberley Lough.
And that's not good for a pig. Standards for the fair are similar to those of meat processors, which want similar-sized cuts to end up on supermarket shelves.
So Lard is now back at the school farm being fed steam-pressed corn and vegetable oil to fatten her up. Her reprieve is only temporary since the school still plans to sell her for slaughter.
But her rejection at the fair was a blow for students who missed out on showing her, and for the the school's Future Farmers of America chapter that typically uses auction proceeds to fund the school's farm.
At the fair, pigs typically sell above market prices since buyers know they benefit schools and 4-H clubs.
Lard was expected to raise upward of $1,500.
“It's our biggest fundraiser of the year but we'll be able to recover from it,” Lough said.
Lough said she has a buyer willing to pay $2 per pound for the sow. She is still searching to find a better offer.
Anyone interested in buying Lard should call the school at (941) 721-6840.
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