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(227) (61) (46) (40) (3) (2)Butterscotch, a 260-pound Yorkshire and Hampshire crossbreed, is the boss of the lot. She munches on marshmallows and keeps Miranda, named for country singer Miranda Lambert, and Jana, who hops up with her front hooves on the gates of the pen in an attempt to escape, in line in the barn.
Bill, a 255-pound crossbreed and the only male in the group, used to sit in the corner. He was pushed around by the other pigs and still plays second fiddle.
Butterscotch and Bill will make a final appearance when Ben and Justin show them in the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show, which kicks off Saturday and runs daily through Jan. 17.
Justin, 15, a freshman at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, has raised more than 60 pigs in the last seven years and says each one has its own distinct identity — but most are stubborn and smart.
"It just depends on what they feel like doing," Justin said. "If a pig doesn't want to do something, it's not going to do it."
Ben, 11, a sixth-grader at Lampeter-Strasburg Middle School, is entering his third farm show and showing Butterscotch as part of his 4-H livestock project. He has raised 20 pigs in three years.
Justin is entering his sixth farm show, showing both Bill and a Maine-Anjou and Angus crossbreed steer named Boomer.
The brothers take turns caring for their animals in the barn each morning, with Justin waking up around 6 a.m. to feed his pigs and steer. Ben joins him a short time later after eating breakfast, putting the pigs together in a pen so they can become acclimated to each other and not fight.
Ben said pigs need to have the same scent in order to not fight with each other. He said some people spread baby powder on pigs to get them acclimated to each other's smell, while others rub them with perfume or even diesel fuel to give them the same scent.
Keeping pigs out of a fight at a show can be a tough task, Ben said, which requires constant concentration.
"As long as you know where your pigs are, it's not a problem," Ben said.
The farm show will bring out as many as 450 pigs from across the state, with 20 crossbred classes and at least 15 pigs per class.
A pig has to finish in at least sixth place in one of the classes to be sold in the sale of champions, Justin said. If they place lower than that, the pigs immediately go on a truck to be processed and the livestock raiser receives market price, which is roughly 30 cents a pound.
Last year Justin received $77 for his hog — but he can spend upwards of $150 a year to feed each pig.
Justin said it's difficult to sell the animals the first time, but he's been doing it so long he forgets most of their names. He has a book listing all of his animals, when they were bought, how much they weighed and when they were sold.
Ben and Justin's mother, Emily, used to show pigs and steer. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in animal science.
She said she got her boys interested in the 4-H program, turning their livestock projects into a family affair. Their father, Don, drives the trailer, while Emily helps groom the animals.
"It takes the whole family to (raise animals), so it's an activity we can all do together," Welk said.
More than 400,000 people are expected to visit the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg for the annual phenomenon, billed as the largest indoor agricultural event in the country.
More than 200 people from Lancaster County will compete in livestock, rodeo, family living and other events. Forty-five county youths will show steers, market lambs, pigs and goats in junior livestock contests.
Some new attractions this year include American mustang demonstrations, a talent contest and an antique tractor pull. Also, red and white dairy cattle will have a separate show during the dairy show.
Farm Show hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday through Jan. 16, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 17.
Admission is free for all events except the Thursday, Friday and Saturday PRCA Circuit Finals Rodeo in the large arena.
The Farm Show complex is located along Cameron and Maclay streets in Harrisburg, just off Exit 67 of Interstate 81.
Parking is available at the off-site parking area to the east of the complex, off Elmerton Avenue.
There also will be parking at Harrisburg Area Community College.
All off-site parking will cost $8 per vehicle, which includes shuttle-bus service.
E-mail: myoder@lnpnews.com
