Cow washing in Bradford County

There are some people who ask their kid to go out to wash their cars during the spring, but here in Bradford County they send their kids out to wash heifers. Yes, it’s a cow wash! The cow wash is on the Thursday before our annual Calf and Heifer sale on Saturday. On Thursday people who have donated heifers for the sale bring them in, and it is our job to wash them up and make them look good for the sale. Other 4-H kids and I help to wash the heifers. We usually get at least 60 cows, and all day it’s a repetition; unload them, tie them to the wash rack, wash them, and then put them in a nice bedded spot. After they are in the bedded area it is someone’s job to scoop up any poop so the heifers don’t lay in it and need another wash.

The next day the cows are spot washed, unless they got really dirty over night. They are then clipped up so that they look good for the buyers the day of the sale. I don’t usually go on this day, because I am busy at home preparing some goodies for the food booth for the auction. The food booth is run by the County Council of our county. I am happily in the food booth all day during the sale. We are sometimes hard pressed for volunteers in the booth because there are 4-H members helping out in the live auction holding items up for the bidders to see. The 4-Hers that helped during the previous days of the sale also get to lead their choice of a heifer around in the ring to present. The food booth workers create a system so it runs smoothly and the food is given to the customers quickly, even if we don’t have a lot of helpers. Sometimes it is better with a smaller amount so that we don’t run into each other in the booth… which has happened before, and we have learned from it.

This year the Calf and Heifer sale is the day before Easter, April 7th. I hope that the weather decides to warm up a bit during our cow washing, so the poor girls don’t get too cold! As mentioned a little bit earlier included in the sale we have a live and silent auction filled with items that 4-H Volunteers have asked local businesses to donate, or have made themselves. In the silent auction the items are ones that each club from our county has donated, usually they consist of baskets, like a picnic basket, hunting basket, toys basket, and so on. Each club gets to come up with their own idea and bring at least one basket to the sale. The live auction and silent auction proceeds go to the funding for our 4-H building at the fair to keep it running and get the bills paid.

I’m looking forward to it again this year, because it is always a good time... even if it is in cold weather! It will be a little bit tricky for some of us with Easter the next day, but will still be very enjoyable. Spending time with friends and supporting 4-H as a team is some of my favorite things to do on a Saturday.

Enjoy your Easter weekend!

Danielle Knapp

Reporter