Cultivating character

By Catherine Amos

Published: July 9, 2008

Despite a waning economy, many Culpeper residents have stuck to their roots and cultivated family farms — some for three generations or more. And with each generation comes continued participation in local 4-H programs.

Today marks the opening day of the annual Culpeper-Madison-Rappahannock 4-H Farm Fair, ending Monday with a livestock sale. Youth show off their months of hard work spent raising pigs, cattle, sheep, rabbits and goats. The show, which dates back about 50 years, has featured multiple generations of Culpeper families, including the Bierhuizens, Finchams and Bennetts, to name a few.

From city life to farm
Jennifer Bierhuizen’s family moved to a farm in Culpeper in 1973 from Alabama and hasn’t looked back since.

“We all said we wanted a farm and that was the beginning of the big adventure,” Bierhuizen said. “We had no idea what we were doing.”

Bierhuizen’s mother encouraged her kids to join 4-H, showing cattle, pigs, rabbits and dogs. Bierhuizen went on to get a degree in animal science from Virginia Tech, and now her four kids — Bailey, 17, Taryn, 15, Gates, 13, and Ryker, 11 — are avid 4-H-ers. But she said things have changed since her involvement, mainly in participation and expectations.

“4-H has just been a really great program for our family,” she said. “But I do know the numbers are down and the responsibility is down. I think the whole expectation of what originally was started has dropped.”

Bierhuizen expressed frustration with the leadership coming from Virginia Tech, but said the program, though struggling to stay relevant, is still beneficial for her kids and others.

“They’re losing people left and right,” she said Tuesday at her family’s farm off Mt. Pony Road in Culpeper. “I still do it because there are still things to be gained.”

Ryker and Gates will be showing market lambs in this year’s farm show — animals they have raised since January. Through monthly 4-H classes, the boys have learned how to keep track of feed costs and are held responsible for the lambs’ care.

“It builds character,” Ryker said about why he likes 4-H. “It gives you responsibilities.”

The bleating sheep could be heard outside the still air of the barn, where a litter of 3-week-old puppies yelped and whined and stacked hay reached the ceiling. The farm is no moneymaker, Bierhuizen said, and she works part time as a pharmacist to supplement the family’s income.

Life on a farm has acclimated her kids to the concept of life and death, and Bierhuizen said they usually don’t name their animals until just before the show. They have lost two market lambs this year, but are still showing five.

The boys have spent the past few months halter-breaking, washing, feeding and shearing the lambs. Gates said the worst part was halter-breaking them.

“I have perfect experience with that,” Ryker said. “When they kicked me in the face, kicked me in the stomach, jumped over me.”

Gates laughed, saying his favorite part was “watching my brother try to catch them.”

“It’s pretty entertaining,” he said. “And everybody hates it, but I think it’s fun to have to get up in the middle of the night and take care of them. It’s something new.”

Preparing for the show
At the Culpeper Agricultural Enterprises Wednesday, a handful of teens was already preparing for the weekend’s events. Beth Bennett, 19, and her brother, Matt, 17, are fourth generation 4-H-ers who grew up on their family’s farm in Inlet raising beef cattle and pigs.

This year will be Beth’s 11th and last year in the show. In addition to showing pigs, she will be showing the same heifer she showed as a calf her first year in the show.

“It’s been awesome,” she said. “It’s my favorite thing to do. I like working with my family; it’s brought us really close. You learn how to take responsibility for your animals and learn how to work together.”

Beth said it was just expected — though not forced — that she and her brother continue in the trade.

“It’s been a good experience,” Matt said. “A lot has changed, but just coming out here every year and spending the week with people with the same interests as you, it’s fun.”

A few stalls over in the hog area was the Fincham family. Whitney Fincham, 19, is a third-generation 4-H-er who came up with the theme of this year’s show, “Your Time to Shine.”

Her mother, Kim Fincham, said participation has gone down but the program has stayed the same.

“It’s like one big family,” she said. “We all know each other. But I think if it keeps in the same direction, in four or five years there probably won’t be but a handful of 4-H-ers.”

Fincham’s sentiment echoed Bierhuizen’s.

“It’s a good program, it’s just that it’s dying,” Bierhuizen said. “It’s a hard death to see. The farm, it’s never really been about profit. You want it to cover your bills, but it’s more about character.”

Catherine Amos can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .

Today’s CMR Farm Show Schedule
For a complete show schedule, visit CMRfair.com.
8 a.m. — Weigh-in and ultrasound for market steers
9:45 a.m. — Watermelon Party
11 a.m. — Weigh-in for all other market animals
5 p.m. — Poultry check-in
7 p.m. — Swine show