Jacob Gravenkemper of Rough & Ready, who is a junior at Northeastern High School and Supreme Champion of the Dairy Female Show and his sister, Jessica Gravenkemper, Junior Jersey Champion, each sold one gallon of milk. Both gallons sold for $1,450, the most of all six participants.
Jacob Gravenkemper has been selling dairy milk at the fair for three years. In his previous years, he received $1,200 for a gallon. This year is the most he has received.
Gavenkemper says he’s saving the money he raises at the fair for college.
Other participants in the auction sold their milk for no less than $800.
Macy Timmons of Buckeye’s Best and Senior Holstein Champion sold a gallon for $1,280, Hannah Hitchcock of The Little Rascals 4-H Club and Junior Holstein Champion sold her’s for $825, Ashlynn Lear, of Old School and Senior Grade Champion sold for $1,025 and A.J. Cook of Northeastern High School and Junior Grade Champion sold for $1,000.
Participants of the auction must either be Junior or Senior Champions. To qualify as a junior champion, a dairy feeder must be less than 2-years-old and not given birth. To qualify as a senior champion, a dairy feeder must be in production and have been milking.
Selling dairy milk started a few years ago, according to Jeannie Anders, chairman of the Junior Fair Dairy Committee. Children who show dairy animals got no more than a premium check, but selling dairy milk gives them more money than that.
“It gives kids who have dairy animals an opportunity,” Anders said. “It’s to help the kids.
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