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'It's A Community Effort Altogether'; What It's Like To Set Up And Tear Down A Fair [column]
One moment it's there, and a few days later, it vanishes just as quickly.
Somewhere between the official end of summer and the unofficial beginning of autumn lies fair season, a treasured time in Lancaster County. Whether you're in it for the animals or the rides or, most importantly, the food, there's a spectacle above any on the fairgrounds – namely, how do they do it?
To get a closer look, I committed as a volunteer for two four-hour long shifts at the Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville for 74th annual Solanco Fair on the Saturdays before and immediately following the fair. The Solanco Fair is notable for a few reasons, in that it contains no carnival rides and it falls halfway in the middle of fair season, between the Denver and Ephrata fairs.Both the set-up and tear-down are completed by volunteers directed by the fair association.
"It wouldn't be possible without the endless hours of many, many volunteers and the businesses that support the fair," said Josh Akers, president of this year's fair association.
What follows are some dispatches from before and after the Solanco Fair, which took place from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22. I was but one cog in a sea of dozens, so kudos belong squarely to the dozens of people that volunteered their time.
READ NEXT: Elizabethtown Fair turns 50 this year; meet the man who's been there since the beginning
SETUP
My first jobs were simple, but crucial: help set up seating, first in the Hoffman Building cafeteria, and then outside in the nearby picnic area. Once upon a time, the Solanco Fair was mostly made up of a series of large tents. Now, the 28-acre fairgrounds are primarily filled up with ten buildings that the Solanco Fair Association owns and rents out to groups during the fair off-season. While the Hoffman Building was first built in 1975, it just received a spiffy upgrade in the last year, so it is a prime location to order some chicken pot pie or elephant ears and chow down.
Outside, I helped General Manager Scott Peiffer arrange some very heavy picnic tables from a pavilion to a nearby tent.
"We've found that people eat way more when they can sit, so…," Peiffer said while setting down a table.
While hot food is key, an undeniable fair favorite are the milkshakes. Peiffer estimated that the roughly 10,500 milkshakes created and served in three days at the Solanco Fair is more than ingested in the 10 days of the York Fair.
To handle the sheer volume of frozen treats, a commercial-grade refrigerated truck is backed up against the small milkshake building so that volunteers can quickly access large tubs of vanilla, chocolate and other flavors. With the help of a few other volunteers, we helped construct a temporary doorway to keep the cold in, as well as shelving units to hold the dozens of bucket-sized ice cream containers. According to Akers, the fair sold out of milkshakes entirely on Friday night.
Temporary tents need temporary electricity, lest you want to hear a lion roar. A Lion from the Wakefield Lions Club, that is.
Set up near the Memorial Park baseball diamond, a few volunteers helped assist Harnish Electric Service wire the Wakefield Lions food tent with outlets and lights. Two helpful volunteers were Carsten and Logan Keefer, 10 and 6 respectively, helping their dad, Dan. Before we hung and plugged in the rows of lights, Carsten and Logan dutifully screwed in the lightbulbs.
Father Dan said that he'd been coming and volunteering at the fair since he was his son's age, along with his father Gary, who coincidentally would also be helping with set up and tear down. They would be one of several generational squads of fathers and sons I'd encounter, as well as mothers and daughters, husbands and wives and so on.
It's not necessarily fun work, but the kids found ways to enjoy themselves.
"You know what would be cool?" Carsten said as he handed me a row of lightbulbs as I stood on a ladder.
"If there was like, a lightbulb gun that shot out lightbulbs."
I had no choice but to agree that it, indeed, would be cool.
In 2022, the Solanco Fair featured the year's highest grossing livestock auction in Lancaster County, selling 200 animals for $381,600, and according to Akers, this year's fair already beat that record.At three days of the fair this year, 230 animals were auctioned for a total of $458,200. On Tuesday, Sept. 19, before the fair began, livestock farmers from around the county lined up to load in animals and get them weighed before the competitions and auctions.
But before that, a series of John Deere Gators were responsible for bringing in a variety of hay, mulch, straw and general shavings piece by piece to fill up the large exhibition halls. I watched one such Gator pick up shavings and dump them in the center of a building four times, and I would guess in an unscientific way that it took dozens more of these mini trips to properly provide bedding for the hogs, steer and other cattle in the giant exhibition building.
CloseSolanco Fairgrounds is seen as they will open on Sept. 20th in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Josh Akers brings out the picnic tables to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program books on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program book on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Reporter Kevin Starker, left, and volunteer Suzanne Stauffer set up chairs in Hoffman Building for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Reporter Kevin Starker sets up chairs in Hoffman Building for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program books on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Set up diagram is shown as volunteers are helping set up exhibit in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Solanco Fair Association President Josh Akers brings out the picnic tables to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers set up the parking markers to get ready for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers set up the parking markers to get ready for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Solanco Fairgrounds is seen as they will open on Sept. 20th in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Solanco Fairgrounds is seen as they will open on Sept. 20th in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Josh Akers brings out the picnic tables to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program books on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program book on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Reporter Kevin Starker, left, and volunteer Suzanne Stauffer set up chairs in Hoffman Building for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Reporter Kevin Starker sets up chairs in Hoffman Building for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Program books on display as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteer Howard Reyburn brings the exhibit boards to Hoffman building to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Set up diagram is shown as volunteers are helping set up exhibit in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers are helping set up in Senior Center for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Solanco Fair Association President Josh Akers brings out the picnic tables to set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers set up the parking markers to get ready for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Volunteers set up the parking markers to get ready for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Sign is shown as volunteers are helping set up for the opening of Solanco Fair on Sept. 20th at Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
Solanco Fairgrounds is seen as they will open on Sept. 20th in Quarryville Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
TEARDOWN
There was no time for the dust to settle before the rain came in and turned it to mud. Akers made the call to start tearing down some of the animal and craft exhibits on Friday night to beat the forecasted downpour coming on the following Saturday morning. It was the correct call, as the rain began in the early morning and continued through the breakdown.
Maybe it's my love of nature, or how often the phrase "leave no trace" was instilled in me as an Eagle Scout, but one of the most obvious tasks of a teardown was picking up the trash that dotted the fairgrounds in the aftermath.
This is not to say that it was piled up or overflowing in any one place, just that enough fry containers, lollipop sticks and rain-tattered napkins fell short enough of trash cans to make a clear difference. Thankfully, I would not be alone out in the field – girls from several Quarryville-area Girl Scout troops were also there volunteering their time. According to Scout leader Amy Rineer, this has been a yearly tradition for at least as long as she has been in Scouting, which stretches back 40 years to when she was a member of Troop 70224, the same troop she now leads.
"It's our chance to give back to the community and to help," Rineer says. "I mean, the people who are here, which you witnessed, helping get the fair together, helping tear it down and putting it all back so it looks like we weren't even here, it's our opportunity to contribute to that in a small way."
Rineer joked that several of the Scouts had an eye towards the trash while they were attending the fair, knowing full well they'd be back to pick some of it up come Saturday morning. Despite the downpour, more than a dozen Girl Scouts and their respective parents wound up filling multiple trash bags and leaving the area clean within two hours.
More InformationTHE REST OF FAIR SEASON
-Ephrata Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 26 to Saturday, Sept. 30, in downtown Ephrata. Free admission.
-West Lampeter Community Fair, Wednesday, Sept. 27 to Saturday, Sept. 30 at Lampeter Community Park, 851 Village Road. Free admission.
-New Holland Farmer's Fair, Wednesday, Oct. 4, to Saturday, Oct. 7 in downtown New Holland. Free admission.
-Manheim Community Farm Show, Monday, Oct. 9, to Friday, Oct. 13, at Veterans Memorial Park, 502 Adele Ave., Manheim. Free admission.
The Keefer family was back helping on Saturday, this time helping shovel dirt in a central pile so that a Gator could then carry it out. With both his father Gary and son Carsten helping shovel, Dan recounted his fair experience, which he says was a positive one.
"Everyone I've talked to said it was amazing, the food stands said it was a record year for them," Keefer said.
I mention that, with the 74th fair a success, surely the 75th will have to be even bigger. Keefer grinned and started walking towards his family.
"Hopefully I make it to the hundredth!" Keefer said.
Who watches the watchmen? Or more importantly, who volunteers for the volunteers? Folks like Laurie O'Donnell, thankfully.
When the vast majority of tasks were completed, the volunteers gather in one of the showroom buildings that is now a makeshift breakfast hut, with O'Donnell and others serving up bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. As with many individual food items over the course of the week, the number of sandwiches even for the volunteers was a blur, but O'Donnell says that they tried to make sure no one left hungry, during or after the fair.
At the end of the 74th Solanco Fair, there wasn't all that much physical proof that it had even happened, leaving just warm memories of the previous three days. Since the planning committee rotates members every two years, Akers' term will be up at the end of the first planning meeting in January, where he will hand over the reins to current First Vice President Brad Davis. With a diamond anniversary coming up, Akers says that he isn't sure of any plans to celebrate the occasion but believes there will at least be commemorative T-shirts.
"I do give Brad a hard time. I told him, 'Hey, you got the milestone year, buddy! You're gonna have to come up with something here,'" said Akers with a laugh.
The thought that it only takes a few dozen people to help provide entertainment for thousands is a tough one to grasp, but seeing it play out over a series of days at the Solanco Fairgrounds made me a believer. A combination of physical labor, months of preparation and a determined network of people make it all possible.
"As you're president for a while, you realize and appreciate more the volunteers and how it takes everyone to make it happen," Akers said. "It's not just me, you've got all the managers, the committees and the volunteers, in general. The fair wouldn't be possible without them or the businesses that sponsor a lot of that stuff. It's a community effort altogether."
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Families Enjoy Farm Fun At West Lampeter Community Fair [photos]
The 99th annual West Lampeter Community Fair continued Thursday with events such as beef and dairy cattle shows, a children's sunflower contest, a baby parade, a Lampeter-Strasburg High School marching band concert, the barnyard chase and tractor games.
The three-day event, which wraps up today, is held at the fairgrounds at Lampeter Community Park — 851 Village Road — and aims to provide friendly competition among neighbors and a wholesome, educational atmosphere for all ages.
Today's planned events include horse shows, a pedal tractor pull competition, the youth encouragement awards, a youth market sale, and a calf roping contest. Hours are 9 a.M. To 9:30 p.M.
Parking is by donation to the Lampeter Fire Company; entrance to the fair is free.
For more information, go to westlampeterfair.Com.
CloseBobbie Ditzlar, 19 of West Lampeter, sits with her nephew, Levi Stoner, 1, against her cow that she's showcasing at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
A show cow looks dead into the camera for its photo at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
A cow looks towards a parking lot while grazing on food at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Allyson Reinhart, of Pequea Township, blow dries her daughter's, Audrey Frey, 10, steer for showcase at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Event-goers of the West Lampeter Community Fair have the chance to pet a variety of animals ranging from fluffy sheep to more exotic animals at the fairs petting zoo, at West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 27, 2023.
A baby goat sits on top of a haystack away from fairgoers at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Hope Keller, a second place livestock exhibitor, tends to her pig Clyde, at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Fairgoers wait in line to order food from the Lampeter-Strasburg High School Garden Spot FFA food stand at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. The school's chapter sold food items like cheesesteaks and sausage sandwiches.
Jacob Brian, of West Lampeter, adds wood to his steam traction engine at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Brain did not enter the steam traction engine into the fairs antique competition but rather brought it to show it off to fairgoers.
Jim Martian, of Ronks, strolls by all the different models of John Deer tractors at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2023.
A young fairgoer feeds a camel at the petting zoo hay while attending the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the local fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Three young fairgoers browse all the entries entered into the variety of competitions at the West Lampeter Community Fair Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Fairgoers enjoy a quick bite of fair classics during the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Maddie Baker, 14 and a member of the Lampeter-Strasburg High School Garden Spot FFA, adds onions to a cheesesteak at the club's food stall at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Bobbie Ditzlar, 19 of West Lampeter, sits with her nephew, Levi Stoner, 1, against her cow that she's showcasing at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
A show cow looks dead into the camera for its photo at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
A cow looks towards a parking lot while grazing on food at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Allyson Reinhart, of Pequea Township, blow dries her daughter's, Audrey Frey, 10, steer for showcase at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Event-goers of the West Lampeter Community Fair have the chance to pet a variety of animals ranging from fluffy sheep to more exotic animals at the fairs petting zoo, at West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 27, 2023.
A baby goat sits on top of a haystack away from fairgoers at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Hope Keller, a second place livestock exhibitor, tends to her pig Clyde, at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Fairgoers wait in line to order food from the Lampeter-Strasburg High School Garden Spot FFA food stand at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. The school's chapter sold food items like cheesesteaks and sausage sandwiches.
Jacob Brian, of West Lampeter, adds wood to his steam traction engine at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Brain did not enter the steam traction engine into the fairs antique competition but rather brought it to show it off to fairgoers.
Jim Martian, of Ronks, strolls by all the different models of John Deer tractors at the West Lampeter Community Fair, held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2023.
A young fairgoer feeds a camel at the petting zoo hay while attending the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the local fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Three young fairgoers browse all the entries entered into the variety of competitions at the West Lampeter Community Fair Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Fairgoers enjoy a quick bite of fair classics during the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Maddie Baker, 14 and a member of the Lampeter-Strasburg High School Garden Spot FFA, adds onions to a cheesesteak at the club's food stall at the West Lampeter Community Fair held at the West Lampeter fairgrounds, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
Meat, Pork From Stark County Fair Animal Sales Winds Up Back In Community Via Donations
MASSILLON – Animal sales at the 2023 Stark County Fair resulted in approximately 283,000 pounds of meat going into the local food market while generating about $1.26 million in sales.
Of the total, market beef from the fair had the bulk of livestock sales, nearing 137,000 pounds and equating to more than $612,000.
Fair images: Scenes from the 2023 Stark County Fair
"These kids (raising animals) are hard workers and very community-oriented," said Jill Sterling, Stark County Fair Board vice president and member. "They're not afraid to get their hands dirty. And many of them are already working on beef projects for next year."
Market dairy beef was the next highest seller at this year's fair, coming in with nearly 55,000 pounds sold. That brought in more than $148,000 in sales.
Hog sales were the second runner-up at this year's fair, according to unofficial numbers from fair officials that were provided to The Independent. Overall, the pounds of pig sold came in at more than 40,500, while monetary sales totaled more than $190,000.
Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula last week doled out about 150 pounds of ham at The Salvation Army of Massillon, 315 Sixth St. NE, to help feed needy families.
Regula said he has bought a pig or lamb at the county fair for the past few years as a way to share food with area residents. His pork donation to the Salvation Army was the second since 2020.
"It's good to support the 4-H kids and the county fair," Regula said. "And we know about the need (for food donations) at the Salvation Army."
Jack Flinner, of G&F Family Farms in Navarre, also donated some pork to the Salvation Army last week.
Buyers tend to purchase 4-H or Future Farmers of American animals at the fair, Sterling said.
"There are a lot of different organizations (or individuals) that work to get food out to people (in need)," she said.
Brennen Hinzman, captain and pastor at the Salvation Army, called the pork donation by Regula and Flinner a boost for those needing food assistance.
Meat donations are among the toughest to come by, according to Hinzman.
"Beef (and ham) are getting more expensive to buy," he said. This donation is fantastic and helpful to a lot of families who will appreciate it."
Reach Steven at steven.Grazier@indeonline.Com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE
This article originally appeared on The Independent: Stark County Fair beef, ham sales help produce food for local families
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