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MARCH 2016 | Vol. 21 | Issue 3 | Mail Run: 8,465 | Total Print Run: 11,500

The Catoctin












www.thecatoctinbanner.com www.epluspromotes.com Your Good News Community Newspaper Serving Northern Frederick County, MD Since 1995

Community Gathers to Keep the Tradition Going




Deb Spalding


The Catoctin FFA (formerly generations represented at the event.
known as Future Farmers of Ashley McAfee (2012 Catoctin
America) Alumni sponsored an graduate, former FFA Ambassador,
educational butchering fundraiser and former Maryland State FFA
to raise money that will fund their Officer), was there with her brother,
annual banquet in May. The event Justin McAfee (current Catoctin
took place on Friday, February senior), her father, Jeff McAfee
12, 2016, in the Catoctin High (Catoctin FFA Alumni member),
School agricultural area. It brought Photo by Deb Spalding and her grandfather, Rob McAfee.
together an eagerness to learn the Daniel Myers (2010 Catoctin
butchering process by as many as graduate, former FFA Ambassador,
thirty-five students, paired with and former Maryland State FFA
the talents and traditions taught Officer) was there with his father,
by fifty-six volunteers from local Bobby Myers (Catoctin FFA Alumni
farming families. member), and grandfather, Rodman
The day started at 6:30 a.m., Myers (Catoctin FFA Alumni
when the hogs arrived already cut member).
into halves from Horst Meats in Shelby Hahn, a 2011 graduate
Hagerstown. Pre-orders determined Mackenzie Henderson, Carley Flora, and Josh Hubbard are shown volunteering during the of Catoctin, is now a junior at Penn
the number of hogs butchered. The Catoctin FFA Alumni Educational Butchering Fundraiser. State University, majoring in Animal
number of hogs butchered was up Sciences. She said, “I’m happy to
to twenty, from eighteen last year. and students, Cody Harmon and the science of butchering and the see that the program has grown.
From the point of pulling the halves Megan Millison, separated cuts of various parts of the process.” It’s something we use to educate the
off the truck, stations were set lean meat and fat, passing them on This butchering event has been public, but it’s something that brings
up where the various parts of the to be ground into sausage that was held annually at Catoctin for the community together and makes
process were completed. later sold loose or stuffed in casings. twenty-six years. The idea was us special at Catoctin.”
A long table was the center Dave Shriver (Catoctin FFA suggested by then-FFA Alumni Catoctin is the only school in
of the operation, where men and Alumni member) volunteered his president, Gene Bollinger, and the state of Maryland to host a
women were intent on cutting the skills by cutting pork loins with coordinated for many years by full butchering. Maryland Public
large parts of the hog halves into bone into chops and cutting ribs Catoctin’s former Ag teacher, Robert Television was on hand filming the
smaller parts. The various parts into manageable pieces. Beavan. butchering all day. The footage
were then taken to other stations Outside, Bob Norwood and Denise Shriver, Catoctin FFA will be aired December 2016
for continued processing, weighing, Rob McAfee, among many others, Alumni volunteer, has coordinated in their Farm to Harvest series
and bagging. worked to tend fires under several the butchering since 2010. Denise’s that highlights various unique
Catoctin students, Madison cast-iron kettles, stirring the husband, Dave Shriver, who was agricultural events.
Feltner and Lizzie Devilbiss, sorted contents. manning the saw, gestured to the Matt Dellinger, FFA Alumni
rib and loin cuts into four-pound “We work with head meats and organized crowd of volunteers and Association Vice President, was
bags. Volunteers Steve Smith, Shea bony meats. Once meat leaves the said, “Many farmers just show up outside learning the kettles from
Smith, and Daryl Poffenberger bone, we strip it and grind it into and volunteer. With a piece of mail “the older generation.”
bagged loose sausage. Catoctin puddin’ and scrapple,” explained they know to come on this day.” “It brings community together
students, Mackenzie Henderson, Norwood. The butchering is always held on the with tenured farmers, community
Carley Flora, and Josh Hubbard Brian Hendrickson, Catoctin’s second Friday in February. members, students, and businesses,”
ground lard that would later be Ag Education Instructor, said, The event was indeed an expressed Dellinger.
boiled in fired kettles to make “Butchering is, for sure, an educational process, during which, Much appreciation is extended to
cracklin’. Volunteer, Bernie Hobbs, educational activity that teaches generations of farmers passed along all of the volunteers who contributed
the process and traditions. Several to the success of the event.
families had as many as three Special thanks to the following:
Hillside Turkey Farm and Jubilee
Scan QR Foods for donating the use of
code with refrigerated trucks, Norman and
a mobile Sandy Shriver for donating the bags
E D D M
phone used for packaging the meat, Mrs.
P A I D
U.S.POSTAGE
to link Ruth Lenhart for the use of her
directly family’s equipment, Robert Wiles
ECRWSS
to our for use of his equipment, and Paul
PRSRT STD
Residential Customer
POSTAL CUSTOMER
website. Dennis for the use of his equipment.
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