SOLEDAD — Though the annual Salinas Valley Fair is four months away, Soledad High School FFA students have selected the animals they are going to exhibit in May.
On Jan. 17, advisors Mike Clifton and Lauren Carminatio-Graham held a lunch time swine and lamb meeting to discuss how swine and lamb exhibitors were going to get their animals. Lambs arrived on Wednesday and were selected by FFA members after school on Jan. 18. The swine exhibitors were able to chose their animals on Jan. 19.
Clifton recommended specific feed for swine and sheep project exhibitors and recommended that the Soledad High School FFA members get insurance on their animals.
Brenda Vasquez, third year FFA member, has shown four hogs.
“I like the swine project because I feel I’m better at it,” Vasquez said. “I feel like I’m more experienced with swine than any other animal on the farm.”
Alyjah Pacheco is in her fourth year in FFA raising a steer for the Salinas Valley Fair. Pacheco has raised three hogs and two steers.
“I chose FFA because I feel that I have had agriculture in my family for years so I feel I should be a part of it too,” Pacheco said. “I really like it because I love animals. It takes responsibility and it’s like raising a child because you give it baths, you have to love them and you can’t get frustrated with them.”
Ruby Romero has raised seven animals for the Salinas Valley Fair and is in her fourth year of FFA. Romero is planning to take a pig as her seventh animal and has experience raising both lambs and pigs for the summer and King City fair.
“Something that I like about pigs is they are a lot more friendly than lambs,” Romero said. “They’re more like dogs rather than lambs.”
Caitlin Zamudio will be raising a lamb as her first project in FFA. Zamudio made her discussion because she said that lambs are cute and easier for her.
