Oct
6
Eaton, the county seat of Preble County, may not seem to be a very desirable trip destination. The next time the third weekend in September rolls around, however, you may wish you were going. Every third Saturday and Sunday of September marks the date of the Preble County Pork Festival, a large celebration of all things pork, held at the Preble County Fairgrounds.
Searching for a unique alternative to the average Miami University Saturday, six friends and I decided to embark on an expedition to what we dubbed “Pork Fest 2K10” to see just what this festival was all about. We had no idea what to expect but certainly weren’t prepared for the hundreds upon hundreds of cars clogging the roads of Eaton and parked as far as the eye could see at the fairgrounds. After over thirty minutes of waiting, we were directed to a parking spot and began the experience that is the Pork Festival.
According to the brochure I received at a booth near the entrance, the Pork Festival has been a staple of Preble County for over forty years. The reason for its existence lies not only in the pork itself, but in the many fun, educational, and delicious events it holds within its confines. There are magic shows, pig races, locally-made craft shops, pig slaughtering demonstrations, pig petting, and much more.
The first thing we noticed upon entering the festival was the sensational smell of barbequed pork. After watching a freshly-killed pig get butchered, we decided that we had better get to the food tent fast. My friends and I made a beeline to the pork tent but were crestfallen to see the line stretching well outside the tent. A local woman told us, “Don’t you worry. This line moves much faster than you think.”
After just ten minutes, we were inside and shocked to see the prices of the food. Each of us bought different foods and I settled for a pulled pork sandwich and piece of apple pie. Both items were by far the best I’ve ever had and, altogether, cost me only $3.50.
Following lunch, we shopped around a few places. For all of you Miami students that want unique items for your houses, there are plenty to be found at the Pork Festival. Interesting items such as steer horns, paintings of rural scenes, Peruvian flutes, and hand-knit blankets were in abundance and it was all we could do to not spend our money on these things.
Deciding to get some experiences with living pigs, we entered the farm tent next. Here, we were able to pet piglets and a big sow who seemed to not like being in the location she was at very much. As pigs rustled about and breathed heavily at their feet, three local girls told my friends and me about life on a farm.
I asked one if she liked growing up as a pig farmer. “Oh, yes. It’s a different way of life but it’s something I’ve always enjoyed.” She went on to describe how pigs are dispatched. “Usually, we just take a gun and shoot them in the head when we need to slaughter them. Sometimes, we slit their throats. We try to make it as quick as possible, though, no matter what.”
Deeper into the tent, my friends and I split up and talked to two different people involved in the pig business. While three of my friends discussed sow insemination with a man knowledgeable on the subject, I discussed the ethics of pig farming with a woman named Jennifer Keller.
Many people know that pig farming has met a lot of controversy lately and Jennifer, associated with the Ohio Pork Producers Council, was quick to address this. “My goals are to talk about what we do at the farm and how things have changed. We go out of our way to make the pigs die as humanely as possible,” she said.
She provided me with a new perspective on modern methods of raising pigs, and wanted to make sure I understood what has changed. “Farmers are working hard to take the best care of their animals and provide safe affordable food,” Jennifer said. Though she appreciated me not attacking her opinion, she did want to make sure I realized that I had an entirely different perspective on the issues she discussed. She stated, “You have to get some poop on your boots to understand what it’s about.”
Before leaving the Pork Festival, I stopped by the petting zoo and was ferociously bitten by an emu, a large bird native to Australia, and decided that there was no better time for us to leave the festival.
Overall, my friends and I had one of the best days we’ve had while enrolled at Miami University. We had almost too much fun, learned a lot of extremely relevant information, and felt good about supporting local businesses and farmers. Go mark your calendar because I can assure you that the free-of-charge Preble County Pork Festival is something you do not want to miss next year.
