Orange County 4-H calf sale raises about $30,000 for youth agriculture
A packed 4-H calf and livestock sale in Otisville raised about $30,000, signaling that Orange County’s farm economy still leans on youth and dairy.
Bidders, families and livestock supporters helped Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County raise about $30,000 at the 28th annual Orange County 4-H Calf & Livestock Sale at the Education Center & 4-H Park in Otisville.
The sale ran from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at 300 Finchville Turnpike and mixed a live auction, silent auctions and a chicken barbecue fundraiser. Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County described it as the largest annual fundraiser for its Orange County 4-H Livestock & Dairy programs, and said the turnout reflected unusually strong participation and energy.
The event drew dairy and livestock farmers, homesteaders, agricultural businesses and other supporters who use the sale as a place to buy, visit and stay connected to the county’s farm community. The chicken barbecue proceeds went directly to the dairy program to support trips, programming and future events, while the broader sale helped finance educational opportunities for 4-H members.
Zoe Nafis, who is listed by Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County as Livestock, 4-H Livestock, Equine and Dairy Program Manager, said youth played an active role in the fundraiser by helping market the sale, reach buyers and spread the word in the community. That work matters because the sale is not just a one-night fundraiser. It is part of a pipeline that introduces young people to agriculture through animals, business and public-facing leadership.
Orange County 4-H’s livestock program includes chickens, goats, sheep, cows and swine, and the educational side of the program brings members into contests, workshops, seminars, project meetings and farm trips. Cornell’s animal science programs say youth in those programs build marketable skills that help them get jobs, apply to college and succeed in life. In practice, that means learning animal care, public speaking and the basics of running a small agricultural enterprise.
The sale’s strong showing also fits Orange County’s larger farm economy. The USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 613 farms in the county and $95.62 million in agricultural products sold, with livestock, poultry and products making up 23% of those sales. Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County says dairy has a long-standing and deep-rooted history in the county, and state agriculture officials say New York remains one of the nation’s major dairy states, with nearly 3,200 dairy farms producing 15.7 billion pounds of milk in 2022.
For Orange County, the calf sale showed how a local youth program still connects directly to land use, farm income and community identity. The money raised helps keep that connection alive for the next generation of farmers, animal scientists and agricultural business owners.
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