Amidst the moos of George, a 2 year old Charolais Angus cross steer, we caught up with Macey Fowler, a sophomore at Bear River High School who is raising a grass finished cow for the upcoming Nevada County Fair. An annual tradition dating back to 1938, the Nevada County Fair draws thousands of visitors of all ages! Showcasing agriculture, animals, arts and crafts (not to mention rides and music too!)- from corndogs to organic salads, the fair has something for everyone.
As part of the FFA (Future Farmers of America), Macey Fowler has been raising this grass finished steer for 2 years and is really excited to share her hard work with the community.
Here’s how it works- after the animals that FFA students have raised are shown during the fair and are deemed “market ready,” the winners head to the live auction on Sunday. So, if you are excited about Macey’s steer- it could be yours! When asked why she chose to finish her steer on pasture, she said, “I like to see cattle roaming around, to me it seems like they gain better and are happy eating grass.”
And if anyone would know about pasture raised animals- it’s Macey. Her family’s business, Fowler Family Farm is a small family operation offering chicken, turkey, goose, eggs, beef, pork, rabbit and goat. The Fowlers raise their animals sustainably on fresh green pasture without hormones or antibiotics, and supplement with certified organic feed as needed.
After participating in her family’s farm and seeing the demand for meat raised this way, Macey is already raising a steer for next year’s fair. This one will be fully grass fed from start to finish.
To see Macey’s steer and all the fair entries visit the Nevada County Fair August 8th-12th.