WE WENT TO THE JACKSON COUNTY CATTLEMEN'S BEEF BANQUET LAST NIGHT AT THE PEARSON MEMORIAL CENTER ON THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA. ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT, A GOOD TURNOUT FOR THE DELICIOUS RIBEYE STEAK DINNER WITH CAKE. WHILE DINING, HIGH SCHOOL SINGERS FROM NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL IN GOOSE LAKE ENTERTAINED AND DID A GREAT JOB.
AFTER DINNER, THE MEETING
AND AUCTION. MANY 4-H'ers
WERE RECOGNIZED AND MATHIAS PETERS, SON OF CHARLIE AND JENNI PETERS OF BELLEVUE WAS NAMED SENIOR AMBASSADOR FOR 2012. HE IS A JUNIOR
AT MARQUETTE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN BELLEVUE. CROWNED THE NEW
JACKSON COUNTY BEEF QUEEN FOR 2012 WAS ALLISON KILBURG, OF BELLEVUE AND DAUGHTER OF RANDY AND CHRIS KILBURG AND A SOPHOMORE AT
BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL. THE NEW JUNIOR BEEF AMBASSADOR FOR THE
YEAR AHEAD WILL BE GARRETT MOELLER OF MILES, SON OF WARREN AND MICHELLE MOELLER AND A SOPHOMORE AT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL.
GABRIELLA MARTINS WAS THEN CROWNED THE NEW BEEF PRINCESS FOR 2012.
SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF ERIC AND DEANNA MARTINS OF WYOMING AND A SOPHOMORE AT MIDLAND COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL IN WYOMING.
AGAIN THIS YEAR, THE CATTLEMEN GAVE OUT SOME AWARDS.
J.C. CORNELIUS RECEIVED THE OUTSTANDING YOUNG CATTLEMAN AWARD AND ERIN MOELLER RECEIVED THE OUTSTANDING YOUNG CATTLEWOMAN AWARD.
THE BEEF BACKER AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO CORY KUHLMAN, PART-OWNER
OF THE BLUFF CATFISH FARM RESTAURANT OF RURAL MAQUOKETA. THE
RESTAURANT FEATURES PRIME RIB ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATE AWARD WENT TO JEFF AND KELLY GERLACH, OWNERS OF
SPRINGBROOK FEED AND SUPPLY. INDUCTED INTO THE JACKSON COUNTY
HALL OF FAME WAS LONGTIME CATTLEMAN GERALD SMITHSON OF PRESTON.
AND TWO $500 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO NICK KILBURG AND NICOLE
GRUHN.
THE FINANCIAL REPORT WAS GIVEN OUT TO THE MEMBERS LAST NIGHT AND
SHOWED THAT THE JACKSON COUNTY CATTLEMEN ARE IN GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE AND ONE OF THEIR MAIN FUND RAISERS IS THE ANNUAL AFTER
DINNER AUCTION, WHICH LAST YEAR NETTED NEARLY $4,000 FROM THE
SALE OF DONATED ITEMS FROM JACKSON COUNTY BUSINESS PLACES OR
ORGANIZATIONS. IT LOOKED LIKE THIS YEAR, THAT AMOUNT RAISED AT
THE AUCTION LAST NIGHT FAR EXCEEDED LAST YEAR.
AND THANKS TO GOOD AUCTIONEERING. AUCTIONEERS ARE MANY TIMES
ASKED TO DONATE THEIR SERVICE. SUCH WAS THE CASE LAST NIGHT.
THANKS TO THE TWO VOLUNTEERING LAST NIGHT....JAMES JOHNSON, WHO ALSO IS A RURAL MAQUOKETA FARMER (IN TOP PHOTO) AND BEN SCHUELLER OF MAQUOKETA,(IN LOWER PHOTO) WHOSE DAYTIME JOB IS WITH SCHUELLER AND SONS RECONSTRUCTION IN MAQUOKETA.
THE CATTLE BUSINESS IS GOOD IN JACKSON COUNTY AND IT WAS A GOOD
ANNUAL BANQUET LAST NIGHT. ONE OF THE MANY FREE DOOR PRIZES
LAST NIGHT WAS A TURKEY RECIPE BOOK FROM OSTERHAUS PHARMACY
IN MAQUOKETA. THERE WERE A FEW CHUCKLES WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED.
CATTLEMEN WILL AGREE, WE RAISE VERY GOOD TURKEYS, SHEEP AND
HOGS ALSO IN JACKSON COUNTY.
SORRY THE PHOTO WAS NOT A GOOD ONE. I WAS USING A DIFFERENT CAMERA LAST NIGHT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE USED THE TELEPHOTO LENS.
DENNIS VOY