Pork Banquet scheduled

Hardin County – The Hardin County Pork Producers will hold their annual Pork Banquet on Saturday, March 18 at Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative in Kenton, starting at 6:30 pm.

The evening will include naming of the Hardin County Pork Industry Queen and Pork Producers Scholarship Recipients, as well as pork dishes and door prizes. Adult ticket prices are $10, and $5 for 2022 Hardin County Junior Fair Swine Exhibitors, as well as fair workers from the Pork Producers Pavilion, and children.

The banquet is open to all interested people, but advance tickets are required. Tickets can be purchased through March 13 from the following county Pork Producers Directors: Tyler Skidmore, Steve & Kelly Searson, Doug & Christine Heilman, Tim Holbrook, Mark Watkins, Matt Holbrook, LeVern & Nancy Weaver, Nathan Weaver, Rusty Bingham, Wes VanScoy, Ranae Sherman, Alyson Purcell, and Jody Dye. Tickets can also be reserved from the Extension office by calling 419-674-2297.

The Hardin County Pork Producers are offering up to six $750 scholarships to qualified students. Scholarships will be awarded to high school or college students from the six county schools. Applicants must be a son/daughter of a Hardin County Pork Producer or have been a 4-H or FFA member who has/had swine projects at the Hardin County Fair. Questions about the scholarships can be addressed to Steve Searson at 937-407-0785.

The Pork Producers are also looking for 2023 Pork Industry Queen Contestants. Eligible candidates for the title of Hardin County Pork Industry Queen must be age 15 through 19 as of January 1, 2023. To be eligible for the State Pork Industry Queen contest, the entrant must be 17 prior to January 1 of the year they will be competing. Anyone qualified and interested can become Hardin County Pork Industry Queen, but only those who reside on a farm on which hogs are raised and is the daughter of parents now actively engaged in the production of pork will be eligible for the State Pork Industry District III Queen Contest in 2023. Selection will be held before a panel of judges at the Pork Banquet on Saturday, March 18. Questions about the Pork Industry Queen can be addressed to Nancy Weaver at 567-674-0559 or Alyson Purcell at 567-674-4512.

Applications and rules for both the Hardin County Pork Producers Scholarships and Hardin County Pork Industry Queen can be found at hardin.osu.edu or picked up at the Hardin County Extension Office, 1021 W Lima Street, Kenton. Applications for both the scholarships and Pork Industry Queen must be received either online or at the Hardin County Extension Office by February 24, 2023.