Passing On The Passion

Welcome

We would like to welcome everyone who has made the decision to come and enjoy our last auction with us. We would also like to thank anyone that took time to go through our catalog to consider the stock. If you have any questions, we would enjoy talking with you about the offerings. We want to make it quite clear that the entire herd is selling! No gimmicks, no games. They all sell today to the highest bidder.Rick has enjoyed 49 years to date continuing the North Central Pig Sale that was started by his Ag teacher John Everett. That will continue one more year to make it 50 years running. If you buy a bred gilt or sow, you will be able to consign pigs for this coming year. Sale dates will be Saturday, March 9 and April 6, 2019. Details to follow.

We have had many production sales as well in the 80s and 90s. The best things about the last 51 years are the people. We have been blessed to make friends with so many good people from all over the nation! We are glad you are here today. Again, welcome to IGF.

– Rick, JoAnn, Katie and Jenna

Our History

It all started in the fall/winter of 1967. Rick’s Grandpa and Grandma Prettyman purchased a bred Duroc gilt from Lauren McNeal. From there, an additional six more bred Durocs were bought. (Rick remembers it was a pretty tough start…) Then in the Spring of 1972, he purchased the top selling little Duroc gilt from Howard Parrish for $140, which was unheard of then. She went on to be the Grand Champion Jr. Duroc gilt at the Ohio State Fair. Rick was offered $2000 for her but decided this one needed to be a foundation female. Rick raised mostly Durocs and a few crosses up until 2000, when the York breed was added. He had Champion York boar at the Ohio State Fair that first year. In 2003, John Graber and Rick went together to by a Hamp gilt named “Cicada” for $6500. It’s a good thing she wasn’t at Duncan that year! Even today, all the Hamp sows on the farm go back to Cicada. She generated many champions and a lot of revenue for the farm over the years.

In 2007, the farm stayed the same, but the family changed! Rick married JoAnn in August and added two wonderful farm girl daughters, Katie and Jenna. As the girls showed, discussion was had to add Spots to the herd. Rick said, it would have to be a special one. The herd stayed closed until 2014. We were at the World Pork Expo and had the pens farthest from the ring in the sheep barn. We decided it’d be best to get the pigs to the ring area early and find an empty pen to let them rest prior to the class. It just so happened that the pen that was chosen was right beside the best bred spotted gilt we had seen. The decision was made to try and buy her. While JoAnn and Jenna sold hogs on the NSR side, Kate and Rick headed to the CPS end. Al Schmike was standing beside them as they bid. He told Rick he really liked her. As we passed $12,000, Rick turned to him and asked Al if he still liked her, and he said “yes”! So, the bidding continued, and it took $13,500 to own her. What a great buy, a record selling Spot was headed to IGF! All the spots on our farm go back to her.

Since then, we have added some Chesters and Landrace to our herd, but not in such a dramatic fashion! We had Reserve Chester and Landrace barrows at the 2018 Ohio State Fair.

Rick personally never had a Grand Champion at his county fair as a 4Her. This is probably why he has worked so hard to make our pigs get better to insure others could enjoy the personal success he never had. November 23, 2018, it comes to a close. This has been a learning experience the last 51 years, that has included lots of great hogs, but more importantly, great people. From those that purchased pigs, to those that helped on a day to day basis at the farm, it certainly has taken many wonderful people to allow us the successes we have had. We hope our genetics will be able to bring a positive influence to many other herds across the nation through this dispersal for generations to come. If winning is your passion, your opportunity is here today.

Rick, JoAnn, Katie and Jenna