Pork, it’s more than wants for dinner

MT. PLEASANT — Henry County embraces the backbone of rural Iowa with collaborations between the Iowa Pork Producers of Henry County and local youth programs.

Pork production is more than knowing where certain cuts of meat come from; pork production includes raising the swine, selling them, marketing them, and all the in-between which is necessary to provide this vital commodity for the community.

Henry County Pork Producers certainly provide more than just pork to Henry County.

Throughout the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, The Pork Producers partner with local 4-H and FFA groups to acquire the needed utilize 15-20 students and 15-20 adults to run the tent for the duration of the reunion.

The volunteers assist by grabbing soda from coolers, wrapping sandwiches, running registers, and lending a helping hand wherever it is needed.

While the Pork Producers do offer a five day pass to Old Threshers, it is not the only reason students continue to choose the Pork Producers tent to fulfill their volunteer requirements.

Students are given the opportunity to learn pork food preparation, money skills, people skills, and community involvement.

Hayleigh McPherson, Mt. Pleasant High School Freshman FFA member, enjoys working at the Pork Producer tent because she is given the opportunity to work with students from other clubs and chapters.

For Sophomore Briar Bender, the biggest draw is simply the really good, fresh, Iowa pork.

“Coming from the pork producers is a lot better, because it is fresh,” MPHS Freshman FFA member Campbell said. “When they are part of the Pork Producers they come from local meat lockers and farms.”

Bender also enjoyed showing-off his sandwich wrapping skills during his volunteer hours.

According to McPherson, “Bender is the sandwich wrapping guru.”

Bender attributes his excellent sandwich wrapping skills to years of unwrapping and rewrapping Subway sandwiches.

To these FFA students, the Pork Producers the tastiest pork around, but they’re not alone in their opinion.

“People didn’t just order one thing when they came through the line,” McPherson said. “They would order eight to 10 sandwiches and take them back to their families.”

“There was this one guy who came up and asked for a pork loin,” Campbell recalled. “But I had been telling a lot of people before him it was going to be a long wait because the pork loins just got on the grill.”

“Pretty much everyone else just found something else to eat,” Campbell said. “He waited, though, because he said that his family’s Old Threshers tradition was getting a pork loin.”

According to Campbell, the man had his son with him, and was excited to pass on the tradition.

“He waited for almost an hour,” Campbell said. “When I handed him his pork loin, he smiled, and said, ‘Here’s to tradition.’”

“That was kind of cool,” Campbell said. “My favorite part is being able to talk to people through the window.”

Campbell’s fellow FFA member, Sophomore Alexis Francy does not enjoy talking to people.

Volunteering with Pork Producers provides learning opportunities for students beyond what they are learning in the Agricultural Classroom about swine.

So, this year, Francy learned new skills as she ran the register.

“They put me in the wrong spot,” Francy said. “I can’t do math.”

“Talking to people is not my thing,” she said. “Still isn’t my thing.”

She, however, managed, and admitted that her confidence in math and communication grew from the experience.

The FFA motto, “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve,” does, after-all, put an emphasis on serving.

“[The Pork Producers] bring in a lot of 4-H clubs and FFA chapters to serve in the producer’s tent,” Campbell said.

“We plan to continue this partnership for years to come!” said the 2021-22 MPHS FFA Recorder Julie Campbell.

In the end, it all comes full circle as all the proceeds made through the Pork Producers from events like Old Threshers go toward scholarship funds for students in the county.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com