Auctions, swap meets provide a venue to buy and sell locally-raised animals

The business of buying and selling animals is diverse in Southeast Missouri, ranging from livestock auctions to small animal swap meets.

The Fruitland Poultry Small Animal Swap Meet is held the second Saturday of each month, according to Crista Meyer, one of the organization's committee members.

"Mostly, we have chickens -- laying hens and baby chicks -- and rabbits," she says. "And, we'll have a few ducks and geese."

People come from all over the area for the swap meet.

"The majority come from Southeast Illinois and Missouri," Meyer says. "We have people from as far south as Charleston (Missouri), and as far north as St. Louis. One of our vendors is a couple from Waterloo, Illinois. We also sell produce at the event."

The Patton Junction Livestock Auction is held every Monday in Patton, Missouri.Laura Simon

The buying and selling process is fairly simple, according to Meyer.

"Every month, the owners set up their animals in cages in the back of their trucks," she says. "Most people come to purchase [the animals], and occasionally, vendors will work out a trade [among themselves]."

The swap meet is held from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. the second Saturday of every month at the Fruitland Livestock Auction Barn at 7505 Highway 61 in Jackson.

"It's just one and a half miles off I-55," Meyer says. "Buyers need to bring their own cages to take the animals home in."

The event helps the local farming community in many different ways.

Wayne Sharrock, owner of Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Inc. in Patton, Missouri.Laura Simon

"It helps local farmers because it's a way to sell more locally raised animals rather than people buying them from a catalog," Meyer says. "And since our animals aren't mixed together, there is less of a chance of spreading diseases. It also gives the buyers a chance to talk to the owners and find out more about the animals."

Vendors are charged a small fee to participate.

"The vendors just show up and pay $5 for a spot," Meyer says. "The vending fees are used to advertise the event. Plus, we also do a drawing each month where we give a ticket to each vendor and draw for something like a bag of free feed that's usually donated by one of our local feed stores."

The next Fruitland Poultry Small Animal Swap meet is Saturday, Aug. 13.

The Patton Junction Livestock Auction is one of the livestock auctions in the area where farmers can auction off their cattle. The auction is held every Monday at 10 a.m. at the junction of Highways 51 and 72 in Patton, Missouri, according to Wayne Sharrock, who is involved in the weekly event.

Patton Junction Livestock Auction Inc. in Patton, Missouri.Laura Simon

"Every farmer in the area knows about the auction," he says. "We start at 10 a.m. and go until we're done ..."

Buyers and sellers come from a wide region to participate in the auction.

"We have people who come from over 200 miles away," says Sharrock, who has seen buyers and sellers from as far as Salem, Illinois; West Plains, Missouri; and Fancy Farm, Kentucky.

The cows are grouped by their sex and size for the sale.

"We'll group the girl calves of an owner together and the boy calves will be grouped together," Sharrock says. "We try to group ones of the same size together, within 50 pounds of each other."

Wayne Sharrock, owner of Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Inc. in Patton, Missouri.Laura Simon

A licensed veterinarian attends every livestock auction in Patton.

"There is a vet at every livestock auction that is sent from the state," Sharrock says. "They come in and inspect all the animals. If something is the matter with one of the cows, the price will be reduced."

The auction serves as the middle man for the farmer to be able to move his product, according to Sharrock.

"Farmers who raise cattle can't keep everything they raise," he explains. "They need a middle man to help move their product. Most farmers today work full time in addition to farming. They don't have time to go around looking for buyers. The auction serves that purpose."

The facility is open on Sundays for drop-off purposes.

"We're open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., so people can drop their cattle off and not have to miss a day of work," Sharrock says. "Or, you can bring them on Monday. If you've never sold with us before, you just give us your address to put in our computer system, and we'll mail the check to you."

The auction is closed on all major holidays, and the event is free to the public.

"Everyone is welcome, it's air-conditioned and there is no charge to get in," Sharrock says.