The Valdosta Daily Times
- — On the walls of The Valdosta Daily Times offices hangs a photograph of a laughing youngster, possibly tickled by the hat-wearing cow behind his shoulder.
The youngster is also holding a program for the annual Valdosta beef show. The program is for the 22nd annual show. It is dated 1963.
That’s the same beef show that returns today to the Lowndes County Civic Center.
This is the show’s 69th year, but its connection to our region’s history runs even deeper.
Lowndes County and South Georgia were agricultural hubs for decades. Agriculture was the driving force behind the region’s economy for generations. What has become shopping plazas and subdivisions in Lowndes County were once farmlands.
The Valdosta Area Beef Show and Sale should serve as a reminder that Lowndes County still has a stake in agriculture. The show features cattle raised by area students. Ten of the students are from Lowndes, five from Brooks County, and two are from Echols County.
Not only do these young cattle-raisers show their stuff locally. They travel the state sharing what they can do.
It is a tradition that we hope will continue for many years to come. A tradition we hope will not come to an end because of proposed budget cuts to agricultural programs like 4-H statewide.
In coming years, we would hope that people will see that photograph on The Times wall and not wonder what ever happened to the cattle show? We would hope they would notice the smiling youngster, the cow in a hat, and notice the date on the program: the show was held in mid-March in 1963, just like it is now and hopefully for years to come.
