CUMBERLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- You name it, he's probably had a hand in it at one point in time.
Leon "Buzzy" Cooper has been going to the Cumberland Fair for 50 years. He's built farms, painted buildings, been the head of the livestock exhibition, and is heavily involved with 4H clubs. For the past 37 years, he's also been selling his baby beef at the fair. Among livestock is where he feels the most comfortable, explaining that they're just like people, or oversized pets, with different personalities and dispositions.
Things have changed over the past 50 years in agriculture; Cooper says it costs a lot more to operate a farm than it used to, forcing younger generations to look for other ways to make a living.
"It's kind of too bad, as we move on," Cooper said. "Things change from one generation to another and agriculture has changed the most as far as from one generation to the next. The fairs around the state are the only ones that really keep it going."
Teaching future generations about farming and livestock is what Cooper takes a lot of pride in. His family has been a part of the local 4H club for decades, and now his grandchildren are learning what Cooper taught his children many years ago.
The 4H Auction for baby beef, market hogs, and market lambs will be on Wednesday, September 26 at 4:00pm in the show arena.
NEWS CENTER