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69 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, August 30, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 26, 2004 Martha Straube, a member of the Southern Oregon Sheep Producers Group, stands in the old Crater Lake Meat Packing Plant on Biddle Road in Medford. Straube and other livestock owners are leasing the property to provide a temporary livestock auction site. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Livestock owners lease space for temporary auction site By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune When the Rogue Valley Livestock Auction in Central Point sold its last cow in May, Jackson County ranchers felt a little like the proverbial lost sheep. "Lambs and pigs and sheep and goats have been waiting for somebody to buy them," said Martha Straube, a member of the Southern Oregon Sheep Producers Group. The wait will soon be over as Straube and other livestock owners have arranged to use the old Crater Lake Meat Packing Plant at 2811 Biddle Road to sell their animals. The first sale, which will be on a first-come, first-served basis, will be held from 7 a.m. to noon Friday. "It will help fill the gap," said Straube, an Applegate lamb producer who worked at the former livestock auction for 11 years. Advertisement Eldon Townsend of Brownsville will buy livestock, then transport them for slaughter, said Straube. The former livestock auction, which operated for more than a half-century at the corner of Table Rock and West Vilas roads, closed down in May to make room for a new Dutch Bros. coffee stand. Straube is hoping word-of-mouth and some publicity will encourage local livestock owners to show up every other Friday. Animals will be unloaded at the former packing plant as Townsend looks them over and negotiates a price. "He’ll ask the people, ‘What do you think it’s worth,’ " said Straube. "He’ll pay fair market price." Up to 45 head of cattle or about 200 sheep can be held temporarily at the packing plant, which Straube and other livestock owners are leasing for $100. The property is for sale, so she realizes this opportunity might not last forever. Straube, who noted no slaughtering will take place at the packing plant, said that once the auction closed down, the only local option was to transport livestock to sell in Klamath Falls or Eugene. Livestock owners also looked at holding an auction elsewhere in the valley but found out it would be difficult. "There was just endless red tape," said Straube. Prospect rancher Robynn Stearns said it has been difficult living without an auction to sell her lambs and ewes. "I’ve held on to these lambs a lot longer than I normally would have," she said. She plans to bring 25 lambs and 20 culled ewes to sale at the packing plant this Friday. For the lambs, she hopes to get somewhere between 90 cents and a dollar a pound, and about 28 cents for the ewes. Livestock owners throughout Jackson County are excited about the ability to sell locally. "I think it’s going to be pretty popular," she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities