Whether it’s raising pigs or planting gardens, incoming Sonoma Valley High School sophomore Khyren Cox is up to the task – and she’ll do it with a hog-wild smile on her face.
The 15-year-old decided to raise swine over the summer to enter in the Sonoma County Fair’s student livestock show. She has been caring for two pigs, 6-month-olds Mickey and Adipose, since April through Future Farmers of America (FFA) at SVHS.
“It was really interesting – I didn’t expect it to be so challenging,” Cox said of raising Mickey and Adipose. “Training them was a lot of fun.”
Cox has been surrounded by animals her whole life. She helps take care of her family’s many pets, from various fish, to several dogs and even up to a dozen cats. She enrolled in the high school’s agriculture program due to her interest in animals.
On Thursday, July 30, Cox showed her pigs in the showmanship contest at the Sonoma County Fair. Judges score based on how well the student works with the animal and on their knowledge of the animal.
The market class show was held this past Tuesday, where judges score each animal based on the structure and how much product it will yield. Each pig is separated by weight and breed. Cox’s pigs both placed fourth in their respective classes for the market show.
Karling Skoglund, one of the agriculture teachers at high school, praised Cox for her youthful determination and her work ethic.
“She was a freshman this year and she decided to raise two hogs, which is very ambitious,” Skoglund said. “It is very hard for someone her age to not only take on a lot of work, but also follow through with it.”
She is the youngest person from Sonoma FFA this year to raise hogs for the county fair.
But Cox is not just a motivated FFA member, she’s also a dedicated student. She is involved in the music program, moved up from a grade-level English class to honors English class in the middle of last school year – all the while starting to care for two hogs.
Cox says she plans to continue in the ag programs while joining Sonoma FFA for the rest of her school year. “I kind of want to raise a steer, but I have to lead them on the death walk,” she said. She’s decided she is “definitely” going to raise pigs again next year.
Skoglund was pleased with her performance throughout the year and is happy that Cox plans to continue with FFA.
“There’s so many things kids learn,” she said. “It’s not just about learning to raise livestock. They have to rely on themselves and balance school, because no one else is going to feed their animals but them.”
Skoglund also said the experience allows the students to learn and experience how to market themselves. Some students solicit buyers in town and have to walk into businesses, talk to a manager with a professional demeanor, and solicit a purchase of their animal.
“We try to teach them life skills. Is (Cox) going to be a pig farmer? Probably not, but she’s learning life skills,” said Skoglund.
Cox says she’s not sure what career she wants to pursue, but she has always wanted to be a chef or a restaurant owner.
“I want to incorporate what I learn now in some way. I’d probably live in a farm of have my own garden,” she said.
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