Fauquier Livestock Exchange Going Strong

Fauquier Livestock Exchange Going Strong

By Peyton Tochterman

The Fauquier Livestock Exchange (FLX) on the outskirts of Marshall is thriving, serving a wide range of Northern Virginia farms as well as countless countryside animal lovers.

A card helps bidders keep track of their sales and purchases.

Entering its 61st year in operation, Stan Stevens, FLX’s field representative and a current board member, cherishes the community aspect of the company.

“We were founded back in 1962 by farmers,” he said. “Nine or ten of them pitched in and were our original shareholders. We were a community service then, and we are still one now. The small farmer is just important as the big farms to us. It’s a full agricultural community center.”

Between 12,000 to 15,000 cattle pass through their auctions yearly, with weekly sales at the Marshall Sale Barn and monthly sales in Culpeper.

Shelley Merryman, FLX’s office manager, knows the auction schedule inside and out. “Every Tuesday, we have a regular sale of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and lambs,” she said. “The first Friday of every month there’s a graded feeder sale in Culpeper. Twice a year we have a very popular equipment sale. And once a month, we have a poultry and small animal auction.”

The success of FLX has not come without difficulties. On September 27, 2010, a fire tore through the Marshall complex, and when the soot had settled, many were unsure if it would reopen.

But the local community ensured the FLX would remain a significant area enterprise. The immediate response from local fire departments from five counties—Prince William, Loudoun, Warren, Rappahannock, and Fauquier—helped to mitigate the damage.

The Fauquier Livestock Exchange is entering its 61st year.

Photos © Country ZEST

Former Marshall Volunteer Fire Chief Eddie Payne, a 34-year veteran, said, “I’ve been fighting fires for 34 years, and this was the worst, quickest spreading fire I ever dealt with,”

Ross Poe, former chairman of the Exchange’s board, credited the local fire departments for their efforts, and also cited several other good samaritans—farmers, law enforcement officers, nearby residents—who showed up that evening and helped rescue a number of animals.

“If it were not for them chipping in, we would have had a real mess,” he said. The first sheriff’s deputy on the scene grabbed a chainsaw to cut a hole in the barn to let the cows out.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 12 years,” Stevens said. “But we got together and rebuilt it and were back up the next year by 2011. Together. Now we have concerts in our sales ring, too. Recently, Bess Putnam just told stories and played songs, and the local community came out and loved it.”

One of the more popular features before the fire was a breakfast/lunch counter that did a brisk business and served as a local gathering place.

“We’d love to get a grill back up and running,” Stevens added. “We would love to have people from our community come be able to get a good cup of coffee and a quick bite. We have a 900-square-foot area with power and water. All we need is a grill. Listen, we sell your cattle. We haul your cattle. We assess your cattle. We’d love to eat some too.”