‘I’m going to miss this place’
Tasto Auctions holds last hay sale in Westminster
On Dixie Tasto’s red Grand Cherokee was a yellow sign that said: “Last hay sale.”
Around her were pickup trucks with trailers hauling piles of hay bales, which were later stacked along the edge of the lower Gesell property next to the Carroll County Agricultural Center in Westminster.
Tasto Auctions was hosting its last hay auction. Dixie Tasto said it was hard to keep going after her husband, Nevin, died in the spring.
Now, farmers wonder whether the auctions will continue.
Dixie Tasto said she met with her children and talked about how they were no longer bringing in as much money from the auction. Also, the weekly auction was harder to run without Nevin, she said. Dixie used to manage the books while Nevin drove the tractor and ran the auction.
“If he was still here it probably would continue,” she said. “Nevin didn’t give up on stuff.”
Nevin Tasto was a prominent participant in Carroll County’s agricultural community and a wellknown county auctioneer and 4-H member. He died May 7 at the age of 74.
Dixie Tasto noted how the Carroll County 4-H and FFA Fair in August honored Nevin with its theme of “You Betcha.” She said Nevin would have been amazed by the support from people at the fair and the hay auction.
Bryan Ashe of Lineboro handed Tasto a bouquet of flowers Monday at her final auction and gave her a hug.
“I’m sorry to see you go,” Ashe said.
He said he’s been going to the auctions for 14 years. He knows everyone and recalled times when he almost had heat stroke from loading hay in hot temperatures.
Tasto said her husband started the auction 38 years ago. The two were “farm kids” and noticed there was a demand for hay. After word got out, Tasto said, they would receive up to 300 piles of hay.
But that had declined to between 20 to 30 piles. She said a lot of people started selling privately and some of the farmers who participated
died.
“There comes a time when you have to say, ‘This is it for me,’ ” Tasto said. “I hate doing it, but when there’s a guy bringing you flowers, you must’ve done a half-decent job.”
After Nevin died, Tasto said longtime friend Jim Brathuhn of Hampstead took over the auctioneering at the Tasto sales.
Brathuhn spoke Monday with farmers about what could happen in the future. He said they could hold auctions on Saturdays instead and have two or three auction hubs instead of one.
“I think it’s going to continue,” Brathuhn said.
Before Tasto’s last auction started, she addressed the audience to say how much everyone meant to her.
“Nev and I appreciate
everything you all have done,” she said.
A variety of hay was up for sale, including 67 bales of alfalfa and 26 bales of rye straw.
Seller Kevin Eckert of New Oxford, Pennsylvania, has participated since 1992.
“I definitely want to be here for the last sale,” Eckert said.
Eckert said he will continue to sell privately to regular customers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but it won’t be as convenient as the auction. The haul takes longer and the payment method is not as convenient, he said.
After the dozens of bales were auctioned off, Brathuhn said, “I’m sorry this is the last sale. I’m sure something will change down the line. But thanks for coming.”