Longtime contributors to the livestock industry in Western North Carolina were recognized during the opening weekend of the N.C. Mountain State Fair. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler inducted Marjorie Burton and Mike Corn into the N.C. Mountain State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame for their decades of support to both the fair and local agriculture.
“We are fortunate to have many agricultural families that put their heart and soul into the livestock programs and the Mountain State Fair,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Marjorie Burton and Mike Corn are a big part of what makes these programs a success. I am honored to present them with this award and thank them for their support.”
Marjorie Burton, along with her husband Leonard, established Fire Pink Hollar in Leicester in the late 1970s, raising up to 50 dairy goats. She has been involved with showing goats at the N.C. Mountain State Fair since its inception 31 years ago, earning recognition as premier breeder and exhibitor for Oberhasli and La Mancha dairy goat shows. Burton contributed to improving the Oberhasli breed in Western North Carolina and served on various boards within the Piedmont Dairy Goat Association.
“Everyone who knows Margie will tell you that she is a stable force at the N.C. Mountain State Fair and that they look forward to seeing her each year,” Troxler said. “In addition to creating a love of goats and showing with her granddaughter, Tiffany, she has helped countless other youth. She is an example of someone that through her love of goats and the Mountain State Fair has made a lasting positive impact in her community and for the dairy goat industry in North Carolina. We are proud to have her as part of the N.C. Mountain State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame.”
Mike Corn manages Small Acres Dairy in Mills River, where he oversees the Biltmore Estate Jersey herd. He is known at the fair for providing cows for its Mooternity Ward exhibit, which allows visitors to learn about dairy farming by witnessing live births.
“When this exhibit was imagined for the fair more than a decade ago, likely no one knew then how popular and beloved it would be at the Fair,” Troxler said.• “Every year through Mike’s dedication and hard work fairgoers can learn about the dairy industry and watch the miracle of a live birth. It takes a lot of effort, volunteers and a little science to make this exhibit a success. Mike is the one to make sure all these pieces fit together.”
Corn also supports youth involvement by mentoring young dairy judges, loaning livestock for hands-on experience, and actively participating in dairy shows alongside his wife Mary Louise.
His service has previously been recognized: he was named Dairyman of the Year in 1994, received the Bill Martin Award for Service at the Mountain State Fair in 2008, and was inducted into Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2018.
“Mike embodies what it means to give back to the land and the people around him,” Troxler said. “We are proud to have him as part of our N.C. Mountain State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame.”
