The life of a dairy farmer isn't easy with debts from last summer and a drought this summer.

However, a cow auction scheduled for Friday at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds is a positive event during a time of difficulty.

"This is the greatest collection of red cows ever put together in the United States," says Bill Hughes, an organizer with The Red Sensational National Red & White Convention taking place this week, culminating with the auction Friday.

Cows from 11 states are cataloged with their assets, like how much milk they produce in a year. Some of the cows have previously been sold for $60,000.

"This is a positive thing. These cattle are breeding cattle. You're going to see them in generations to come. They're being offered by some of the greatest farms in America. We're proud to have it here," says Hughes.

Full grown cows as well as calves are up for auction. Even cow embryos from successful genetic lines will be sold.

"These are the genetic base for red cattle. Cattle out of these cattle will end up all over the United States, all over the world," says Hughes.

The auction is taking place during a difficult time for dairy farmers in the Valley. Drought-like conditions this summer haven't helped farmers recover after last summer when costs were driven up by the poor economy.

"The only time I remember it this dry was 1977. The last two weeks have helped out a little. The worst is that last summer, we got no money for our milk. We had to borrow money to keep operating. I'm still catching up from last year," says Harrisonburg dairy farmer Steven Rhodes.

Rhodes says living with debt isn't new for dairy farmers.

"We can't hardly make a living milking cows. The only way you can do it is to maintain, and the land value goes up. Then you pay your farm off. What you do is live poor and die rich. M y farm is next to Harrisonburg and is worth a lot of money. If I ever sell it I can pay off my debt," says Rhodes.

Hughes has dairy farmed his whole life. He says it's a seven-day-a-week job that gets farmers out of bed well before the sun comes up.

He chooses to look at the positive event of the auction, and not dwell on the struggles of farming.

"Farming's tough, everyone knows it. But it's always been tough. There's no use in ever saying it's glamorous. We'll survive, because we know nothing different anyways, so we might as well farm and look forward," says Hughes.

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