Since 1964, an auction taking place at the Kentucky State Fair has sold what it calls a “grand champion ham” for charity. Last week, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, a nearly 19-pound country ham was sold... for $2.8 million. Two. Point. Eight. Million. Dollars!

　　This year’s ham comes from Broadbent’s—which, I’m no ham expert, but I’ve heard of Broadbent’s and its reputation precedes it. It’s safe to say the street value of the 18.77-pound ham is not actually $2.8 million, and that the over-pay is mostly to benefit organizations—in this case, 4H and the agricultural education group FFA. The co-winners this year, according to the Courier-Journal, were a doctor and a CEO of a Kentucky-based bank.

　　The auction was part of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast and Charity Auction, which I’m terribly sad to not know existed until today.