NORTHAMPTON — Positioned between the stall with miniature horses and the reptile experience, a few alpacas received plenty of attention from families visiting the Baby Barnyard barn at the Three County Fair Sunday morning.

“Lots of people want to know if they can touch them,” said Avery Tudryn, a Hampshire Regional eighth grader from Southampton overseeing the exhibit. Once Tudryn gives people the OK to pet the alpacas, which she observes many mistake for llamas, they love the experience.

“People then come back with their friends and show them their favorite,” Tudryn said. “It’s great.”

For Caitlin Willard of Northampton, a freshman at Smith Vocational and Agricultural School, the fair became an opportunity for her to cradle a 6-day-old baby lamb and approach children who might want to see and touch it.

“He’s very tired,” Willard said as she held the small lamb in her arms. “He’s sleeping all the time.”

Willard, who like Tudryn is a member of the 4-H All Breed Bandits, said she was excited to be working at the fair again, after gathering-size restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic last year meant the fair could only have a few exhibitor-only livestock competitions.

“It’s great we’re actually having a fair this year,” said Willard, who got to show her sheep last year.

The 204th annual event is recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the oldest fair in continuous operation in the United States.

Suzanne Van Geel, a junior Smith Voke student from Hatfield, who will be showing sheep for the first time as well as rabbits, said she was thrilled to be back with her 4-H peers.

“It’s nice to educate people and nice to interact with them again,” Van Geel said, explaining to people with questions, for instance, that the blankets do help keep sheep warm.

“It’s really cool to teach people about agriculture, and seeing how interested people are,” said Nellie Hankinson, a Smith Voke junior from Leverett.

They were all looking forward to having spectators, including at the swine competition later on Sunday and then the sheep and rabbit shows on Monday, where they hoped to possibly win prizes, from ribbons to cash.

Heather Perry, a member of the Three County Fair’s board of directors in charge of the Baby Barnyard, said the idea was to give families a hands-on experience, as is customary. Peacocks are a new addition, she said, and this year there are four draft horses instead of two, so two would always be in the stalls even when horse-drawn carriage rides are being given.

There is enough to keep every child occupied for a while, from riding toy tractors to trying their hands with irrigation pumps. “Happy kids makes for happy parents,” Perry said.

Northampton Fire Department was also providing children plastic firefighter hats, and the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department had a station set up to take iris scans of children, a technology that can identify them should they be lost or abducted.

With sprinkles of rain in the morning, the barns and other exhibition space became popular with families looking to stay dry before heading for the midway for rides, games and food, or the grandstand for events.

For siblings Alyssa Dusseault, a South Hadley High School ninth grader, and Haley Dusseault, a sophomore at Holyoke Community College, this year’s fair marks a return to taking care of some of the animals displayed in the Baby Barnyard.

“We’re trying to bring fun and joy, with safety and a sense of comfort for families,” Haley Dusseault said, observing that the protection for people includes making sure there is enough distance between families, that masks are being worn and that people can sanitize their hands.

Alyssa Dusseault, who positioned herself in a stall with two cows, an 8-week old Jersey heifer named Jolene and a 9-week old Angus/Jersey steer named Billy, encouraged young and old to pet the animals. “The cows are nice and playful,” she said.

“People are trying to enjoy this as they have in the past,” Haley Dusseault said, adding that she has been participating in helping out for several years. “It’s special to get everyone back together.”

Andrew Redeker, 9, visiting with his family from Shelburne Falls, said he liked all the animals, but especially the 3-year-old boar that people were invited to guess the weight of, and the unique peacock.

“I haven’t seen a pig that big or a peacock that white,” Andrew said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>