BARNYARD BUDDIES Country comes to the city

By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Beverly Converse gave a talk and demonstration to Julie Roussel's kindergarten class. The pupils heard about pigs' habits and also got to meet some of Converse's guests: a brown chicken, a bunny and a nanny goat.
"Did you know that pigs are one of the few animals that cannot sweat?" she asked the 23 attentive children Wednesday. "They lie in water. Mud is a pig's suntan lotion. It prevents [a pig from getting] sunburn."
"Do you know what a baby goose is called?" "A gosling," she said after a few confused mumbles.
Mill Creek program: The Mill Creek MetroParks farm technician visited St. Edward School on Youngstown's North Side as part of the Barnyard Buddies program. It is part of the Mahoning County Experimental & amp; Educational Farm, which teaches children about agriculture and farm animals.
Roussel told her class in general terms that something special was going to happen.
"I kept today a surprise. I just told them a speaker was coming with some friends," Roussel said.
Many of her children have visited a farm on a field trip, but the pupils were excited to see something smaller than them, Roussel added.
Revealing the surprise: Converse brought a large posterboard for animal cut-outs. She also asked the pupils to identify duck, pig and horse sounds she played for them. Later, she revealed the contents of the mysterious kennel covered by a towel.
The kindergartners gently handled the animals that had been in the kennel, including the black, 2-foot-high goat. The goat is expected to give birth in about four weeks.
Jordan Wilkins, 6, liked hearing the pig story. He also mentioned that part of the hour-long demonstration was new to him.
"I liked when she told us about the animals," he said. "I never saw a goat before."
Grace Elizabeth Sanchez, 6, enjoyed the unveiling of the three animals, all of which came in one kennel.
"My mom had a bunny, but I've never seen a goat," she said.
Fun lessons: Roussel said her class loves guest speakers and that such occasions often reinforce what she tries to teach her pupils.
"It stimulates their creativity," she said.
Barnyard Buddies' six programs teach children that animals have a purpose and enables kids to see where certain food items come from, said Cindy Kingston, another farm technician. But the programs have broader importance, she added.
"Many inner-city kids don't get to visit farm animals," Kingston said.
The Canfield farm, on state Route 46 near the Canfield Fairgrounds, opens April 8 and features a tour and tractor and wagon ride, among other things, Kingston said.