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Farm showcases baby animals
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Mill Creek MetroParks staff member Char Tarkey (center) held a baby duck and baby chick for Caiden (left) and Calya Raber, of Alliance, to be able to pet and get a close-up view during the farm’s annual Baby Animal Shower April 3.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A pygmy goat enthusiastically greeted visitors at Mill Creek MetroParks’ annual Baby Animal Shower April 3...
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Young visitors to Mill Creek MetroParks’ annual Baby Animal Shower enjoyed petting a mini horse..
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Ciara Hancher, of Boardman, petted a Mini Rex rabbit during Mill Creek MetroParks’ annual Baby Animal Shower April 3..
By ABBY SLANKER
There were plenty of babies to see – chicks, ducks, turkeys, geese and week-old calves – at the Mill Creek MetroParks’ annual Baby Animal Shower April 3.
Visitors had an opportunity to pet a variety of animals, including a draft horse, a “mini” horse, a donkey, pregnant pygmy goats due later this summer, “bottle baby” kids, several different rabbit breeds, “bottle baby” lambs, a sheep due this spring, feeder pigs, newly-weaned pigs and a pot-bellied pig.
Hundreds of families made their way though the numerous buildings at the farm to get an up-close view of all the animals. Mill Creek MetroParks staff, volunteers and several members of Jr. Fairboard, area 4-H clubs and Farm Bureau youth were there to educate the public about the animals.
“This is the 20th year for our Baby Animal Shower. It is usually the first kid-friendly event of the year in this area. We plan for about 3,000 to 3,500 visitors, but it always depends on the weather. The highest number of visitors we had was in 2008 with 6,000,” said Brenda Markley, agricultural facilities manager.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true baby shower without cake and punch, which were available to all visitors in McMahon Hall. The Mahoning County Farm Bureau sponsored a guessing game with door prizes of books for those who guessed how many plastic cows were hiding in a jar full of corn kernels.