This year’s Nature’s Creation of Life barn will be filled with baby farm animals.
From lambs to piglets, ducklings to chicks, there will be young animals galore for visitors to the 79th Annual Chelsea Community Fair to see.
Superintendent Megan Bollinger says there will be some changes for folks who have visited the red barn in previous years. There won’t be a cow giving birth. But, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a mommy cow and her baby.
“We’re excited that we’ll have a miniature Herford cow and her calf that are coming from Grass Lake,” Bollinger says.
The change, she says, was a mutual decision between the veterinarian who has overseen the live births in the building and the farmer who has brought the multiple cows to fair.
There will be a video for those who would like to watch a birth, however.
“It’s for the safety of the animals,” she says, adding giving birth in a strange environment is stressful and everyone is looking out for the safety of the animals.
“Anyone who has given birth will understand,” she says.
Sheep shearing is back, though, and will take place Friday night and Saturday after the fair parade.
Bollinger says visitors to the barn will find goats, chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs, and yes, a baby donkey.
She’s also hoping to have a chicken coop with egg laying chickens and baby ducks in a pool.
“We also expect to have a few alpaca visiting,” she says.
In addition, there will be a few agricultural vendors as well – Albers Apple Orchards will be there to answer questions as will H and H Sugarbush, and the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau.
The barn (the red one near the new ice cream parlor) is open during fair hours and there will be volunteers around the barn to answer people’s questions.
“People can get an ice cream and come see the animals,” she says.
