Jefferson County Fair features petting zoo, pig races

FAIRFIELD — The Bigger Jefferson County Good offers a good deal of free entertainment, just one of the perks that people have arrive to enjoy each June when the fairgrounds opens its doors to countless numbers of site visitors.

The enjoyment alterations from year to calendar year, as the Jefferson County Reasonable Board seeks to present fairgoers a entertaining and novel knowledge. One of the absolutely free functions that performed this 12 months was producing its initially at any time stop at the Increased Jefferson County Fair, and that was the All-Star Barnyard Revue.

It’s been a number of many years given that Fairfield has hosted a petting zoo. It was not among the the points of interest past yr, and the 2020 fair was a bare-bones function with only 4-H and FFA exhibitions but no grandstand enjoyment, amusement and a tiny assortment of distributors.

All-Star Barnyard Revue designed the vacation all the way from Tampa, Florida. After its 7 days in Fairfield, the petting zoo will journey to Morris, Illinois, for the Grundy County Truthful, right before returning to Iowa for the Central Iowa Fair in Marshalltown July 13-16, adopted by a whirlwind tour of the region the rest of the reasonable season with stops in West Virginia, New York, Maryland and Texas.

Sierra Timberlake explained she and her family operate All-Star Barnyard Revue, and they’ve normally experienced a enthusiasm for placing a smile on a child’s experience.

“I’m the eighth generation in the circus, so this operates in our blood,” Timberlake explained.

The start off of good 7 days was beset by extremely substantial temperatures that neared triple digits. Timberlake explained she’s applied to handling the warmth due to the fact the business performs at fairs all around the place. On incredibly hot days, the workers puts the animals less than a enthusiast or sprays them with a cooling mist. This is particularly essential for the woolly animals like their alpaca “Ms. Snow.”

The All-Star Barnyard Revue contains 15 goats, four of which perform by jumping hurdles and going for walks on a limited wire. Timberlake reported it is amazingly easy to educate goats to stroll on a restricted wire for the reason that they’re utilised to climbing steep mountains exactly where superior equilibrium is of paramount worry.

The barnyard also has miniature cattle, this sort of a longhorn and a zebu, sheep, and a giant tortoise named “Jimmy” who weighs 100 lbs ..

Maybe the emphasize of the All-Star Barnyard Revue are the pig races, which are put on a few periods for each day. These require getting pigs to run around the exterior of a grass track. Motivating the pigs to occur in initially is a plate of Oreo cookies ready for them at the complete line. The pigs demonstrate off their hoof-eye coordination by finishing the race as a result of road blocks and hurdles, much too.

“People adore the races so considerably,” Timberlake claimed. “Little little ones will run with the pigs all around the outdoors. It’s so enjoyment.”

It is off to the races for these 3 small piggies, who done three moments a day through the Increased Jefferson County Fair. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

Sierra Timberlake of the All-Star Barnyard Revue feeds an ice product cone crammed with grain to her goat “Obi,” just one of 15 goats the company brought to the Increased Jefferson County Fair. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

Get in touch with Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or electronic mail him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

One of the noteworthy attractions at the Larger Jefferson County Truthful in Fairfield was a probability to see this 100-pound huge tortoise named “Jimmy” at the All-Star Barnyard Revue’s petting zoo. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

This alpaca, named “Ms. Snow,” tries to defeat the heat by conserving her power in a awesome shaded spot at the All-Star Barnyard Revue’s petting zoo at the Greater Jefferson County Honest. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

Four-year-previous Barry Murphey tosses bean luggage into an Operation-style match set up all through the Bigger Jefferson County Honest Thursday. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

It’s a dirty career but somebody’s acquired to do it, and those “somebodies” are 4-H customers and Clover Children who kept the Jefferson County Fairgrounds hunting great all 7 days by finding up trash. Listed here, Michelle Manning, still left, co-leader of the Lending Hands 4-H Club, opens a trash bag for Sophia Forrest, a member of Clover Kids. (Andy Hallman/The Union)