Oxford County Fair animals a hit with students

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Tyzel Richard, a second-grader at Woodstock Elementary School, enjoyed petting the goats during Education Day activities at the Oxford Fair in Oxford on Wednesday.

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- Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Sierra Morin, a student at Woodstock Elementary School, looks at an alpaca during Education Day at the Oxford Fair in Oxford on Wednesday.

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- Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Kevin Briggs, a second-grader at Woodstock Elementary School, feeds a chicken a piece of straw at one of the farm animal exhibits during Education Day at the Oxford Fair in Oxford on Wednesday.

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- Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

OXFORD — The piglet won out again this year as the farm animal students most wanted to see on Education Day at the Oxford Fair.

Hundreds of students from schools countywide, including those in the Oxford Hills and Western Foothills districts, spent Wednesday morning in an open-air classroom.

"I want to look at the pigs," said Sierra Morin, a second-grader at Woodstock Elementary, as she ran into the barn with other students eager to see the most-sought-after farm animal.

The annual educational event has been going for some 20 years. It provides activities and demonstrations, such as yarn spinning, mineral mining, oxen yoking and cider making, designed to teach youngsters about agriculture.

For educators, the fair provides a wide-open classroom of learning opportunities for their students.

"The whole point of the fair is to be here. It's a learning tool," said Cindy Bobbe, an education technician in Woodstock Elementary School's second-grade class.

Bobbe said students would learn about agriculture and look at the exhibits as part of their classroom curriculum. Activities include a scavenger hunt and learning about healthy choices.

Teachers said they would tie the fair demonstrations and activities into their science and writing lessons, among other subjects.

Although it's a learning experience for the students, most simply enjoyed seeing the animals.

For many, it was the first time they saw farm animals, said Ken Briggs, whose son was attending the fair with the Woodstock students.

"He's got a cat," said Briggs, who recalled a much wider agricultural base in Oxford County years ago. As he spoke, his son Kevin sat on the floor with caged chickens.

"I just fed a feather to a chicken," said a smiling Kevin, a second-grader.

The fair continues through Saturday with entertainment, harness racing, agricultural events and bull riding.

ldixon@sunjournal.com