By Quincy Kirn (edits by Arren)

This past summer, the folks at The BarnYard in Pace celebrated the arrival of many different farm animals. To welcome these new additions, they hosted the third annual Farm Play Day, complete with baby donkeys, goats, and a calf born the morning of August 20. 

On Saturday, September 13, a crowd of over 500 people gathered off Renfroe Road. Over the course of two hours, attendees were able to pet and feed all the animals the farm had to offer.  From face paint sessions and snuggling bunnies to chasing ducks around the field, no children  

left the property bored. The local family farm had two baby donkeys on site, dubbed Maximus and Pascal, that were waiting to “pass out hugs” to any willing participants. There were also plenty of photo opportunities with their many horses, one of which only had one eye.

However, the real showstopper was the little fuzzy white calf that was lying out by a wheelbarrow of hay, accompanied by his mother. As more guests arrived, the calf became curious, stumbling closer to the gate but quickly jumping back as the joyful uproar began. Although the owners were not expecting such a large turnout, they swiftly gathered volunteers to help direct foot traffic and ensure no animal was let loose. When Stacie Nelson, one of the owners, was questioned about what led her to start The BarnYard, she briefly spoke about how she was raised on a cattle and chicken farm. She stated, “I dreamed BIG as a little girl and always wanted a farm  and family to grow it with.” After having children, Mrs. Nelson began working at a vet clinic where she met her good friend, Mrs. Sarah. While the Nelson family helped Mrs. Sarah around her farm, the friendship evolved into something more. Just as they started adding more animals to the farm, Mrs. Nelson’s daughter branched out into a calf breeding program while continuing her career with Future Farmers of America. Everything started to fall into place when they were encouraged to “rent” goats out for parties. Mrs. Nelson expressed, “Most children and even some adults do not get to even experience a farm or touch a farm animal. They don’t understand where our food comes from and unfortunately, farming is, in a sense, a dying breed in today’s world.  Our goal is to bring families and community together by sharing our farm. Aspiring youth to join an FFA or 4H program. Encourage families to spend time together. And hopefully, spark a child’s  heart to want to pursue an agricultural or animal careers.”