Farms & Fun
Excitement is building for this weekend's 2017 Butler County Farm Tour.
The free event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, allows residents to drive on their own schedules to six farms in Northern Butler County for tours and activities.
This year, several other stops have been added where participants can play games, participate in activities, see displays, eat a snack or have a local beer.
The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, which organizes the event each year, hopes those who participate gain a better understanding of the work required to produce food and an increased interest in local produce and products.
One farm on the tour is West Park Alpacas in Slippery Rock.
Pat Scheer, who owns the farm with his wife, Christine, said West Park will mark its third year as a stop on the farm tour.
“We just like sharing what we know about the alpacas,” Scheer said. “We really think we've succeeded if someone wants to come back or tells someone to come visit.”
Farm tour visitors will get a tour of the areas where the alpacas have congregated along with information on the llama-like creatures from a tour guide.Especially enticing are the two baby alpacas, Cooper and Ray's Son, which were born at West Park one month ago and last week, respectively.Scheer said some lucky participants will get to feed graham crackers to the adult animals, but only some like the crunchy confection.“The ones that love them, love them competitively,” Scheer said.He said while in the llama family, alpacas were never pack animals in the mountains of South America. Scheer said the animals were bred strictly to grow hair and be shorn, as alpaca wool is among the warmest fibers on Earth.“Everyone wants to compare them to llamas, but they're about half the size,” Scheer said.Those who visit West Park Alpacas can also stroll the farm on their own or visit the gift shop, but Scheer advises the public not to surprise an alpaca with a pat on the rump.“If you startle them from behind, they can throw a leg out,” he said.The Scheers have about 35 alpacas, and are blessed with at least one baby every year.Another stop on the farm tour is the Jennings Environmental Education Center in Brady Township.
Becky Lubold, an environmental education specialist at Jennings, said two events will be held there during the tour.One will be displays and information about backyard maple sugaring, along with sugaring supplies and maple products for sale.The display will demonstrate artifacts and equipment used in the maple sugaring process over the years, Lubold said.Jennings staff will also be available to offer information on and answer questions about backyard maple sugaring.Lubold stressed that maple sugaring takes place in February and March, so no actual tapping of trees will be displayed on the farm tour.Another activity at Jennings during the farm tour will be the state Farm Bureau's Mobile Agricultural Education Science Lab, which offers hands-on experiments related to agriculture.“Each experiment emphasizes a different aspect of agriculture,” Lubold said.She hopes those on the farm tour will stop to check out the display on backyard maple sugaring and the mobile lab as well.“We would be glad to welcome folks who have never been to Jennings before and to introduce them to our center and some of the things that we do here,” Lubold said.More information on the Butler County Farm Tour is available at www.visitbutlercounty.com.
