The annual Vienna FFA Chapter’s Barnyard Zoo was well received last week by students grades K—5 at the Maries R-1 School campus in Vienna. 

Vienna FFA Sponsor Sara Schwartze said the event is popular with the young students and also is a favorite among the FFA Chapter’s members.

All of the barnyard animals were represented in pens set up at the south edge of the high school parking lot. The elementary and some middle school students, as well as other young children in the community, had the opportunity to pet most of the animals. The FFA members who were in the pens with them told about the animals. 

Lauren Rowden was there with a cow. Alijah Mercer had a horse named Phoenix. Zachary Via and Dillon Sohm sat on ponies named Trixie and Bandit. They said Trixie and Bandit were the first ponies to be brought to the Barnyard Zoo about 10 years ago. Kobe Sohm had a two-year-old Buckskin filly. Savannah Siebeneck had a sheep, and Camie Doyel had a nine-month old female Airedale terrier named Mila. 

There were other animals such as pigs and chickens and more. It was a warm, sunny day for an outdoor activity and the students liked hearing about the different animals. 

While kindergarten students in Mrs. Lisa Swindell’s classroom were hearing about the different characteristics of pigs, when the FFA student said they can have as many as 30 babies a year, one young student yelled “Oh my gosh!” much to the amusement of the adults standing nearby.

Schwartze commented about how much the students and FFA members like this activity. With the FFA members she said it is “A real treat seeing them in their prime teaching others about their passion for agriculture.”