The Baby Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fair is a long-loved tradition for many families to stop by and visit during the 11 days it's open! This state fair entity is managed by the Southeast Polk FFA Chapter and FFA Advisor, Taylor Brittian. Throughout the building, you can find baby animals that are born entirely during the fair including calves, piglets, sheep, goats, chicks, turkeys, and ducks.
This morning "Cuddles and Snuggles" had a successful turn out in the center. "Cuddles and Snuggles" is a pre-ticketed event that families of 6 or less can buy a family ticket for to participate in, allowing their children to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like working with animals and even get a chance to pet them all! When attending, the children will split into groups and have their opportunity to do chore time with one species, then make their way around the building to cuddle and snuggle each species. This event will be held again on Saturday, August 20th from 8 AM to 9 AM. Tickets are not sold at the door, but you can check the Iowa State Fair website for ticket availability!
An opportunity for adults to get to enjoy learning more about animals and their production occurs tomorrow evening, Friday, August 19th, from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM. "Whiskey Sow-urs" is a 21+ only event for the adults to get to relax, do chore time, and get some snuggles with the babies as well.
The Baby Animal Learning Center is an amazing, but also tricky, project managed by this FFA chapter. In order to keep the center running, the members of the Southeast Polk chapter as well as various volunteers take shifts caring for and supervising the animals. The animals open for visitors of the center to enjoy are either donated to the center or are used in a partnership. Sponsored animals include the sows and piglets by Iowa Pork, the turkeys by the Iowa Turkey Federation, and the layer hens by the Iowa Egg Council. The donated animals and their babies then go home with FFA members who need a Supervised Agricultural Experience project. This allows the students to get a head start on their SAE by not having to purchase the animals.
The Baby Animal Learning Center is open throughout the rest of the fair from 9 AM to 8 PM daily.