PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The baby animals are back at Hancock Shaker Village for the 23rd year.

 

"We welcome all the new baby animals: lambs, kids, piglets, calves, chicks. We welcome them into the farm family," said Director and CEO, Carrie Holland during a sneak preview this week.

 

The baby animals festival runs April 12 through May 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

"This year we have a beautiful mix of animals, the calves are gorgeous, so I think people will really enjoy visiting them," Holland said. "Our livestock manager Olive, has also been getting deep into the science and she's really excited with some of the breed mix she's been able to achieve with the piglets and so she's very excited about that."

 

The mission of Hancock Shaker Village is to preserve the history of the Shakers and to educate the public about them, and the baby animals are a big contributor to that. 

 

"Baby animals is an excellent way to help us talk about the Shakers and their farming and agricultural history," said Holland. "It's a big part of how they sustained this village and they were a closed community, they were self-sustaining and farming was a major way that they were able to do that from like a nourishment — providing food for the community ...

 

"Who doesn’t love baby animals? It attracts a wonderful crowd some people who are familiar with Shakers and some people who aren't so when they are coming through the doors maybe they just want to see a lamb but it gives us the opportunity to share more."