ESSEX JCT., Vt. (WCAX) – It was a treat for visitors to the Champlain Valley Fair Thursday at the Livestock Barn.

“I have to see the sheep. I’m a weaver so I have to keep track of all the wool,” said Mary Frye of Essex Junction.

Professional sheep shearers were on hand for live demonstrations to inform the public.

“We like to do it here because a lot of people think it hurts the sheep and it’s not necessarily necessary, but it’s actually part of animal health and care, so we can show that here,” said Siri Swanson, a fair sheep superintendent.

Fairgoers can come and not only watch the shearing, but get up close and personal with the sheep before they are sheared. “Their wool is a carbon sequester, so with good grazing practices, sheep help the environment. They help control invasive species and pasture. They can be a really critical, critical part of the ecosystem,” Swanson said.

Colin Siegmund, a fair sheep superintendent, says it’s also important for the public to see where the wool in their clothes comes from and enjoy the sweet personalities of these animals. “I’ve been raising sheep since I was 12 years old. That’s really all I know. That’s what I do every day. And being able to share that with people, you know, people who aren’t connected to the land as much anymore — being able to share that gives them a little bit of a connection to the earth,” Siegmund said. He says it’s great to come to the fair and get back to what made him fall in love with the industry in the first place. “It takes me back to when I was a kid going to fairs, and that’s what really ignited a fire in me to want to raise sheep. And when I see kids come here and experience that when they can put their arms around a little lamb, that’s just everything.”

The demonstrations will last until Sunday.

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