Posted by 
Pre-school students from the Learning Together Center at the Brook Street School in Barre, Vt., check out a display of butterflies at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture's booth at the Vermont Farm Show, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2010.(Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)
Barre, Vt. – January 26, 2010 – The Vermont Farm Show started off today at the Barre Civic Complex featuring exhibitors from across the state and country varying in topic from farm supplies and equipment, to State Agriculture and Fish & Wildlife Departments, livestock breeders, dairy cooperatives, and restaurants, as well as agricultural exhibitors featuring Llama, Alpaca, and Emu farming.
Roland Hanchette, 68, of Strafford, Vt., says he’s been visiting almost every year since 1956. “It’s something to do in the middle of winter. As a hobby farmer, I used to sugar, so I like to come look at the equipment,” he said.
Brian Bailey of Barre, Vt., echoed the sentiment saying he came to drool over the equipment. Bailey said he took the day off to attend the opening day of the farm show.
Roger Albee, the Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, second-from-left, helps cut the ribbon for the Vermont Maple Foundation's new trailer at the Vermont Farm Show, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2010.(Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)
The 2009 Vermont Maple Festival’s Royal Couple John Landry and Queen Savanna Kittell-Mitchell attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony presenting the Vermont Maple Sugarmakers Association’s new mobile sugarhouse trailer today.
Hours:
- Tuesday, Jan. 26 – 9am-5pm
- Wednesday, Jan. 27, 9am-7pm
- Thursday, Jan. 28, 9am-4pm
Products contests will be held for: Home Products, Home Product Specialty, Honey, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Apples, Eggs, Vegetables, Handspun Fibers, Silage, Hay, Maple Products, and Maple Syrup.
All Entries must have been produced in Vermont by resident farmers or homemakers, except for members in the VT-NH associations.
Entries judged to be excellent in each class will receive the Rating of Excellent, $10.00 in cash and a ribbon. Christmas trees judged excellent will receive $12.00. The best products in each class will receive $10.00 award. The Outstanding Entry in each Category of Products will receive a special $50.00 “Award of Merit.”
-Vermont Daily News report
