Four hundred newborns, all in a row

Author: Tamara Hilmes

Inside the big red barn just two miles from campus on Sheep Farm Road, oodles of baby pigs, sheep and goats fill the stalls that line the interior of the building. Upon first walking in, despite the slightly unpleasant smell, it is hard not to be delighted by the wooly white lambs nuzzling into their mothers' sides and napping in the straw.

The snow is melting, birds are singing and new life is springing up throughout the Vermont countryside. Spring is here and to celebrate its arrival, the Duclos and Thompson Farm, located on Route 23 in Weybridge, is holding an Open Barn event, inviting members of the community to stop by and welcome the 400 newborn lambs and kids as well as the new season. This tradition began one fine spring 24 years ago.

"The Open Barn is a sign of spring," says Weybridge resident Jodi Collins. "It is usually held at the end of March, and people just like to come and enjoy the nice weather and see the babies because they are just so cute."

The little lambs might look peaceful, but as farm owner Tommy Duclos points out, life isn't always so easy for the newborn animals.

"We're pretty lucky in this barn because we only lose about four percent of our babies," says Duclos. "The average loss is usually 10 percent or above."

According to Duclos, lambs are often lost when their mothers decide to neglect them.

"When two lambs are born, the mother will often pick out the hardier one, the bigger lamb, and disown the other."

Now, however, the newborn animals are at no loss for attention. Adults and children alike crowd around the pens to ooh and ahh at the tiny goats, pigs and sheep. Although the baby lambs were by far the most popular attraction, Emma, a large white dog lying among the sheep in one of the larger pens, also receives her fair share of attention. One afternoon she caused a stir when a visitor to the barn attempted to take her picture.

"Someone reached in with their camera to take a picture and Emma started barking and became quite upset," says Collins. "But this was in the expectant mothers pen, so you can see why she would be more protective and more irritable."

Two large brown llamas, Jazzman and Duke, are another big barn attraction.

Apart from gazing at the incredibly adorable animals, visitors to the farm also participate in activities such as guessing the weight of the large, pink pig at the entrance to the barn, and sampling the cheese and sausage that is produced by Duclos and Thompson.

Despite the less-than-pleasant barnyard smell, people from the Middlebury and Weybridge areas find it hard to resist celebrating the arrival of spring with the newborn animals.

"There were a lot of people visiting today," says Collins. "There were points when you could barely even walk through the barn."