MUSCATINE, Iowa — Children giggled at the sight of two piglets oinking and squealing as they ran around a pen Friday morning during the annual Kiddie Barnyard at the Ag Learning Center in Muscatine.

Dave Fowler, Muscatine High School agriculture instructor, said he has been helping Muscatine FFA members organize the event for about 25 years and is glad to see it taking place at the new facility.

“Before this we held it at MHS and used the shop, storage facility and anyplace else we could find to house the animals,” Fowler said, adding that the event had been going on long before his time.

The Ag Learning Center, near the corner of Lucas and Houser streets, was recently finished. It is a joint project of Friends of the FFA, the Muscatine Community School District and Muscatine Community College. The Center provides hands-on learning in agriculture for high school and college students.

On Friday, families, elementary school classes and preschoolers enjoyed seeing and petting sheep, horses, ducks, cows, rabbits and more. There were also pony rides, sheep-shearing demonstrations, hayrack rides and John Deere farm equipment available for fun times and learning experiences.

MHS FFA students were running the show.

“There is a lot of preparation to get all of the animals here. It’s a group effort,” said Michael Jenkins, 16, who has been in FFA for two years.

Jenkins, who is involved in livestock judging and plant sales, said he sees the Kiddie Barnyard as a learning opportunity for children who may not get to see livestock and baby animals like those at the event.

“I can’t decide what I like the most,” said 6-year-old Anna Sparks, who was at the event with classmates from Colorado Elementary School.

The choice for favorites was clear for Alexis Edkin, 3, who was at the event with her family.

“I love the baby chicks,” she said, and asked to hold every one of them that was on display.

FFA member Dawn Eichelberger, 15, showed all of the chicks to Edkin.

“I live on a farm, so I am used to it,” Eichelberger said of being around animals.

FFA member Kinsey Edmonds, 16, said that her father, Michael Edmonds, is an animal nutritionist at Muscatine’s Kent Feeds Inc., an animal feed manufacturer.

“My dad tests the chicks with feed to see how fast they grow and then the extra chicks get to come here,” she said. “We have fun showing them off.”