The 63rd annual Hereford Junior Farm Fair was everything its organizers hoped it would be.

The weather Aug. 9 was very un-August like, with low temperatures and low humidity. The number of children participating set a record, and there seemed to be more families checking out the small-scale fair.

"Our whole goal has been to have a community agricultural day," said Steve Wilson, a dairy farmer who helped organize the fair with his wife, Kelly. "We don't want it to be an 'us and them' kind of thing. We wanted it to be a 'we' day, and that's what it was."

Held behind Hereford High School, the fair featured plenty of cows, pigs, sheep, goats and rabbits being judged, as well as a cafeteria full of homemade food, clothes and other projects.

But children like Brandon Troy, 11, and his sister, 9-year-old Casey, were too busy Saturday morning to find out if their indoor exhibits had won them ribbons.

The two Parkton youngsters already had shown their lambs at the Baltimore County 4-H Fair last month, but wanted to try something different at the Hereford fair.

So they leased two calves from their friend Santana Mays, whose family owns Darken Hill dairy farm in White Hall. The youngsters spent the spring and summer caring for the calves. The children clipped the heifers, taught them to wear halters and practiced walking with them.

Casey led a Jersey calf born in April into the ring, and Brandon took charge of a Holstein heifer born in March.

"Oh, my God, Casey got first," said her mother, Kelly, who took photos as the judge handed her a blue ribbon.

"That was really neat," Casey said, as she held up her blue ribbon.

The two children later learned their indoor exhibits -- flowers, herbs and baked goods -- did well, too. Brandon's pound cake and flowers earned him blue ribbons, while Casey's herbs took first.

The fair is open to Baltimore County residents who have not reached their 21st birthday by Jan. 1. Kelly Wilson said the Troys were two of 18 showing an animal for the first time at the fair.

"We're a unique fair because we have kids who cross-enter," she said. "Most fairs, kids just show one animal, but here they feel comfortable trying something new."

April Troyer, 7, of Street, was more than happy to show both pigs and lambs. Although the rising second-grader at North Bend Elementary School weighs only 40 pounds, she had no problem handling a 75-pound lamb and a 260-pound pig.

Between showings, she climbed into her pigs' fenced pen and sprayed them with water. "They get too hot if I don't," she said.

Colton Bandelin, 8, and Caroline Bandelin, 7, of Freeland, looked on wide-eyed as she climbed in and out of the pigs' pen. April pointed to a dirt hole in the corner of the pen and told the Bandelins, "They keep digging a hole so they get more messier."

The Bandelin children stroked the wool of a nearby lamb before heading over to a barn to see rabbits and goats.

"We just thought it would be nice to come see the animals since you can get close enough to touch them," said their mother, Kerri Bandelin.

Hereford High School agriculture teacher Heather Schaefer, who worked on the fair committee, was pleased to see so much community support.

"This is a small, local fair, but it takes a lot of work," she said. "Everything is working so well today. It's great to see everybody out here having fun."

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