The Littleville Fair, held in Chester, MA, on the first weekend in August was blessed with a trinity of three perfect days – a relief for fairgoers, exhibitors and livestock alike. A nonprofit organization, 2025 is Littleville Fair’s 103rd year.

Moe Boisseau of Westfield, MA, fair president for four years, said, “The fair is going good. It’s beautiful weather. We’ve had above and beyond exhibitors, and 60 animals – cows, beef and dairy – and ox teams, over in the barns. We want to thank everyone for coming and supporting the fair.”

Friday brought in over 1,000 attendees, and Saturday’s attendance was expected to be higher, drawn by that evening’s demolition derby.

Henry the Juggler, standing on stilts that made him nine feet tall, joshed with people waiting in line for their fried dough and other sundries. “I’ve been juggling for 45 years – all my life,” Henry Lappen said.

Saturday afternoon featured another treat for kids: the second annual kids pedal tractor pulls. There was a line waiting where the tiny Little Moe Int’l tractors were positioned in the shade of the main exhibition hall. Four-year-old Lillian Addington of Chester, MA, was the first contestant, pedaling three feet, six inches her second try. It is her second year partaking.

During the youth ox teamsters challenge, Bradley Kicza, 5, of South Deerfield, MA, placed fifth with his team Whitey and Chance. This fair is his third so far this season. He is following in the footsteps of his father, Josh Kicza, owner of Northeast Tree Company, who competed with his own oxen team for about 20 years.

Dale Sherman of Worthington, MA, competed with his team of three-year-old creamy white Chianinas. He started working with a team of oxen again last year. “I did it when I was a kid. In between I worked with pulling horses,” he said.

Oliver Lewis, with his dad Ledyard Lewis from North Stonington CT, competed with their Chianina team. This is the second of four fairs slated for them this season.

What did Oliver like best about being at the fair? “I like seeing my friends,” he answered.

Over in the exhibit barn, Matthew Small of Silver Lane Farm won three Grand Champion Youth Show ribbons, one each for his Red & White Holstein, Ayrshire and Jersey, barn names Richard, Bootylicious and Lainey, respectively.

Matthew was accompanied by his sister Caitlin Small, owner of Silver Lane Farm in Huntington, MA. “I’ve been showing cows since I was 16,” she said. “Matthew has been showing for four years. Zach, my boyfriend, has been showing since he was a baby, 28 or 29 years.” Zach Tarryk was tending the cows with them.

Caitlin said, “My grandfather used to have cows, but sold out. I’m started up again,” raising the cows in her yard. “I milk all my own animals. The milk goes to a pig farmer.” Using a barter system, he supplies her with meat.

What does she like best about Littleville Fair? “I love that we all work together and we get to see everyone in the community.”

Across the barn were cows exhibited by Pine Brook Acres of Southwick, MA. The 30-acre farm has been owned by Anna Demko since 1998. They hay their own farmland and lease more to harvest about 100 round bales annually for their cows. They raise and exhibit purebred Simmentals as well as Fullblood Fleckviehs. Their two-year-old Fleckvieh cow on exhibit, PBA Jo’s Annie 618L, was bred with a calf due in February.

According to Demko, Fullblood Fleckvieh Annie carries bloodlines dating back to the Simmentals that were originally imported across and from Europe.

According to fleckvieh.com, “Starting in 1830, original Simmentaler cattle from Switzerland were imported to the Bavarian Kingdom and to former Austria to improve the local dual purpose breeds.” Later, “In 1920, the herd book in Southern Germany was closed and Flechvieh was developed as an independent breed,” focusing on a “middle of the road type animal” with excellent muscling, good milk production and draft performance.

Demko noted, “The Fleckvieh they consider their own breed within the Simmentals, with old school genetics.”

Is it difficult to obtain a Fullblood Fleckvieh? “We still have breeders that have full blood genetics still going back to the original ones,” replied Demko.

Her granddaughter, fellow farm spokesperson, is Haley-Ann Lynch. “We still have 20 head of cattle,” said Lynch, deftly handling Annie. They’re expecting breeding calves in October.

“I’m a fourth-generation farmer and third-generation showman,” she said. “The Fullbloods are my favorite.”

Annie was very friendly and has her own special favorite treat: peppermints. When Demko lifted up the cookie tin that held the peppermints, Annie’s nose and eyes veered towards the tin and followed its progress as Demko carried it to next to where she was standing. Annie very carefully and daintily reached for the offered peppermint with her long tongue, emanating an air of contentment as she consumed it.

On Sunday morning, Jim Burke, fair treasurer, said Saturday’s attendance reached 1,667. “And that’s not counting the kids. There were at least another 100 to 150 kids” – the attendance head count is those who paid. Kids under 12 get in for free.

“We thank our sponsors and the people that support us. We couldn’t do it without them. Nobody gets paid,” he said. There were 70 to 100 volunteers wearing bright orange shirts helping out all weekend.

For more information, access littlevillefair.com or facebook.com/Littleville15.