GOESSEL ? They might not have known a pig from a goat when they arrived, but the youngsters who descended on a Marion County farm to mingle with the animals knew what they liked.

There were pigs to chase in the pig-catching pen, baby chicks to hold, even a donkey that patiently accepted a kiss on the snout from one of the hundreds of youngsters who took part in Saturday’s “Day on the Farm,” specifically the farmstead owned by Carol Duerksen and Maynard Knepp.

Sponsored by Mennonite Agri-Urban Inc., the 8-year-old event is intended to introduce children from urban Kansas to farm animals. It typically draws about 500 youngsters and adults, and hundreds turned out Saturday, the heat notwithstanding.

For 3-year-old Katie Clanton, of Newton, it was love at first touch of a 4-year-old chick.

“I think they like me, Grandma,” Katie exclaimed, carefully caressing the little bird.

Elsewhere, 11-year-old Taylor Morris of Kingman grabbed a young pig in the pig-catching pen and had plenty of grime on his T-shirt to show for it. Three-year-old T.J. Powell of Hutchinson stroked the snout of Jack the donkey, then gave in to an impulse and gave Jack a kiss.

Visitors got to see a 650-pound sow, stamped with the name “2401,” give birth to eight piglets Saturday. One by one, the tiny piglets knew by instinct where to receive their first serving of milk. The sow will provide newborn milk for at least 21 days.

“Every once in a while, the mom won’t feed a piglet, but I’ve got a neighbor who will hand-feed them if that happens,” Knepp said. “This sow 2401 has a great personality. You can breed it into them to be a little docile.”

Knepp has a little doctoring to do with the piglets before they go to market. They’re given iron shots, their tails are trimmed and their teeth are cared for before they find a new home. They’ll grow to 250 pounds in just 150 days.

T.J. Powell, 3, of Hutchinson, kisses Jack the donkey on the nose during the eighth annual Day on the Farm on the farm of Carol Duerksen and Maynard Knepp northeast of Goessel. Saturday's outing gave urban children the chance to experience some aspects of farm life.

If Knepp’s pigs were a sideshow, the 26 Silver Laced Wyandottes and Cherry Egger chicks brought by David Esau were the stars of the day. Esau raises the chicks to produce fresh eggs after a five-month wait.

The children flocked to play with the chicks, who drink water and eat feed on their own after just a couple of days. Other than keeping them in a warm environment, Esau said, the chicks are easy to raise.

“The chicks will lay one egg a day for at least a year, sometimes up to 18 months,” Esau said. “I started raising them because I wanted to produce my own eggs. But I’ve got some friends who like fresh eggs, too.”

Another favorite stop was the goat-milking. A little instruction by Alexander Goossen, Goessel, and Crystal Michel, of Smith Center, went a long way.

“Form a circle at the top and roll your fingers down,” Michel said.

Charlotte Hagaman, Hillsboro, saw her granddaughters, Rachel, 10, and Grace, 8, pick up the trick of goat milking in a snap.

“I wanted my granddaughter to experience everything that was here,” said Linda Rowland, who escorted Katie Clanton on the tour. “It’s been a great day.”

As its name suggests, Mennonite Agri-Urban Inc. provides a link between urban and agricultural life. Through the program, urban dwellers donate money to buy livestock, most often cattle. The eventual sale of the livestock benefits Bethel College and the Western District Conference, Mennonite Church USA, with some money reinvested in Agri-Urban.