DEERFIELD, Mass. - It was a day at the farm for residents of Deerfield on Friday, as the Historic Deerfield Museum hosted its first annual “Sheep on the Street” event.

Visitors observed and got to meet historically significant sheep and lambs up close and other activities, like the sheep dog demonstration.

South Deerfield resident Kalen Joyce said she couldn’t wait to take her grandson to the event.

“It was really great to be able to come out and actually show him the sheep and dog in action and hear the whistles and the commands from the farmer,” said Joyce.

Marcia Lipke used to raise sheep.

She’s from Montana and was in the area on vacation, when one of her favorite animals was being featured at the museum.

“My passion for any animal is extraordinary, but I do have a feeling for sheep,” said Lipke. “Because they’re sweet, they’re easy to work with and they all have a personality.”

Sheep played a big role in the region’s history, and Historic Deerfield’s director of interpretation James Golden said their goal is to make sure we acknowledge the past.

“By the 1830s, there were 55,000 sheep in Franklin County, Massachusetts alone. Had a huge impact on Vermont and Western Massachusetts and that history is largely forgotten,” said Golden. “And so this is a way for us as a historical organization, as a museum, to really ground that history.”

The Historic Deerfield “Sheep on the Street” event continues on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There’s a charge to get in, but Deerfield residents can come and go for free. For more details, click here.