James and Barbara Spires and family graciously open their beautiful farm each year to showcase those curious hybrid creations we call mules at the famous Mule Roundup in Guysie. A nice history of the festival can be found here. [There’s also a Mule Day, in Calvary, Georgia, and another in Wilkes County].

The photos in this post were made at the 16th Annual Roundup in 2010.

Hands down this is one of the best festivals in South Georgia, with mule competitions, old-fashioned cane grinding, cloggers, and gospel and country singers, as well as antique automobiles, and plenty of vendors and fun for the kids.

The best part about it is that it doesn’t feel like a festival; it feels like you were just invited over for a hoe-down on the farm.

Don’t forget to stop by the Guysie General Store and buy a souvenir of your visit. They have great t-shirts.

In case you don’t know, mules are the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

As a result, mules share similar colors and patterns with horses.

They also liver longer and eat less than horses, in general.

They can live up to 50 years.

Until modern tractors were commonly available, mules were preferred for plowing. They have also been in military use for over a thousand years.

And they’re actually not as stubborn as their reputation would suggest. They’re definitely smarter than donkeys.

The sign is a landmark in its own right.

UPDATE: Sadly, the Mule Roundup has ceased operation.