Next stop Firefly Hollow!
As we approach the farm,
we notice tall, lush fields of forage. Believing to not see a sheep in sight
(unknowing they were hidden in the tall grass feasting on the rich pasture) our
group was left questioning had we gone to the right address? To our surprise it
was correct!
The perfect diet for
these sheep was composed of strategically seeded forage for the grass-fed animals so that they could get the nutrients they need and develop a parasite
resistance. The owner of the gorgeous farm, Kimberly Ritchie, works to preserve
the ancient breed while selectively breeding to create the best characteristics
for her flock such as correct skeletal structure, broader horns, better muscle
growth, and higher quality fleece. The Shepard does this through choosing
desirable rams for live cover or performing AI and importing semen from Iceland
to expand the genetic horizon.
To maintain and feed her
75 head flock, Kimberly performs a rotational grazing routine so the sheep can
get the nutrients they need without ever needing grain supplementation. Every
3-4 days the Icelandic flock is moved to a new area to graze.
One might wonder “what
benefits does the Icelandic breed have over conventional breeds” Kimberly
explains that they are a great tri purpose animal providing efficient and
quality milk, meat, and wool! What makes the Icelandic’s so different is the
type of wool they grow. The wool they grow consists of two components tog (the
finer and soft inner wool) and the thel (the outside longer coarser wool) this
unique blend creates a result like no other, creating soft yarn that’s
waterproof!
Kimberly shared with our group a crucial
lesson on the importance of educating the public and advocating for agriculture
to get misconceptions out of the way and why it’s important to stay involved.
In the end we learned so much from this unique opportunity to visit this
beautiful farm.
No comments:
Post a Comment