Book recommendations

When we're not weeding or feeding we spend our free time reading about beginner farmers, farming, and food and history.

Recipes

Here are some of my favorite recipes. Needless to say, they're all better with fresh, local ingredients.

If you're a fan of lamb then you can find a lot more recipes on the fans of lamb web site.

Showing category "Sheep" (Show all posts)

We have a champion

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, In : Sheep

It’s been a very busy year. So busy, that the blog has sat silent. But today we have something we have to share. We have a champion!

MacKenzie Hart did an awesome job at the Fonda Fair with her Texel ewe lamb “Annie Marie”. Here they are all pretty with ribbons (Annie Marie is the one on the left). Kenzie worked hard with Annie Marie to make sure that she looked her best. Our lambs are born later than a lot of fair animals because we focus on grass-feeding as our prime objective. ...

Lamb Alert -- Spring is here!

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Monday, May 12, 2014, In : Sheep

Spring means lambs, and both are now well and truly here. Our last lamb was born today, bringing the total up to 98 and the pasture across the road is lush enough to graze.

Everybody loves a lamb. Family and friends have been dropping in for weeks to see the cute, cuddly creatures. This lovely photo was taken by Frank St Leger.

Now it is the turn of passers by to watch them play in the field. We have become used to cars stopping at the side of the road. Quite a few get out and take picture...
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White House Sheep

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Sunday, November 3, 2013, In : Sheep

To cut groundskeeping costs during World War I, President Woodrow Wilson brought a flock of 18 sheep to trim the White House grounds – specifically the south lawn. The war ended in 1918 but the sheep were on the grounds at least until 1919. Included in the flock was Old Ike, a tobacco-chewing ram. They were shorn and nearly 100 pounds of wool was auctioned off to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. The wool sales brought more than $50,000 to the Red Cross.

It's Official

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Saturday, November 2, 2013, In : Sheep

Every now and then we move a flock of sheep across Stone Arabia Road, also known as County Route 34, which divides our farm in half. There isn’t a high volume of traffic on the road but people do drive fast, so we don’t take crossing the road lightly. We prepare by putting up fences on both sides to contain the sheep before and after the crossing, and we recruit a couple of neighbors to act as sheep crossing guards. It always goes well, but we always wish that we had a Sheep Crossing ...

Sheep. Soft-footed, black-nosed Texel sheep

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Thursday, July 11, 2013, In : Sheep

Well, summer’s moving on. It has been raining (a lot). The hops are growing like crazy, the fields are wet, wet, wet. Farm stress has been worrying about the Dutch Barn restoration and when to bring the hay in. But last week, we got a big ray of sunshine which just keeps shining.

In December 2012, we got a ram named Max from one of our neighbors, the Subiks at Hilltop Acres Farm. Max is a registered Texel ram. His lambs are calm, friendly, fast growing, and darn-right "meaty". We lo...

Half time score: 47 lambs

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, In : Sheep

Mary had a little lamb...

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Thursday, May 2, 2013, In : Sheep

Well, if we had a sheep named Mary, there would be a very good chance that she would have a little lamb – or two - by now. We are in the thick of lambing for 2013. Over 25 lambs have been born during the past five days. Almost every ewe has had twins. So far, so good!

The sheep go outside every day now. It is pure joy to see the lambs gambolling in the grass. Come on by if you need to know that all is right with the world.

Season’s Greetings from Dutch Barn Farm!

Posted by Marc Kratzschmar on Friday, December 30, 2011, In : Sheep

Photo by Paul Barry

Our friend here is “Maximus”. He’s a registered Texel ram. He’s 10 months old and cute as a button. Beyond that, he’s trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent (OK, he may sometimes be irreverent but those events are his job). He has been seen helping little old ewes cross the road – but we managed to head them off. Basically, he’s our man.

He joined the flock on December 20th and we hope ...
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