Sheep at Hermit Creek

Back in the mid-1980’s when HCF was still a dream and we were looking for a place to settle, we thought about raising sheep. It seemed a natural fit; Landis spun wool and Steven grew up on a small sheep farm. Eventually we found our farm, set up shop, and forgot about the sheep! That all changed in 2015 when five ewes and a ram, all pure-bred Katahdin, arrived. A dream long forgotten had become reality.

Katahdin sheep are an American Heritage Breed. They are a hair sheep, meaning they shed their ample coat each spring and do not require shearing. Katahdin are known for their high quality meat, hardiness, parasite resistance, and excellent mothering ability. Adding sheep has also allowed us to fully explore our fascination and love of border collies. Morning and evening chore time gives us a daily chance to work with both dogs and sheep, continuing a shepherd tradition that stretches back for 1000’s of years.

We practice intensive grazing and the sheep play an integral role in our farms soil and nutrient systems. Not a day goes by when the sheep aren't moved to a new section of pasture. This means the sheep are always eating the highest quality grasses and legumes available, and our pastures are healthy and vibrant. Raising sheep on pasture allows us to utilize land we otherwise wouldn’t farm and species-diverse rotational pasture systems help sequester carbon and provide habitat for pollinators and wildlife. And the sheep also help clean up unused produce; they love beets (note the red-nosed photo!), carrots, kale, cabbage, potatoes, and apples!

And eating lamb can (and should) be part of a healthy balanced diet. We butcher at about nine months giving a tender, mild meat (this is not mutton!). Lamb has so many nutritional benefits, chief among them being high in Omega 3 fats (the highest of any land animal) and grass-fed lamb approaches salmon in Omega 3 to 6 ratios! Lamb is also high in protein and many vitamins and minerals and is easier to digest than beef. It’s smaller portion size than beef is also an important consideration in your daily diet (think of meat as a side versus the main attraction to your meal). In fact, At Hermit Creek we have fully replaced beef with our grass-fed lamb!

Sheep on the farm has brought us full circle and finished those conversations we first explored long ago. Looking out at a pasture with grazing ewes and lambs, working with our dogs, and enjoying the tasty reward of meat well-raised with love and respect… It’s what we envisioned those many years ago.