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NATURAL BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS (with Dr. Leo Sharashkin)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE NATURAL BEEKEEPING FACT SHEET (PDF)

Did you know you can start a beehive without buying a single bee? Dr. Leo Sharashkin of Horizontal Hive is going to give a beginner level explanation of how to raise bees naturally: no chemicals, no sugar feeding, no antibiotics!

Beginner Guide to Raising Bees Naturally (no chemicals)

the Shepherdess:
Dr. Leo Sharashkin, thank you for joining us! Go ahead and give us some background. When did you start beekeeping?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:
Thank you, Grace. From as far back as I can remember, even as a small child. My uncle was a beekeeper in Russia—he started in 1972, before I was even born. My favorite vacations were summers spent in his village, about 200 miles east of Moscow. He kept both vertical and horizontal hives.

As a kid, I was more into playing than watching bees—but I noticed something. The older my uncle got (he’s 86 now and still keeping bees), the fewer vertical hives he had. That’s because they require strength—lifting 70-pound boxes isn’t easy. But he could keep working his horizontal hives without hurting his back.

When we came to the U.S., I just wanted to have bees for our family. We weren’t finding honey like my uncle’s—rich, full of pollen and bee bread. If we have time, we can talk about how hive management changes the quality of honey. But I’ll just say: most people here don’t even know what bee bread is. It’s fermented pollen inside the comb, and it’s a superfood.

So we started keeping bees for our own use. And I’ve never bought a single bee. We went from zero to 50 hives just by catching swarms.

the Shepherdess:
Wait, all 50 hives came from swarms?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:
Yes! Just using boxes like this one (holds up a small hive box). You hang it in a tree in spring, and bees move in—just like birds into birdhouses. Everyone knows how birdhouses work, but for some reason we’ve forgotten the same applies to bees. Put a box out, and bees will come.

Here in the Ozarks—zone 6—this is the time of year I hang out my swarm traps. Pioneers knew this, because they didn’t have FedEx to ship bees from Florida. But that traditional knowledge got lost when bees became something you could buy.

People think you have to buy bees, but you don’t. The best things in life come free—why should bees be an exception?

the Shepherdess:
That’s incredible.

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:
And I’ve never treated them with chemicals. No sugar feeding. Everyone around me said it wouldn’t work, that my bees would die. But my survival rates are consistently higher than those who buy package bees. Their bees make a honey crop, die in winter, and then they have to buy more.

So not only is natural beekeeping more rewarding, but it also puts a smile on my face. I even translated a book from Russian that got me started—it’s called Keeping Bees with a Smile. It explains how bees live in the wild and how we can mimic that.

There’s a robust population of wild honeybees surviving without treatments—even with all the parasites and pesticides out there. If wild bees can make it, so can ours—if we use hardy stock and work with nature instead of against it.

Interest in this has exploded. We can barely keep up—just today, we shipped 12 pallets of orders. Too much for a regular FedEx truck—they had to send a 26-foot box truck!

I do sell honey, and it’s premium stuff. But the real joy is when people buy equipment or even just download my free plans, then send me pictures of their kids eating honeycomb fresh from their hive.

The Shepherdess:

Scott in the comments says:
“Thanks to Dr. Leo’s free plans at HorizontalHive.com, I built 10 swarm traps this winter. Thank you!”

Now for the first question of the night:
“Have you heard of Flow Hives, and what do you think of them?”

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

Yes, Flow Hives are essentially regular vertical hives—except the section where bees store honey is replaced with a special honeycomb made out of plastic.

This is not the direction I would go. First, it’s a fairly expensive setup. Second, I don’t even package my honey in plastic—only in high-quality glass jars. Over time, plastic can leach into honey, which is why in many countries, honey is never stored or sold in plastic—only glass. I wouldn’t be able to sell my honey for $50 a pound if I kept bees on plastic comb.

There’s so much that goes into doing it right, and the first step is to keep it simple and close to nature. Bees build honeycomb from wax and propolis—the resins they collect from trees. This natural comb has antibacterial properties and helps keep the hive healthy. Replace it with plastic, and you lose those benefits. Then you have to start medicating your bees to make up for it.

Bees are part of a complex ecosystem. The farther you go from their natural setup—using plastic comb, plastic foundation, or poorly insulated boxes—the more work you create for yourself to compensate for what you’ve broken. Bees in the wild live in tree hollows with excellent insulation. That’s what they’re adapted to.

Also, bees modify natural honeycomb to suit their needs—they’ll chew holes for ventilation or traffic. They can’t do that with plastic.

So, I don’t use Flow Hives. But if you have good experiences with them, please send me pictures and your story. I’d love to learn more. For me, I keep it simple and natural.

The Shepherdess:

Great. We’ll keep laying some groundwork before we get to the big questions—like how to attract bees.

Here’s a simple one:
“What are the advantages of keeping a hive on the homestead?”

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

First and foremost, you get honey you know is real. Not many people realize this, but in America, 60–70% of honey consumed is imported, including from China—the largest honey producer in the world. I almost said “manufacturer,” because some of it isn’t even made by bees. It’s synthetic honey, formulated in labs to taste like honey.

In Europe, they say every fifth jar of honey is fake. And that’s in one of the most tightly regulated food markets in the world. Imagine what it’s like in the U.S.

And even among real honey, a lot is contaminated. Many beekeepers use chemicals and medications in their hives. Once you introduce those substances into the hive, they end up in the honey.

Search “pesticide residue in honey” and you’ll find tons of USDA and university studies showing American honey is contaminated—not just from crops, but from what beekeepers themselves put into the hive.

So, one major benefit of having your own hive is knowing your honey is pure.

Second—bees make the best pets. They don’t bark at night, they require very little upkeep, and they give you honey! The educational value alone is huge, especially for children. That was one of the most meaningful aspects of beekeeping for me.

The Shepherdess:

I’m almost embarrassed to ask this—but I didn’t know there was a difference between conventional beekeeping and natural beekeeping. Could you explain the difference?

Questions about Natural Beekeeping with Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

Absolutely. It starts with the bees themselves—and the type of hive you use.

In the U.S., bees were brought over from Europe hundreds of years ago. Since then, they’ve acclimated to the environment here. But there’s huge variation in their genetic makeup. Bees are incredibly adaptable from one generation to the next.

Genetically, honeybees have 40 times more recombination per generation than humans. This high genetic variation allows them to quickly adapt to local conditions: bloom times, climate, winters, drought.

Now, if you let bees live naturally for a few generations—no interventions—they adapt beautifully to their environment.

But in commercial beekeeping, it’s a different story.

Most bees sold in the U.S. are bred in southern states like Florida, where winters are mild. Bee breeders start selling in February, and they ship packages north to Michigan, Missouri, wherever. These bees often have queens from the Italian strain, native to the Mediterranean—a climate with mild winters and ten months of flowers.

So what happens? These bees do fine in summer, but they’re not in sync with northern climates. They don’t survive winter well, and the beekeeper has to buy new bees each spring. The cycle repeats.

Then there’s disease resistance. In the wild, if a new parasite like varroa mites shows up, bees either die—or the survivors develop resistance. That’s natural selection.

But in commercial beekeeping, they can’t afford to let 95% of their colonies die to find the best survivors. They have contracts—pollinating almonds, producing honey. So they treat all their bees, year after year, never letting natural selection work.

So today, 20 years after varroa mites arrived, they’re still a huge problem—because the bees have never been allowed to adapt.

When people ask me, “What do you do about small hive beetles? About varroa mites?”—I say, “I do nothing.”

Why? Because my bees came from the woods. They were already surviving on their own.

The Shepherdess:
It’s good. Alright, so we have a question here, and it’s a little bit long—let me see if I can get it out. David says:

“Dr. Leo, while acknowledging that many bees now are partially mixed with Africanized bees and that this makes them robust, is there any concern about the level or mix of that strain in wild swarms, and how would one recognize this?”

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:
Yes, thank you. Africanized bees are a cross between the European honeybee and the African honeybee. This was done in Brazil, and over time they migrated north through Latin America, into Mexico, and eventually into the United States.

The good news is that this strain—while very aggressive—cannot survive in the north. Even in Missouri, they don’t make it through the winter. So if you’re in zone 6 or further north, it’s not a concern. Even in zone 7—places like Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky—it’s almost not a concern.

The areas where you need to be careful are places like Arizona, Florida, and Texas—the far south. But even there, many beekeepers manage fine. I translated a great book from French called From the Earth, which shows how bees are kept in 23 different countries—including places like Mexico where the only bees available are Africanized. They can be kept productively; you just need very good protective gear and large smokers.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to keep very aggressive bees near homes or livestock, but they are healthy, productive bees. If you can keep them away from human activity, and if you don’t mind the intensity of interaction, it can be done. Many bees will swirl like a tornado trying to sting you—not very pleasant. I don’t wear protection when I harvest honey from my bees, but it’s doable.

Also, if you read the literature, you’ll find that some Africanized bee colonies are becoming more gentle over time. So you may not even be able to tell without a genetic analysis.

That said, I believe beekeeping should be joyful. So if you have a hive that constantly gives you grief—extremely aggressive or defensive—just requeen it with a more gentle stock. I’ve never had to do that myself. I actually like the mean hives because if they can defend themselves from me, they can defend themselves from bears, opossums—you name it.

The Shepherdess:
Yeah, good question here from Alan. He says: “What is your opinion on Top Bar hives?”

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:
Yes, I’ve kept bees in Top Bar hives, and they are excellent in the South. For those unfamiliar, a Top Bar hive supports the comb only from the top bar—a single plank of wood. There’s no frame structure surrounding the comb.

That’s both an advantage and a limitation. The advantage is that Top Bar hives are inexpensive and simple to build. They’re used in places like Africa where people can’t afford framed equipment.

But because the comb is only supported from the top, you can’t make the hive very deep. If the comb gets too long, the weight of the honey will cause it to collapse. So Top Bar hives have to be shallow. Because of that, I do not recommend them for cold climates. The depth of the comb is important for successful wintering.

Another consideration: with frames, once bees build and fill them with honey, you can spin them in a honey extractor—a centrifuge that removes the honey without damaging the comb. You can return that intact wax to the bees so they don’t have to rebuild it, which significantly increases productivity.

In a Top Bar hive, the comb is usually crushed and strained, so the bees have to rebuild it each time. That means more wax, which is great if you need wax, but less honey overall.

One more upside: when you don’t return used comb, you also avoid recycling bacteria or disease—so it’s more sanitary. But again, you’ll be harvesting less honey, and it’s slower.

So—go for it in the South if you want! But for northern climates, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Q: What are the three most important things for someone to know before starting hives as a novice?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

  1. Start with locally adapted bees – Natural beekeeping depends on using bees that are adapted to your specific environment. Commercial bees often require constant intervention (feeding, medication), while local bees are self-sustaining.
  2. Don’t fear bee stings – You can use high-quality protective gear and avoid stings altogether. Dr. Leo chooses to work without gear and sees stings as beneficial, even citing their use in apitherapy for conditions like arthritis and MS.
  3. Choose the right hive model for your physical capacity – Vertical hives can involve lifting 60–70 lb boxes, which can lead to injury. Consider horizontal hives if you’re concerned about back, hip, or knee strain.

Q: Do you have a few favorite plants for bees?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

  • Recommends the book Honey Plants of North America – Includes detailed planting info and regional plant recommendations.
  • Personal favorites:
    • Sumac (Smooth and Winged) – Drought-tolerant, great nectar source.
    • Blackberries – Excellent bee forage and food for humans. Both plants emerge naturally in overgrown pastures and are low-maintenance.
  • Tip: Observe what bees are already foraging on in your area. Plants can behave differently in different soils and climates.

Q: What would you do to keep bees healthy during a drought?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

  • Again, it comes down to local bees.
    • Local bees anticipate nectar scarcity and adjust brood production ahead of time to conserve resources.
    • Imported bees don’t self-regulate and will continue raising brood even when there’s nothing to feed them—burning through honey stores.
  • If you’re working with commercial bees, you may have to feed them, but switching to local genetics can solve that problem long-term.

Q: Can swarms stay in a swarm box permanently?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

  • No, swarm boxes are temporary. Within 3–4 weeks, the bees will outgrow the box and swarm again if not moved into a full-size hive.

Q: What exact hive box do you recommend?

Dr. Leo Sharashkin:

  • 14-frame Horizontal Hive – Economical ($250), holds 40 lbs of honey, and uses the same European-style frames as the swarm trap.
  • 20-frame Insulated Horizontal Hive – Recommended for northern climates (Michigan, Montana, Alaska). Double-walled with wool insulation for winter survival.
  • Free plans and ready-made hives available at horizontalhive.com. Use code APRIL for 5% off.

Book Recommendations from Dr. Leo:

  • Keeping Bees With a Smile – A gentle introduction to natural beekeeping, now in its 2nd edition.
  • Keeping Bees in Horizontal Hives – Ideal for those interested in no-lift beekeeping methods.

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RAISING DAIRY GOATS (for beginners)

Looking to raise Dairy Goats naturally and with no chemicals? This article is the guide for you! With the right management, dairy goats make an ideal milk source for a small-scale homestead operation.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE TOP 10 TAKEWAYS PRINTABLE!

Raising Dairy Goats Naturally (Beginner Guide)

the Shepherdess: Tonight we’re going to be talking about raising goats, primarily with a focus on dairy. Much of this will also apply if you’re raising meat goats, and quite a bit of it overlaps with raising sheep.

Deborah Niemann authored this incredible book, Raising Goats Naturally, which I’ve been enjoying over the past month. Definitely grab yourself a copy.

Tonight, we’re going to be covering some frequently asked questions from beginners getting into dairy goats. We have a lot of questions lined up, so please pardon me while I jump right in. But before we get started, go ahead and drop in the comments where you’re joining us from—what state you’re in—and let us know whether you already own goats or if you’re just here for a beginner-level primer.

So, you touched on it a little bit already—the lifestyle drew you in. But why dairy goats? Why dairy goats specifically?

Deborah Niemann: Oh, I always say it was love at first bite. I had goat cheese for the first time in college, and I just loved it—but it was expensive.

So when we started talking about moving to the country, I thought, “I need to have goats so I can have goat cheese.” And I really thought that’s all I was going to get from them—just the goat cheese. That’s how badly I wanted it. I thought you needed cows for everything else dairy-related, and that we’d just be making chèvre—soft, creamy, spreadable cheese.

But after we got goats, I realized, oh my goodness, this milk makes amazing yogurt! At last count, we had made 18 different kinds of cheese. We’ve made buttermilk, sour cream—the only thing I’m not a big fan of is goat butter. But everything else? You don’t need cows for it.

Copper Deficiency in Dairy Goats

the Shepherdess: So what were some of your primary challenges as a beginner raising dairy goats in those early days?

Deborah Niemann: In the beginning, it was actually really easy. The first two years were definitely this magical honeymoon period where everything just went perfectly.

We made goat cheese, yogurt, kefir, goat milk soap—everything worked. The goats gave birth, the kids jumped up and started nursing. There were no problems whatsoever.

But then, after two years, I bought a little buckling and brought him home. Within two weeks, he died. When he went down, I rushed him to the university vet hospital, and he died there a couple of hours later. We found out it was worms. This was back in the early 2000s.

The vet told me I needed to be giving the goats a dewormer monthly. I really didn’t want to do that, but after losing an animal, you think, “Okay, this is terrible—I’ll do it.” So I gave them dewormer monthly. But then, four months later, two more bucks died.

Parasites became a massive problem, and we wound up with complete dewormer resistance. None of the dewormers worked anymore. All I could do was sit and watch the goats die. I tried everything—if someone said something killed worms, I tried it. All the different herbal dewormers—nothing worked. That was one of the biggest problems we faced.

The other major issue was copper deficiency. We had goats not getting pregnant, not staying pregnant, and giving birth prematurely. It was awful. The vets had no idea what was going on.

At the time, my oldest daughter was 16 and interested in becoming a vet. She did a lot of research for me and said, “Mom, I think our goats might be copper deficient.”

I happened to be teaching at a university at the time, so I went into the scholarly literature and found some emerging research on goat nutrition. It turns out goats do need copper.

I kind of feel like I started back in the dark ages, when everyone thought goats were just like sheep and didn’t need copper. That wasn’t true. And in our case, it was a triple whammy: the goats weren’t getting minerals, their feed didn’t have enough copper, and our well water had sulfur in it—a terrible copper antagonist.

the Shepherdess: Mm-hmm.

Deborah Niemann: So they had it as bad as they could get it. Finally, when one goat died, I told the vet I wanted her liver tested for copper. He said, “You’re wasting your money.” I replied, “Well, it’s my money.”

He came back and said the copper level should have been between 25 and 150—it was four. Four. I couldn’t believe she had even survived as long as she did. She left behind two kids who were only two months old and horribly copper deficient. One of them I struggled with for four years before she eventually died of mastitis and pneumonia.

the Shepherdess: When you found out about the copper deficiency, what were the symptoms that first tipped you off—or your daughter off—that this might be the issue?

Deborah Niemann: Copper is really important for coat color in goats. I had heard that, and someone even mentioned it to me back in the old Yahoo group days—before Facebook.

They said, “I think your goats might be copper deficient, because their coats are really faded.” The black goats looked orange, and my gold goats were turning white or cream. I thought, “Oh, who cares? That’s just cosmetic.”

What I didn’t realize was that if it gets worse, it becomes more than cosmetic. That’s a major sign.

Then they start losing hair in very specific places—like the tip of the tail, the bridge of the nose, and around the eyes.

As it progresses, you’ll see fertility issues: goats not coming into heat, having silent heats, not getting pregnant, not staying pregnant, and even giving birth prematurely.

the Shepherdess: Once you identified the problem, how did you go about fixing it? Some people in the comments are asking—if they think they have this issue—what should they do to supplement copper?

Deborah Niemann:
So there’s a couple different things. First thing I did was I got copper oxide wire particles. Some people refer to them as copper boluses.

the Shepherdess:
Mm-hmm.

Deborah Niemann:
So that’s what I started with. And then after a few years, Yvette suggested that I try MultiMin—and I did. What he didn’t know, and what I didn’t know, is that when you inject minerals into a goat, they pee out a lot of it within 24 hours.

So… three months after I gave this buck an injection of MultiMin—it was supposed to last six months—three months later, he was dead. I’m sitting there looking at him going, “I don’t understand. He’s not skinny. He doesn’t have worms. What is wrong?”

And then all of a sudden it clicked. I’m like, “Oh my goodness. He’s completely faded.” He was supposed to be this bright red goat, and he had faded to this light, creamy yellow.

That was one of my crazy stories from the early days. My daughter and I cut out the liver and sent it to a lab ourselves. It came back… the copper level was 15. It should have been between 25 and 150.

So that’s why I don’t recommend the injectable—because it doesn’t last long term.

the Shepherdess:
So you would do the copper boluses—which I actually have one on my desk right here—you’d do those instead?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes.

the Shepherdess:
Once or twice a year?

Deborah Niemann:
It depends on your situation. I always say, watch the goats.

First, we had to give them about every three months. Then we spent a couple thousand dollars on a water treatment system—a chlorine water treatment.

After that, we only had to do it every six months. And now, for some reason—completely unbeknownst to me—I hardly see copper deficiency symptoms at all. I don’t know why.

We’ll cover minerals, but just—

the Shepherdess:
Really quickly—did you increase the copper content in the loose mineral you provided?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes. That’s one of the things.

A lot of times people contact me and say, “I’ve got these problems.” And I’m like, “Well, that sounds like copper deficiency.”

And they’ll say, “Oh no, they’re getting a mineral.”

And I ask, “Well, what brand mineral?” Because I’ve seen everything from 30 ppm copper… to 300 ppm copper.

You really need at least 1800 ppm copper.

That’s really important. And you also need to have enough selenium in there. And zinc.

the Shepherdess:
This is going to be a section of its own, but you just mentioned you had resistance to all chemical dewormers available.

Did you just go through a period where natural selection kind of took its course—and then you ended up with a stronger, more resistant set of animals naturally?

Deborah Niemann:
Yeah. That’s what happened. We wound up with goats that were just naturally resistant. They were the ones that could survive.

We also started doing pasture rotation. And we started kidding in the dead of winter.

the Shepherdess:
Mm-hmm.

Deborah Niemann:
We’re in Illinois. There’s no parasite larvae on the grass in the middle of winter. There’s no grass at all—it’s covered in snow.

It was absolutely brutal and horrible. I had a blog at the time—like the old-fashioned diary-style blogs.

I’d be writing birth stories in January and February, like:

“So-and-so gave birth. It was 15 below zero.”

And people would comment,

“Why are you letting your goats give birth this time of year?”

And I’d reply:

“Well, because we have a problem with dewormer resistance. If my goats kid in April, they’re all gonna die from parasites.”

Tips for Choosing the right Dairy Goat Breed

the Shepherdess:
Wow. We’re going to touch on that a lot in the parasite section, because—guys—parasites are going to be one of your biggest challenges as a small ruminant producer.

But I want to get to some basics here. For those looking to start a homestead, maybe specifically a dairy herd, what breeds do they have to choose from? And what would your recommendations be?

Deborah Niemann:
I always tell people—it really depends on what your goals are.

I raise Nigerian Dwarfs now—that’s what I’ve had for 22 years.

I also had LaManchas for about eight years. Those are the ones without ears.

So the LaMancha and all the other standard-sized dairy goats give a lot more milk, but it’s lower in butterfat.

According to the American Dairy Goat Association, the breed average for Nigerian Dwarfs across their lactation is around 6.5% butterfat.

For Nubians, which are big goats with long floppy ears, their butterfat averages around 4.5%.

Most of the other dairy breeds are around 3.5%, and the really big bucket-busters like the Saanen and Alpine can be even lower—closer to 3%.

So there’s this inverse relationship:
What do you want more of? Butterfat or fluid milk?

Someone contacted me once who had a family of seven or eight kids. She said they go through two gallons of milk a day.

I said, “Okay, I love my Nigerians—but you want Alpines or Saanens. Something that’s going to give you a lot more milk.”

Because you’d have to milk a lot of Nigerians to get two gallons a day. And that doesn’t even leave you any for cheese, yogurt, or any of the other great stuff.

The cool thing about high butterfat is you get a much higher cheese yield.

When we had the LaManchas, we made cheddar using 100% LaMancha milk and cheddar using Nigerian milk—same recipe.

From 2 gallons of Nigerian milk, we had a round of cheddar that was about that high.

From the LaMancha milk, the round was only this high.

So it was almost twice as much cheese from the same amount of milk.

the Shepherdess: Gotcha. So when people are choosing a breed, they should really pay attention to butterfat content, note the variations between breeds, and decide what’s most important to them.

Deborah Niemann: Yes, exactly.

Common Diseases in Dairy Goat Herds

the Shepherdess: Alright, so when someone is ready to start their herd, are there any diseases they should ask the breeder about before buying a dairy goat?

Deborah Niemann: Yes. You want to make sure the herd has tested negative for CAE, which is caprine arthritis encephalitis; CL, which stands for caseous lymphadenitis—we’ll just call it CL for short—and Johne’s disease, which, weirdly enough, is spelled with a J. It looks like “John’s” but it’s pronounced “Yo-knees.”

These three diseases can be completely asymptomatic in the early stages. You wouldn’t know a goat had them just by looking, and they are all highly contagious—especially Johne’s. Johne’s spreads through fecal-oral contamination, so if you bring in a goat with Johne’s, it will spread in their manure across your pasture. The bacteria can survive for years, and it’s not just contagious to goats—it also affects sheep and cows. It’s a chronic wasting disease, so affected animals just get skinnier and skinnier. Some sources say you shouldn’t have any ruminants on that pasture for 4–5 years after contamination.

the Shepherdess: Do any of these diseases make the milk unsafe for human consumption?

Deborah Niemann: That’s an interesting one. Probably not. But there is a controversy around whether Johne’s might be linked to Crohn’s disease in humans. And here’s the thing: pasteurization doesn’t kill it. So for me, the big benefit of having my own goats is having a closed herd that has tested negative for these diseases year after year. People can argue all day about the science, but I don’t have to worry—I know my goats are clean.

the Shepherdess: That’s good. Alright guys, I see you dropping a lot of questions about parasites—don’t worry, we’re going to have an entire section devoted to that later. Deborah’s got a great story about reversing parasite resistance in her herd, so stay tuned. But first, we’re getting into some general beginner questions.

How to Eliminate Bad Flavor in Goat Milk

If you’re new here, we’re talking with Deborah Niemann, author of Raising Goats Naturally—excellent book, by the way. I picked it up last month and have really enjoyed it. There’s actually a lot of crossover info that applies to sheep, too.

Alright, one of the biggest questions I get: How do you avoid goat milk that tastes like a buck?

Deborah Niemann: That classic “goaty” flavor actually comes from a completely harmless skin bacteria in goats. It’s the flavor of a goat—not a buck per se.

The first key is to clean the udder thoroughly before you start milking. The second is to squirt the first few streams of milk into a strip cup. That’s just a separate container you use for the first couple squirts. You can feed it to your barn cats, chickens, or guardian dog—someone who doesn’t care what it tastes like.

In the beginning, I didn’t know this, and it was super confusing. Some days the milk tasted great, and other days it didn’t. Turns out, it just depended on how much of that skin bacteria made it into the milk.

Funny story—when my youngest daughter was working on her PhD in biological chemistry, she was assigned to create a milk filter for a dairy in Africa. In small farms there, the sanitation isn’t always great, and milk would taste bad—even though it was pasteurized. I asked, “Well, doesn’t pasteurization fix that?” She said, “Nope. Dead bacteria doesn’t taste any better than live bacteria.”

the Shepherdess: So bottom line: that bad taste comes from bacteria—not just the buck?

Deborah Niemann: Exactly. Now, bucks can make it worse—especially during breeding season. If a buck has been with a doe and rubs his head on her udder (which they like to do), all his stink gets on her. That smell comes from the buck’s head.

If that happens, you’ll want to wear gloves when you milk her—your hands will smell terrible, and the milk will taste just as bad. So while bucks don’t magically taint the milk across a fence, close contact during breeding can definitely affect flavor.

the Shepherdess: That’s really good (albeit gross) info. Thank you!

Okay, next question. You raise Nigerian Dwarfs—what kind of milk yield can you expect per doe at your farm? Whether weekly or annually.

Deborah Niemann: It really depends on the lactation curve. In commercial dairies, they freshen their cows or does annually because milk production rises after kidding, peaks around two months, and then gradually declines.

People often say Nigerians average a quart a day, and over a standard 305-day lactation, that’s about right. But at peak—around two months—my best milkers produce three quarts per day. That’s exactly what they need to feed triplets, which many of them have.

the Shepherdess: So between 1 and 3 quarts per day, depending on where they are in their lactation?

Deborah Niemann: Exactly. Right now, I have some does that freshened a year ago and are still producing, and some that just freshened again after two years. That way, we’ve got milk year-round.

the Shepherdess: Got it. Alright—we’re going to talk parasites and nutrition before we wrap. Nutrition is the big one. Obviously, nutritional needs vary from farm to farm. But can you share some baseline nutritional requirements for a dairy goat? Protein levels, volume of feed, etc.—for the total beginner?

Deborah Niemann: Absolutely. This is important, especially right now—I’m getting a lot of questions from people whose goats aren’t producing as much milk as they expect. And the first thing I ask is, “What are you feeding her?”

Dairy goats absolutely need alfalfa if you want good production. Grass hay alone has about half the protein and far less calcium. Milk production requires both. Alfalfa typically contains 16–20% protein, while grass hay only has about 7–8%.

You also need a lot of calcium—and alfalfa is again the best source. If you’re in the South, you could use peanut hay. Clover hay, lespedeza, and chicory are also good options. In fact, lespedeza is great—it’s a legume and has natural anti-parasitic properties.

Next, you want a 16% protein goat-specific feed. I look for one with at least 35 ppm copper and 0.5 ppm selenium.

Finally, a loose mineral is a must. Not a block. Not a tub. A lot of those blocks are 90% salt and almost useless in terms of actual minerals. Goats only need about ¼ to ½ an ounce per day of a good loose mineral. And beginners often get thrown off because they don’t see the goats eating it. But they don’t need to eat a lot.

People say, “Well, they lick the block all day!” And I say, “Exactly. That’s the problem.” They’re licking and licking and still not getting what they need.

For example, Purina’s mineral block has 1 ppm selenium, which is next to nothing. Their loose mineral has 50 ppm. So same brand—one’s fantastic, one’s basically useless.

the Shepherdess: That’s a really important clarification. Do you recommend any specific mineral brands for beginners?

Deborah Niemann: Yes. Two good ones are:

  • Purina Goat Mineral – the loose version in a bag
  • Sweetlix Meat Maker – specifically the “Meat Maker” formula in a bag

the Shepherdess: Awesome. And just to summarize, we’re aiming for 16–20% protein, preferably from alfalfa, and a 16% protein feed with proper mineral balance. Is there a recommended volume based on the goat’s weight?

Deborah Niemann: Yes—the standard guideline is 1 pound of grain for every 3 pounds of milk the goat is producing.

If the kids are nursing and you can’t measure milk output, just estimate based on body condition and how many kids she’s feeding. For example, I expect Nigerian Dwarf kids to gain about 4 ounces per day, so if that’s happening, I know she’s producing enough milk and getting adequate nutrition.

Pasture Access and Feeding Adjustments

The Shepherdess:
That makes a lot of sense. So do you raise your goats on pasture at any point during the year, and do you adjust your feed ration when they do have pasture access?

Deborah Niemann:
We’re in Illinois, so from about mid-April until the beginning of November, we’ve got decent pasture. We rotationally graze our goats—that’s our main strategy for controlling parasites. We use electro-net fencing to move them around the farm and keep the kids healthy.

The first time the kids go out on pasture, it’s actually on my front yard. No ruminants graze there for about 11 months, so when the babies go out, it’s completely clean—no parasite larvae whatsoever. That means they’re exposed very, very gradually. I haven’t given a dewormer to a kid in over 10 years since we started doing that.

The only goats that might need a dewormer are first freshening yearlings. They’re still young, their immune systems aren’t mature yet, and we’re asking a lot of them—grow babies, make milk, grow their own bodies, and fight parasites. I don’t hold it against them if they need help.

The Shepherdess:
So you’re on pasture about six months of the year?

Deborah Niemann:
Yeah, about six months.

Parasite Management Without Chemical Dewormers

The Shepherdess:
Let’s talk about parasites. If you’re new to small ruminants—or even if you’re not—you know this is a big one. You mentioned that your herd was resistant to all chemical dewormers in the early years. How did you manage without them?

Deborah Niemann:
Yeah, the chemicals didn’t work at all, so that option was off the table. I had to learn everything about rotational grazing—moving the goats so they’re not eating from their own toilet. That’s key. They’re not consuming worm larvae from the eggs they pooped out last week.

Does are most susceptible after they kid, so I don’t put them on pasture then. They stay in the barn during that period. Later, they and their babies go to the clean pasture we talked about earlier.

We also practiced mixed-species grazing. We had cows, horses, and pigs at the time. Since parasites are species-specific, when the goats left a pasture, another species would come in. If they consumed goat worm larvae, they’d digest them—those worms can’t survive in non-goat hosts.

The Shepherdess:
And for those new to worms, we’re mainly talking about the barber pole worm here, right?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes. That’s the one that causes the most loss because it causes anemia and can kill a goat really fast.

The Threat of Barber Pole Worm

Deborah Niemann:
Other roundworms usually just make the goat lose weight slowly, but the barber pole worm is a prolific egg-layer—one worm can lay 10,000 eggs a day. Now, they don’t hatch inside the goat, but they absolutely saturate your pasture in eggs.

That’s why you need to move them off that pasture quickly. For comparison, other roundworms might lay just a few hundred eggs a day. That’s nothing compared to the barber pole worm.

The Shepherdess:
Exactly. And unless you catch it early, the goats drop so fast—they die before you realize what’s happening. So your biggest strategies were:

  1. Rotational grazing
  2. Kidding in winter and keeping does off pasture while in heavy lactation

Deborah Niemann:
Exactly.

Nutrition and Parasite Resistance

The Shepherdess:
Did you find any nutritional strategies that helped with parasite resistance in your herd?

Deborah Niemann:
One of the few things we did right early on—by luck—was feeding alfalfa. A guy pulled into my driveway selling alfalfa, and I bought it without knowing the difference between alfalfa and grass hay.

But research has shown that goats on higher protein diets have better parasite resistance. So our alfalfa feeding probably helped keep more of our goats alive when the dewormers stopped working.

If you’re feeding only grass hay to your does, you’ll likely see lower milk production and more parasite issues. Bucks, however, need grass hay only.

The Shepherdess:
Because of the urinary calculi?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes. Many people think it’s only about balancing calcium and phosphorus, which is true for struvite stones caused by too much grain. But calcium stones are caused by feeding alfalfa to bucks.

They don’t need alfalfa—it can also cause zinc deficiency because calcium is a zinc antagonist. Bucks aren’t making milk or babies, so they don’t need all that calcium.

Herbal Dewormers or Dairy Goats: Do They Work?

The Shepherdess:
All right, I get questions all the time about garlic, DE, herbs—people are mentioning pumpkin seeds in the comments. Do any natural herbal methods have widespread effectiveness?

Deborah Niemann:
I tried all of those. I even grew my own wormwood—I had a big patch in the yard.

The thing is, some of these herbs do kill worms, but not enough. Historically, things like tobacco or wormwood were used because they killed 40–50% of the worms. We tested that—before and after fecals—and wormwood consistently reduced egg counts by about 50%.

If your goat isn’t heavily parasitized, that might be enough. But if the goat is already anemic and weak, killing 50% of the worms won’t save it.

The Shepherdess:
Exactly. Unless you’re willing to let nature take its course and let weak animals die off, these natural methods won’t save a goat in a critical state. They can help a bit—but they won’t pull an animal back from the brink.

Coccidia in Goats and Goat Kids

The Shepherdess:
Let’s shift to coccidia. Everything we’ve talked about so far mainly relates to the barber pole worm. How do you treat coccidia on your farm?

Interview with Deborah Niemann on Coccidia, Weight Gain, and Differences Between Goats and Sheep

The Shepherdess:
You’ve talked about coccidia prevention on the farm. Can you explain what coccidia is and why standard dewormers don’t work?

Deborah Niemann:
Coccidia isn’t a worm—it’s a parasite, specifically a single-cell protozoa. So, dewormers won’t kill it. You need a drug like Corid to treat coccidia. It has a completely different life cycle.

That’s why people often start prevention at three weeks old. If a kid is born into a dirty environment and ingests oocysts on day one, symptoms like diarrhea can appear by week three.

The Shepherdess:
So you used to treat routinely?

Deborah Niemann:
We did. If one kid got it, we treated them all because diarrhea spreads it. But then—about ten years ago—I fell and smashed my knee. My husband had to take over goat care. He’s an engineer and wasn’t comfortable guessing whether kids were nursing. So, he started weighing them.

What we found was eye-opening:
Kids gaining at least four ounces per day didn’t get coccidiosis. Since we started tracking weight, we’ve only had two cases in ten years.

The Shepherdess:
That’s amazing. So consistent weight gain is the best form of prevention?

Deborah Niemann:
Exactly. Four ounces per day is our benchmark. That level of gain gets Nigerian Dwarf kids to 20 lbs by 8–10 weeks, which is when we start separating them at night to milk the moms.

The Shepherdess:
What do you do if weight gain stalls?

Deborah Niemann:
We supplement. One of those two kids that ended up with coccidiosis had a mom who could keep up until week 3 or 4, but then just couldn’t produce enough milk for her triplets. One fell behind.

That’s why I cringe when people start separating kids at two weeks to milk the mom. At that stage, a doe can’t support both the babies and the family. Ensuring kids get enough milk is what I call health insurance.

The Shepherdess:
So, what if someone has a doe whose kids aren’t gaining—how do you boost milk production?

Deborah Niemann:
First, consider genetics. I worked with someone recently who had a Boer-Nubian cross. Even if her Nubian dam was a great milker, Boers just aren’t bred for that. Genetics play a huge role.

So, choose true dairy breeds, and buy from breeders who keep milk records.

Second, diet—make sure the doe’s protein intake is adequate. That’s essential for milk production.

Goats vs. Sheep: Key Differences

The Shepherdess:
You also raise sheep. For those like me who thought goats and sheep were basically the same—what are your top differences?

Deborah Niemann:

  • Parasite resistance:
    Sheep have much better parasite resistance. Especially heritage breeds like Shetlands and Katahdins. I’ve had almost no parasite issues with sheep, compared to goats.
  • Birthing:
    Sheep are rockstars at lambing. Out of 250–300 lambs, I’ve only seen two or three births—and I’ve never had to help.
    Goats? We’ve had 750 kids. While 95% don’t need help, I’m there because goats are divas. Sometimes a kid suffocates because mom didn’t clean the sack off.
  • Bottle Feeding:
    Dam-raised goat kids resist bottles like you’re poisoning them. Lambs? They take a bottle immediately.
  • Personality:
    Huge difference. Sheep are easier in so many ways.

Audience Q&A

Crystal:
Can you feed bottle lambs or kids cow’s milk instead of milk replacer?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes—whole cow’s milk is fine. Goat milk is usually around 6.5% butterfat, sheep milk is even higher—9–10%. Cow’s milk is around 3.5%, so for lambs, I’d probably use milk replacer unless you’re boosting the fat.

The Shepherdess:
I’ve added olive oil—1.5 tablespoons per 2 cups cow’s milk—and had good results with that for lambs.

Krista:
Can you make kefir with goat’s milk?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes, you can.

Krista:
Do all cheeses made from goat’s milk have a strong or “goaty” flavor?

Deborah Niemann:
Nope—it depends on the type of cheese. And if your milk is handled well, it shouldn’t taste “goaty” at all.

The Shepherdess:
So practices like stripping the first milk into a cup before milking—the standard clean technique—help with that?

Deborah Niemann:
Yes, that makes a big difference.

🐐 Goat Fencing Tips (Josh’s Question)

  • Josh’s current setup: 4 strands of polywire, 6 inches apart, 3-joule energizer.
  • Deborah’s tip: Switch to electro-netting from Premier One. It’s more effective for containing goats.
  • The Shepherdess: Uses both solar energizers (for remote fields) and plug-in chargers (for closer areas) depending on location.

🐓 Do Chickens Help with Parasites on Pasture?

  • Deborah: No, chickens don’t reduce internal parasites like barber pole worm. They’re great for reducing flies by eating maggots in cow pies (as per Joel Salatin’s method), but barber pole worm eggs are microscopic—chickens can’t find them.

🌱 Can Alfalfa Cause Bloat in Goats?

  • Deborah: Fresh alfalfa or fresh clover (especially after droughts) can cause bloat in goats and sheep. Dry alfalfa hay is generally safe.

❄️ Cold Climate Suitability: Sheep vs. Goats

  • Deborah: Adult goats handle cold okay, but goat kids are much more vulnerable at birth. They can’t survive being born in extreme cold (e.g., 10°F) without immediate intervention.
  • Lambs, however, often survive freezing temps at birth with no help.

🌿 Natural Dewormers for Goats

  1. Copper Oxide Wire Particles (COWP):
    • Targets barber pole worm (Haemonchus).
    • Multiple studies show it’s effective.
  2. Sericea Lespedeza:
    • Naturally kills both worms and coccidia.
    • Needs to be fed daily (not a one-time dose).
    • Available as pellets from New Country Organics ($70/50lb bag).
    • Common in the Southeastern U.S.—may already be growing in some pastures.

🐐 Training Goats to the Milk Stand

  • Problem: Goats fight milking if they’ve only been nursing kids.
  • Deborah’s Process:
    1. During pregnancy: Put does on the stand daily with a little grain. No udder touching.
    2. After kidding: While on the stand, start gently handling the udder.
    3. If older doe resists:
      • Lure to the stand with grain.
      • Just rest your hand on the udder for a few days—let her kick.
      • Once calm, begin a few gentle squeezes each day.
      • Work up gradually.

💉 Chemical Dewormers and Milk Withdrawal in Goats

Pour-on: Applied topically along the back.

Avoid Injectables: Ivermectin and Cydectin have very long milk withdrawal periods (45 days to several months).

Recommended Pour-On:

Eprinex® (eprinomectin):

Approved for goats in Europe.

Zero milk withdrawal.

Kills internal and external parasites.

Administration Methods:

Injection: Under the skin with a needle — avoid for dairy goats.

Drench: Oral.

The Shepherdess: All right. Thank you so much for your time tonight, Deborah.

Do you have some closing words of encouragement? Maybe if you could go back to yourself in the early years of building your homestead—what would you say? Speak to those people just getting started.

Deborah Niemann: If I knew 22 years ago what I know now, I might not have wanted to get goats. I probably would’ve thought, Oh no, they can’t be grass-fed, and all those other concerns.

But honestly, I’m glad I didn’t know everything then—because I absolutely love goats. They are so personable. People ask me, “Why do you have goats instead of just sheep?” And I tell them, “Because they’re just such cool animals.”

Plus, they make the best cheese! I absolutely love chèvre—it’s so delicious. And the yogurt is amazing, especially from Nigerian Dwarf goats, because their milk is so high in butterfat. It’s like custard. In the winter, their butterfat can go up to 9 or 10%. We learned that during milk testing, and it’s just fantastic.

One of the biggest challenges today is that so much outdated information is still floating around online. You’ll find an article from a university like Purdue and assume it’s reliable—but the citations are often from the early 2000s or even the 1900s. The person who wrote it would probably be horrified to know it’s still live, and that Google is still sending people to it.

That’s why you’ll find so much contradictory information—it’s not that the new science isn’t out there, it’s just getting drowned out by the old stuff that never got taken down.

The Shepherdess: That’s a good one to remember. All right, friends—Raising Goats Naturally by Deborah Niemann. It’s a great book—pick it up!

Deborah, where can people find you and your resources online?

Deborah Niemann: My website is thriftyhomesteader.com. I also run a membership called Goats 365. Inside Goats 365, members get access to six full-length courses: one on goat parasites, one on nutrition, one on health and disease, goat basics, and more.

I’m always updating the content. Each course has about 5–7 hours of video, and every month I add more—usually in response to member questions. It’s really designed to help goat owners get reliable, updated, and field-tested information.

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April 2025 Farm Update

Looking to purchase Dorper Sheep? Join my waitlist for lambs:

Hi Friends,

I don’t know where to start with this update… this month has been PACKED!! I’ll do my best to recap it below.

First off: I have extended applications for the Dorper Dream Flock Grant through June 15th. For those who are still working through Raising Sheep 101, you have some extra time to finish the material and submit your grant application!

This project has been on my bucket list for a long time: A COOKBOOK! I took 5 f America’s best-loved recipes and made them with LAMB. It was so much fun!! Best of all: I am letting you download the cookbook for FREE. (tap the photo to find the download)

Download the shepherdess cookbook (free)

The flock is growing by leaps and bounds! I am prepping for buyer pickups this month. Many of these sheep will be at their new homes come June… while they wait on their new owners they are eating through the massive amount of grass that’s growing right now.

Completion prizes for Homestead Business Bootcamp Students!!

Another massive project behind the scenes is the Shepherdess Homestead Business Bootcamp. This is a 6 month coaching program where I help beginners in business lay the foundation for a 6-figure home-based revenue stream. We start from ZERO and build out a business plan month by month (for 6 months). Enrollment is closed for 2025. I plan to host another group in 2026, so tap the button below to be added to the waitlist!

And just for fun: an up-close from one of my bottle lambs. Despite being weaned, these little guys are always the first to run up and say “hi!”

And as a reminder: my book the Basics of Raising sheep on Pasture covers all of the basics of pasture management and sheep husbandry (250+ FULL COLOR PAGES).

BUY THE BOOK (free shipping)

Thanks for reading!

-the Shepherdess

“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
Psalm 90:17

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Dorper Dream Flock GIVEAWAY!!

2025 Dorper Dream Flock Grant!

I am giving one of you the chance to start your very own Dorper flock, with 3 sheep from my own farm!

​

Keep scrolling for details on how to qualify and apply for the grant.

What the winner receives:

​

  • 2 Purebred Dorper Ewes from Harmony Farms.
  • 1 Purebred Dorper Breeding Ram.
  • ​Shepherdess Complete Starter Kit (32 Piece Supplies Bundle).
  • 1 Hour Video Consultation with the Shepherdess.

​Shepherdess Complete Starter Kit (32 Piece Supplies Bundle)​

​

Do you Qualify for the Dorper Dream Flock Grant?

To qualify for an entry you must fall under one of these categories:​

1. You have completed the course Raising Sheep 101 with a score of 85 or higher on all 5 quizzes. In addition to this, you need to provide proof that you have land suitable to raise 3 sheep and the lambs they produce (2+ acres recommended).

or

2. Successful sheep owner for 12 months or more. You must have experience with at least one lambing on farm and an annual mortality rate of 15% or less.

​

​

PICKUP DETAILS:

Winner will be announced on May 15th. Sheep will be Available for Pickup in Sulphur Springs, TX in June of 2025.

​

What is Shepherdess.com?

​Shepherdess.com is a resource hub to educate, equip, and embolden beginner sheep farmers. At Shepherdess.com you will find free training, extended training, and sheep care supplies. These resources are designed to give you a strong start in sheep farming!​

​

This is not a random drawing. Applications will be carefully reviewed to ensure a good placement of these sheep.

​
​

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5 WAYS TO COOK LAMB (American Style)

📥 FREE Cookbook Download HERE:

How to Cook Lamb – American Style

I’m taking five of America’s most loved recipes and recreating them with lamb; lamb that I raised on my own homestead.

Homesteaders on small acreage are increasingly turning to lamb as a way to raise red meat. And with the price of beef cattle shooting through the roof, the idea is only becoming more appealing. Sheep are prolific, fast-growing, and thrive on pasture that would starve a cow.

But one of the most common questions I get is:
“How do you cook it?”

My answer: I substitute lamb for beef in almost any recipe.

Today’s post is a practical look at how I do that—with five of my favorite American-style recipes, and a few simple hacks to tone down the strong “lamby” flavor for the skeptics in my house.

I’ve put together a FREE PDF cookbook with all of these recipes and cooking tips. Download my free Cookbook HERE!.

Leave your favorite lamb recipes in the comments—I’d love to feature them in my next Chef-herdess cooking episode. (Special thanks to my dad for the clever title!)

1. Oklahoma Fried Onion Smash Burger

For the complete recipe, download my free Cookbook HERE!

This one is my personal favorite. Here’s how I adapted the classic beef smash burger:

Ingredients:

  • Ground lamb
  • Yellow onions
  • Cheese
  • French onion special sauce

Traditionally, these burgers are made with 80/20 ground beef. Since my pasture-raised ground lamb is much leaner, I mixed in grass-fed beef tallow. This not only adds the fat needed for proper cooking but also helps mimic that traditional beefy flavor.

Steps:

  1. Slice onions thin, salt them, and let them rest in a strainer for 45 minutes.
  2. While waiting, mix up the special sauce: Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and a (not-so-healthy) French onion chip dip. You can sub this out, but I follow the 80/20 rule: 80% healthy, 20% happiness.
  3. Add beef tallow to a hot pan and smash together equal amounts of lamb and onion.
  4. Toast your buns while everything cooks.

Result:
I meant to film a cheesy taste-test moment, but the burgers were devoured before I could grab the camera.

2. Slow-Cooked Pulled Lamb

Hands down, this is the easiest way to cook lamb—and it’ll rival any beef brisket or pulled pork.

For the complete recipe, download my free Cookbook HERE!

Ingredients:

  • Lamb shoulder and shank (frozen or thawed)
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic
  • 2 yellow onions (rough chopped)
  • 1 cup water (2 cups if cooking from frozen)

Steps:

  1. Add lamb directly into the crock pot and season.
  2. Top with chopped onions and water.
  3. Cook on low for 3–4 hours or until fork-tender.
  4. Remove bones, save some onions, and mix in your favorite BBQ sauce.

Serve on a toasted bun, a baked potato, or both.

Note on flavor:
I raise Dorper sheep, which are hair sheep—not wool sheep. Since lanolin (a natural oil in wool) is what causes the gamey flavor many Americans dislike, my lamb has a much milder taste.
Bonus: Cooking lamb with garlic and onion tones it down even more.

3. Birria Tacos (With Lamb!)

This was my first time trying Birria, and with 14 different spices, I was nervous. Traditionally made with beef in the States, Birria originated as a lamb or goat dish in Mexico.

For the complete recipe, download my free Cookbook HERE!

I used:

  • Lamb shoulder and neck roast
  • Salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Mesquite seasoning (for a rub)
  • 4 types of chilis, onion, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves (for mole sauce)
  • 10 additional spices
  • Beef broth, apple cider vinegar
  • Mexican queso + Monterey Jack cheese
  • Mini tortillas

Steps:

  1. Rub seasoning onto meat and let it rest.
  2. Boil chilis, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and bay leaves.
  3. Sear meat 3 mins per side, then add to Dutch oven.
  4. Blend boiled ingredients with spices and liquids for mole sauce.
  5. Pour mole over meat and bake at 350°F for 3 hours.
  6. Shred meat, separate from sauce.

To assemble tacos:

  1. Dip both sides of tortillas in mole.
  2. Add shredded meat and cheese.
  3. Fry on both sides in a hot oiled pan.

Final thoughts:
The cloves and peppers gave off a sweet, spicy aroma. The cheese pull was incredible, and the flavor blew me away—rich, slightly sweet, and no harsh spice.

4. “Marry Me” Lamb Tenderloin Pasta

This is the Shepherdess rendition of the viral Marry Me Chicken. I upgraded the dish by using lamb tenderloin, doubling the sauce, and adding angel hair pasta.

For the complete recipe, download my free Cookbook HERE!

Ingredients:

  • Lamb tenderloin (marinated in orange juice overnight)
  • Flour and spices for breading
  • Garlic, sun-dried tomatoes
  • Butter, oil
  • Beef broth, cream, milk
  • Angel hair pasta

Steps:

  1. Bread marinated tenderloin and let rest.
  2. Sear lamb 2 mins per side and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, brown leftover flour mix with butter, oil, and garlic.
  4. Add sun-dried tomatoes and sizzle for 3 mins.
  5. Add broth, cream, and milk to thicken the sauce.
  6. Add lamb back to sauce for 3 minutes.
  7. Toss in cooked pasta and serve with lamb on top.

Result:
One bite and I was crying (maybe because it was so good, maybe because I was exhausted from cooking all day… haha!)! The loin stayed perfectly pink inside, and the creamy sauce tied it all together.

5. Loaded Lamb Omelet

I wrapped things up with a loaded breakfast omelet using leftovers from the week.

For the complete recipe, download my free Cookbook HERE!

Steps:

  1. Bake a batch of biscuits (because every good breakfast starts with them).
  2. Scramble 2 eggs in an oiled pan.
  3. Load the omelet with:
    • Caramelized onions (from the smash burgers)
    • Queso cheese (from the tacos)
    • Shredded lamb (either BBQ or Birria leftovers)

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This omelet did not disappoint.

📥 Don’t Forget the FREE Cookbook HERE:

All five of these lamb recipes are available in my FREE downloadable cookbook.

Thank you for reading—and make sure to give the video a thumbs up before you head out!

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March 2025 Farm Update

Join the waitlist to purchase my Dorper Lambs:

Hi Friends,

I have great news! THE DORPER DREAM FLOCK GRANT IS BACK FOR 2025!!!! Applications are open now (please be careful to read and ensure you qualify before submitting your application).

Thanks to everyone who purchased lambs last month: I am sold out of breeding stock for spring 2025. I have a few meat wethers available, but family gets first dibs. If you
are interested in the meat wethers (castrated rams, no vaccines, sold
alive, to be grazed and finished at your place), use the link below to
be added to the waitlist.

I weaned off some of my fall lambs last month. Splitting my lambing groups in two has been so great. It evens out the work load. I am now working with two moderately sized lambing groups, rather than one mega-group!

Once weaned, I will feed the lambs a quality alfalfa hay in a dry pen for about 2 weeks. This gives the moms time to dry off, and provides the lambs with a high-quality transition off of mom’s milk and onto 100% forage.

We had some erratic low-temps this spring, which put my pasture behind about 2 week. But with the warmer temps we are OFF TO THE RACES. It is going to be tough to keep up with all the grass – but no complaints about that problem!

I am asked about my mineral program. I started using Redmond Livestock Salts about 3 years ago and they have been GREAT. Because we have so much rain, I invested in one of these bull-mineral feeders. It is covered and sturdy!

If you’d like to try the Redmond Sheep Mineral for yourself, I sell 5lb bags in my SUPPLY SHOP HERE. (Free Shipping on $75+)

And as a reminder: my book offers all of the information you need on the Basics of Raising sheep on Pasture in a photo-focused format (250+ FULL COLOR PAGES).

BUY THE BOOK (free shipping)

​

Be sure to see if you qualify for the 2025 Dorper Dream Flock Grant!​

-the Shepherdess

“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
Psalm 90:17

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$100K SMALL FARM BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE (for 2025)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MY $100k FARM BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

In this post I am going to break down my $100k farm business plan.

A simple 7-part business plan I created for myself 5 years ago.

3 years later in 2023, God gave increase to my effort and I was able to hit and maintain cash flow at $100k annual revenue. 

Now I am operating on the basis of a 30% minimum net profit. That $100k boiling down to roughly $30k after costs.

I originally shared this business plan in December of 2020 to my then-18 youtube subscribers.

Today, I am sharing it in 2025 from the perspective of hindsight: Walking through

  1. The 7 original components of my business plan and how they evolved in real-time.
  2. Income streams I stacked within this agricultural startup to grow beyond that original $30K net profit goal.
  3. And at the very end answering the question: would your farm business survive without youtube? Sharing exactly how much money Youtube paid me this year with over 150k+ subscribers… which will probably be the most surprising part of this whole video.

My $100k Farm Business Plan focused on answering 7 questions:

  1. WHY?

The first of which was “Why do you want to be a farmer?”

This was a question coming at me right and left from those who knew me in real life, because farming was so diametrically opposed to everything I had done to that point, and proposed so much less money than a lot of the other career-paths I could have contributed my marketing skills to.

There were 2 main “whys” that have anchored my farming journey since day 1:

  1. Stewardship. From a standpoint of faith, I felt compelled to make the most of the 30 acres in front of me, and to manage it in a sustainable and regenerative format.
  2. The second was the statistic that the average age of the American farmer is 56 years old. Now this is concerning for obvious reasons,  BUT my business brain recognized an opportunity in that demographic. I realized that jumping into farming as a 25 year old meant that the better portion of my competitors would be retired before I even hit 40… If I could establish myself in this particular trade at a young age, and accumulate these skills, I’d have not only food security on a personal level, but also a durable income stream for a good long while.

2. Who will buy my farm goods? (Market Analysis)

The Second question is “Who will buy your farm goods?”. 

This is market analysis, and it is as simple as identifying 3-4 markets or groups of people that will buy the product you want to sell, THEN make sure you have easy access to those markets before you start to produce those products you have in mind.

At this phase in the game I constructed a list of 10 places I could sell grass fed meat at and it included:

  • Friends and family.
  • 3-4 farmer markets in the Dallas Metroplex
  • Directories like Eatwild.com
  • Building my own platforms (with what I knew of SEO), using them ultimately to build my own email newsletter list.

That last one on the list ended up taking off like a rocket, as I employed a specific strategy that I was accustomed to using in the retail apparel industry. 

It was a waitlist, live launch strategy. 

In short, I began marketing my product before it was ready to sell. 

I setup an email list as a waitlist for sheep, then (the moment I started farming) I began to show photos and videos of my regenerative sheep farming process across social media. 

I was clear on social media about what I had to sell: pasture raised Dorper sheep, and I was clear that if people were interested in buying my lambs, they could subscribe to my waitlist. 

By the time I had my first lambs ready to sell, I had about 1500 people on this email waitlist. 

AND using this strategy I have consistently sold out of my lamb every year for 5 years straight. All the other market streams I identified in this phase of my business plan are my backup, but this one sales stream has been so effective I have not needed them as yet. 

Now back to the business plan…

  1. What are my resources?

The 3rd of 7 questions in the business plan is “What are my resources?”. 

This resource evaluation ties to the reality that the fastest track to profitability is converting existing resources into a marketable product.

For me, in the context of growing pasture raised meat, this Resource Evaluation process looked like taking a mental inventory of not only the size of my land base, but things like rainfall, forage density, and even the human resource I had to help with this farming startup.

In order to minimize startup costs and ongoing cost of inputs, it is important to make sure your resources closely match the product you decide to farm.

It is also very important to NOT cling to your ideals at the expense of profitability.  

  1. What are you Going to Farm?

Which brings me to the 4th question in my business plan, which is “What are you going to farm?”

Notice that this is very deliberately not the first question, despite the fact that for most people it is naturally the first consideration as they start a business. 

Now as a side note, you do need to have a general idea of what you want to produce before you start your business plan: e.g. I generally knew that I wanted to raise grass fed meat. 

But you also need to be flexible with the specifics as you flesh out this plan.

Which leads to a funny story for me: because in 2020 I wanted to be a cowgirl so bad and was so sure that I wanted to raise beef cattle that I was about to invest $20k in a herd of Aberdeen Angus heifers. 

I was watching the auction and making calls to obtain this stock, but I am so grateful because the Lord really kept putting road blocks in front of me. And once I took the time to slow down and evaluate my market and my resources, I realized that sheep presented a better opportunity for me at a lower startup cost. 

For example:

After studying my markets I realized:

  1. There was a lot of existing and well-established competition for grass fed beef in my area.
  2. Lamb was bringing a higher price per pound, both commodity and retail, and there were not as many people producing it. 
  3. Texas being a massive sheep state, I realized if I built my flock with quality genetics I could probably sell as much breeding stock as I did meat.
  4. The cost of a starter flock of ewes was about 1/4 the cost of a starter herd of Aberdeen Angus heifers.

After taking inventory of my resource I realized: 

  1. I could turn about 400% more cash worth of sheep on 30 acres than beef.
  2. Physically the size of sheep was more manageable for me as a lady, who was primarily leaning on the help of her two younger sisters as human resource.

So this is a real-time look at the importance of slowing down and evaluating your market and resources before making a final decision on the product you are going to develop and sell.

5. How much do I need to sell? (Aiming for $100k)

Question #5 on the Business PLan is “How many units of this one product do you need to sell to reach my gross revenue goals?” 

From the beginning, it was my intention to diversify to reach $100k, but I wanted to make sure that if I needed to make it on the sales from any one enterprise at my farm, that the numbers did not look too unrealistic. 

So I penciled it out and found that I would need to direct-sell about 230 lambs per year to earn $100k, which felt achievable based on all of the information I had gathered to that point.

Now I realize I just said “felt”. And I generally don’t like relying on feelings for much of anything. 

BUT, there is something to be said for intuition.

When you get to this point and something in your gut says “I don’t think this will work at all” pay attention to that – and pray the Lord gives you wisdom. 

When I was contemplating pulling the $20k trigger for that beef herd, my gut was gnawing at me. 

But when I wrote the $11,000 check for sheep, there was total peace and enthusiasm.

It’s not science-y, but sometimes you gotta go with your gut. 

I knew that going from 0-230 lambs per year was not going to happen overnight, in fact I did not want it to. I wanted to grow my flock incrementally in tandem with my markets.

Which brings me to question 6 in the business plan: 

6. How long are you going to investing your business plan before expecting it to arrive at full scale?

For me, I said I wanted to give it 7 years before expecting good, bad, or otherwise out of it.  

It has been said that the average person overestimates what he can do in 1 year, but underestimates what he can do in 5 years. 

This long-term commitment before expectation of results is so antithetical to what we are being taught in this instant gratification generation, but making commitments and setting long-term goals and not quitting or expecting overnight success is so important.

I often think of the analogy of mushroom vs an oak tree:

A mushroom blooms and matures overnight, but it withers and is gone as fast as it came.

An oak tree takes 20 years to reach maturity, but has an average lifespan of 600 years.

So I always keep this in mind when things are growing slower than I want them to… and encourage myself that that’s not necessarily a bad sign – in fact, growing too fast often is.

  1. Where are you going to get the money?

Now the 7th and final question in this business plan is practical and that is “Where are you going to get the money?”

Once you decide on how long you are going to give your business plan to mature, you have to tally the costs of year over year operations and figure out where you are going to get the money to subsidize your efforts during the growth phase.

Now if you have done a good job of starting small and staying lean, expenses should be manageable.

For me, I still had my regular job that was paying the bills… and I used my savings to cover the startup costs.

Now a major blessing and something I give the Lord credit for is that once in year 3 I hit cashflow. Not profitability in year 3, but I hit and have been able to maintain $100k annual revenue within the farm business.  

For 4 years straight my sheep have sold at the price I needed them to, and my waitlist for the sheep continues to grow. 

Because I am using email newsletter marketing I have a close relationship with my customer base that enabled me to sell a variety of value-added products on the side, which further contributes to revenue.

Adding Additional Income Streams: 

Now this brings me to the second topic which is additional income streams on my farm.  I have built about 10 different income streams into my farm enterprise, using much of my previous experience in marketing. 

Now to give some back story to my thought process going into farming, my goal was $30k net profit from my farm business. At this, I knew that I’d probably keep my job in retail and marketing to subsidize an additional $20k worth of income for myself. 

However the Lord has opened up doors for me to shove all of my gifts in marketing and content creation into the direction of enriching and expanding the regenerative agriculture sphere. 

Instead of splitting my time between farming and the retail apparel industry: I am 100% devoted to my farm and to providing resources that enable beginners to enter the realms of regenerative agriculture successfully, and resources that teach established farmers how they can modernize their marketing to be more profitable.

Each of these 10 income streams has contributed to my overall income and enabled me to focus entirely on agriculture. And yes, youtube ad revenue is one of them. 

Which brings me to the 3rd topic and that is a question I often receive: 

Does your Farm business plan rely on Youtube ad-revenue?

The answer is no. 

In fact in the past year, with 158K subscribers and 3.5 million views, Youtube has only paid me $12,000. 

Now I am thankful for that money, but in relation to the amount of time it takes me to make these videos, it’s not a lot (NAPOLEON $1 an hour). 

AND, if youtube stopped paying me tomorrow I wouldn’t notice it much.

And that is because I have never made Youtube videos to earn ad-revenue. I have always made Youtube videos with the specific goal of adding subscribers to my email Newsletter list. 

At present, through various strategies, I am able to convert Youtube Subscribers to my email newsletter list at a rate of 20% – which is the real gold and the real source of revenue for my business.

And once you are part of my newsletter community, I focus on treating you really really well. 

In fact, that email list is one of the closest connections that anyone has to me on the internet.

Once you are on my newsletter list you get all kinds of free resources, I send monthly behind the scenes updates from my farm, I host free exclusive livestreams with special guests, and more… 

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

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HOW TO START A FARM (from scratch) IN 2025

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LENGTH INTERVIEWS

“Hi Shepherdess,

My name is Cal, I’m 16 years old. I’ve been looking into agriculture lately, with a focus mainly on livestock. I like how you break things down simply and easily — it makes the whole process feel less overwhelming and easier to manage.

I’m still in school, but starting a small sheep farm or another kind of farm is something I’m seriously considering in the next few years, thanks to you. 

If you’ve got a moment, I’d love to ask a couple of questions:

  1. What’s one piece of foundational advice you’d give to someone before diving into farming properly?
  2. How did you decide on the scale of your operation when you were starting?
  3. Are there any common mistakes beginners make that I should watch out for?“

Dear Cal,

Thank you for writing to me. You asked some really good questions, and I will answer them individually in a minute. But all of them have a very similar answer, and it goes along with a personal slogan I adopted when I jumped into farming five years ago: “Think big, start small, don’t quit!”

There are no limits to the plans you can make, but no matter what, starting small is going to be your greatest advantage—especially if you don’t have any previous experience as a farmer.

Taking a year to raise just 3 or 5 sheep before jumping in with a huge flock is going to put you way ahead.

Here are more in-depth answers to your individual questions, based on what’s worked for me and my friends.

The Most Important Advice Before Jumping into Farming

Pencil out your large-scale goal and know your numbers. If you can make your farm work on paper, you have a much greater chance of making it work in real life. If you cannot make your farm work on paper, there is a low chance it will work itself out in real life.

Don’t overcomplicate this initial planning process.

Start With Three Key Questions:

  1. How much do you want to earn as a farmer?
  2. What do you want to sell?
  3. How much will your market pay for it?

Once you have these pieces of information, it’s simple math.

For example: Say you want to earn $10,000 per year, you want to earn that money by raising sheep, and you find local markets will pay $200 per lamb.

$10,000 ÷ $200 = 50 lambs per year to meet your income goal.

Even if you are just raising animals for personal food, try to tie a goal to each animal before committing to it.

For example:

  • Meat sheep: Figure out how much meat you want per year and how many sheep it will take to meet that goal.
  • Dairy goats: Determine how much milk you need per year and how many goats are required to meet that goal.

Your business plan will grow as you go, but walking through this three-step process is critical before you spend a dime.

To buy a farm or start a homestead with no goals at all is like setting out on a road trip without a destination—it will be fun for a while, but at some point, you’ll wind up lost and out of gas.

Start Small: Scaling Your Farm the Right Way

Once you have this three-step plan penciled out, take the smallest step possible toward that large-scale goal.

If you have decided to raise sheep, start your first year with just 2-5 sheep. Once your lambs are born, work to find your first customer and make your first sale.

Big success almost always starts with small wins.

And on the flip side, if you find out you really don’t like raising sheep after all, you’ve figured it out before spending all your money and energy on 50 sheep—which is a much easier thing to do.

The way you do small things is the way you will do all things. So give the small things all you’ve got.

How I Decided on the Scale of My Operation

I simply started with what I had in front of me, which was 30 acres. I didn’t own the land (and I still don’t), but my family was willing to lease it to me.

I didn’t start with the goal of becoming a big-rig rancher and owning thousands of acres someday. I just wanted to be a good steward of the resources I had access to and make a business out of them.

Land Size vs. Profitability

Profitability doesn’t have anything to do with how much land you have.

For example:

  • I interviewed an organic vegetable farmer who makes more profit on 1.5 acres than most commodity grain farmers make on 1,000 acres.
  • I interviewed pastured meat producers who make more profit on 20 acres than most commodity cattle producers make on 200 acres.

Profitability directly correlates to your market and your marketing.

Both of the farmers I just mentioned have a direct-to-consumer subscription sales model for their farm products (called a CSA subscription). This retail business model allows small farmers to cash flow small plots of land far better than commodity producers on large acreage.

No Land? Try This!

If you don’t have access to land, here are some ideas:

  • Start with what you have. My friend Nancy regeneratively grazes six grass-fed dairy sheep on just one acre.
  • Diversify. My friend Nichole raises goats, pigs, bees, chickens, quail, winter wheat, and a vegetable garden on one acre.
  • Rent pasture. My friend Teressa in California put out an ad on Craigslist and was able to rent 10 acres for her Boer goat herd.

Start with what you have—because more than likely, it’s all you need.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

The most common mistake? Starting too big and investing too much money, without a clearly defined goal.

This isn’t just a beginner mistake—it can happen at any phase in the game. In fact, it happened to me.

My Biggest Farming Mistake

Despite starting small and making a plan, I got cocky. In my second year, I added cows and a goat herd on top of my sheep. I had no real plan for either the cows or the goats, so they rapidly began to consume all of my resources without providing a return.

It cost me a lot of time, money, and energy, and pushed me into a severe season of burnout.

But thankfully, rather than causing me to quit, the burnout humbled me into a new season of focus and carefulness. I sold my cows, kept a few goats as pets, and returned to my original business plan of just raising sheep.

Start small to grow your wins rather than magnifying your losses.

The Future of Farming: A New Opportunity

There is so much opportunity for new farmers today—but it doesn’t look like it used to.

High-input commodity farming is less profitable than ever and poses a risk to soil health, the atmosphere, and human health due to heavy chemical input.

  • Wholesale prices for crops are no longer supporting farmers.
  • The cost of inputs (fertilizer, seed, equipment) outweighs the value of the crops grown.
  • Government subsidies are the only thing keeping many large farms afloat.

But a new wave of opportunity is opening for the small farmer.

What Consumers Want Now

Consumers are waking up. They are trading out grain-based diets for:

  • High-quality meat
  • Pasture-raised dairy
  • Organic produce

These are the customers we must look for as new farmers because these are the products that can be grown without expensive inputs like combines, tractors, and massive facilities.

As new farmers, we need to focus on selling to customers who pay retail prices, rather than brokers who pay wholesale prices.

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this, leave your best tips for Cal in the comments section.

And download my FREE “New Farmer Kickstart PDF” with all of the videos, interviews, and business planning templates I mentioned in this post.

-the Shepherdess

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10

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20 bad things…

Hi friends,

My (free) monthly livestream is tomorrow at 8pm CST! The theme it 20 BAD THINGS that have happened at my sheep farm (warning, not for the faint of heart); including how I treated the problems immediately and what kind of management I put in place to mitigate issues long-term.

I will be providing photos and instructions (some blood and guts involved), so feel free to skip this meetup if you aren’t ready for this kind of sheep info yet.

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However, if you are ready for the good, the bad, and the ugly; knowing about these issues ahead of time might save a life or two at your farm!

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Hope to see you tomorrow at 8pm CST!

-the Shepherdess

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P.S. This livestream only accommodates 150 attendees, so log-in early if you want a seat! A replay will be sent to all registrants, so register for the replay.

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“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Proverbs 27:23​
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[LIVE] DORPER SHEEP FOR SALE

Hi Friends!
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PICKUP (or delivery): DFW area, Texas. Pickups are tentatively set for May. Delivery within 180 mile radius is available for $300.
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Further details below, please read thoroughly!

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First right of buy-back:

The first and most important detail is that I ask for first right of buy-back on my sheep. If you purchase this Monday and (for whatever reason) need to sell them within the next 36 months, please email me and let me have the first opportunity to purchase the them back.

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What is available:

  • Ewes in groups of 5: $2,600 per group.
  • Rams sold individually: $480 each.

The genetics pool is the same for these rams and ewes, so buying to breed together is not advisable

About the Sheep:

My sheep are pasture adapted, purebred Dorpers. They are 50% registered, however they will not come with registration papers. My sheep are bred to perform well on quality pasture in a rotational grazing system. They have been living on pasture almost 24/7 and are hardy; they do not need to be pampered with fancy barns, confinement-style management, or heavy feed rations. All of that said, please raise them responsibly, provide shelter for freezing rain and sleet, and understand that in certain circumstances feed supplement is good animal husbandry (in short, don’t starve them or let them freeze to death -haha!).

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As a note for 2025, during winter (while pasture was dormant) I fed a ration of 0.75 lb per head of DDG in place of alfalfa. This was done as part of a research project on various types of winter supplement. Because DDG is a grain-based supplement I want to mention it for sake of transparency, however it does not affect any of the pasture-based traits of these animals. These sheep are bred to perform on pasture with minimal supplementation.

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I’m excited to see you at 8AM (cst) Monday! Be sure to bookmark the links above. I will send one more email with both links on Monday morning.

-the Shepherdess

“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Isaiah 40:11

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[PLEASE READ] Sheep for Sale on Monday

Hi Friends!
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I am excited to have some ewes and rams for sale on Monday! I have a lot more people on this wait-list than I have sheep, so I am hosting a FIXED PRICE and AUCTION hybrid sale this year. Details are below, please read thoroughly!

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First right of buy-back:

The first and most important detail is that I ask for first right of buy-back on my sheep. If you purchase this Monday and (for whatever reason) need to sell them within the next 36 months, please email me and let me have the first opportunity to purchase the them back.

​

What is available:

  • Ewes in groups of 5: $2,600 per group.
  • Rams sold individually: $480 each.

The genetics pool is the same for these rams and ewes, so buying to breed together is not advisable

Sale Time:

  • 8 am (CST) on Monday March 10th.

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How to Buy:

FIXED PRICE: First come, first served at the following link at 8am (CST) Monday (bookmark the link for quick access on sale day).

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(no sheep will show at this page until 8am CST on Monday)

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AUCTION: In addition to the fixed price listings, I will have two live auctions going live on Monday at 8am (CST) one for a group of 5 ewes and one for a ram.

The auction will run for 36 hours (forms to submit your bids are on the auction page). These auction groups will give everyone a fair chance at purchasing the sheep. The auction will close at 8pm (CST) on Tuesday.

​

PICKUP (or delivery): DFW area, Texas. Pickups are tentatively set for May. Delivery within 180 mile radius is available for $300.

​

Details about the Sheep:

My sheep are pasture adapted, purebred Dorpers. They are 50% registered, however they will not come with registration papers. My sheep are bred to perform well on quality pasture in a rotational grazing system. They have been living on pasture almost 24/7 and are hardy; they do not need to be pampered with fancy barns, confinement-style management, or heavy feed rations. All of that said, please raise them responsibly, provide shelter for freezing rain and sleet, and understand that in certain circumstances feed supplement is good animal husbandry (in short, don’t starve them or let them freeze to death -haha!).

​

As a note for 2025, during winter (while pasture was dormant) I fed a ration of 0.75 lb per head of DDG in place of alfalfa. This was done as part of a research project on various types of winter supplement. Because DDG is a grain-based supplement I want to mention it for sake of transparency, however it does not affect any of the pasture-based traits of these animals. These sheep are bred to perform on pasture with minimal supplementation.

​

I’m excited to see you at 8AM (cst) Monday! Be sure to bookmark the links above. I will send one more email with both links on Monday morning.

-the Shepherdess

“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Isaiah 40:11

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February 2025 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Sheep in Texas

Hi Friends,

I have a lot to share with you this month! First, fair warning that lamb reservations are opening next week (March 10th). SUBSCRIBE using this form for email reminders leading up to the sale:

Second, I will be speaking at the Texas Homestead Conference in Waco on April 25th and 26th. An early bird discount for tickets is still available as of today! I hope to see a bunch of you there!

I will be sharing about sheep and building a how I built a diversified homestead-based business!

February is quarterly inspection month. I FAMACHA score ewes and deworm if needed. I also take time to give lambs a preventative treatment for coccidiosis. Everyone is looking great and ready for spring grazing to kick off in March!

I shared about this portable/pasture based lambing jug on social media and people loved it! It is cattle panels, held together with zip ties and lined with chicken wire at the bottom. A majority of my ewes bond on pasture without the jug, however this year several few first-time moms needed the closed-quarters to bond.

I was asked how I catch the ewe and to get her into the jug: I will pour a bit of feed on the ground, then grab her by the back leg as she is distracted with eating… then drag her by her bum into the enclosure (where her new lamb is already).

It usually only takes 24 hours for duo to bond, then they are let back out with the main group! Special credits to my mom for actually constructing this cage.

And finally, a MASSIVE thank you to the 1400+ people who joined me for my free class series in February!! It was such a blessing to experience the biggest turnout yet! Click HERE for access to a replay of the free class: “The Basics of Raising, Grazing, and Marketing Sheep”

Thank you for letting me be a part of your farms,

The Shepherdess

“…but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” 1 Cor. 3:6-7

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short notice (but you don’t want to miss it!!)

Hi Friends,

This is short notice, but I am hosting my monthly livestream with Rob Wegener of the Wegener Farms tonight at 7pm CST!

He is going to talk about how he uses just 1.5 acres to grow 60k lbs of food for 156 CSA customers!!!

If you can’t join live, register anyway and I will send you a replay after the recording!
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Going live at 7pm (CST),

-the Shepherdess

“Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3

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January 2025 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Sheep in Texas

Hi Friends,

I am continuing my social media break through February 13th, but I have been busy behind the scenes. Here is a look at January on the farm!

But first, I am hosting 3 (free) LIVE classes for beginner sheep farmers this month (Feb 18-22nd)!!! The classes are held virtually on a platform similar to zoom. During the 1 hour livestream I am going to teach how I:

  • Raise Sheep (for above average flock health)
  • Graze Sheep (to maximize pasture and minimize feed costs)
  • Market Sheep (direct-selling lambs for $480 each)

Each class will be the same (covering all 3 topics above in 1 hour), but I usually fill up really fast so I am hosting it 3 different times. That way everyone that wants can have a chance to attend 🙂

CLAIM YOUR SPOT

We had a pretty significant amount of snow (for Texas) this month. I think it was close to 5″! It melted pretty quickly.

LIVE LAMBING PHOTOS below, so stop at this picture if you don’t want to see.

It feels like I just finished fall lambing, and here I am with my main group starting to lamb! Last year I moved my main lambing from March/April to January/February. It worked so well I am repeating it for 2025. I am often asked if Dorpers do well in freezing temperatures. Yes! The lambs are extremely hardy, as long as they get on their feet and start nursing immediately after birth they don’t seem to have any trouble.

I had a ewe that lost her lamb to a breech presentation (you can tell the lamb is breech when it’s “toes” come out pointing downward). Despite the stillborn lamb, the ewe was very eager to be a mother… so I took the opportunity to try something I have seen other sheep farmers do…

I put the skin of the dead lamb on one of my bottle lambs…

The bottle lamb wore the skin like a jacket for a little over a day and the duo bonded perfectly! It was a great success!

E-book: the Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture

Given the high cost of international shipping, I have had many requests for an E-BOOK version of my bestselling book: the Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture. Enjoy!

I hope to see you at one of my free (online) classes this month!

-the Shepherdess

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him…” Psalm 37:7

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Taking a break :)

Download HERE

Four years ago, I launched this YouTube channel to chronicle what I thought would be a seven-year journey of someone going from no previous experience in agriculture to making a full-time job out of life in agriculture.

In year one, I highlighted the trials and triumphs of a first-time sheep farmer in a candid vlog-style format. I was determined to grow food for the security of my family and community, even if I never made a dime.

In year two, I highlighted what I began to uncover in terms of the dark, inner workings of the United States food system—inner workings that have, for the better part of 70 years, been squeezing the small farmer out of existence and putting our food system into the hands of just a few major players.

In year three, I focused heavily on encouraging new farmers to find unique market streams and ways to value-add if they, too, were venturing into agriculture as a career. At the same time, I celebrated how, through the same means and by the grace of God, I was able to go full-time into agriculture—in three years instead of seven.

Now, this put me at the beginning of 2024, wondering what was next for the channel. So I took seven weeks off to pray and ask the Lord where to go next:

And in 2024, He opened doors that I never could have opened for myself. Doors:

  • To create content highlighting the importance of exercising our constitutional rights before they are gone for good.
  • To obtain a media pass to one of the most significant court hearings for food freedom in 2024.
  • To interview members of Congress who expose the Big Ag agenda at the government level.
  • To assemble a visual picture of the global green energy scam and how regenerative agriculture is an overlooked answer to any legitimate climate concerns.
  • To film natural disasters that show us why prepping is not just for the apocalypse.
  • And to uncover facts that show how history itself is being rewritten to the detriment of modern-day.

I ended 2024 coming full circle with a series showcasing how, amidst endless waves of change, shepherding—that thing I committed to in 2020—abides as one of the most steady and durable professions a person can invest in.

And now, I am saying goodbye to you for seven weeks for the same reason I stepped back for a minute in 2024: to be still and be sure that whatever direction I barrel into next is the one I am supposed to be going in and not simply the result of moving so fast I can’t stop.

I want you to remember February 13th, 2025.

That is going to be, Lord willing, the date of my next upload here on YouTube.

If you have questions or video topics you want to see covered on the channel in 2025, comment below. I will put them onto my 2025 content spreadsheet.

And if raising sheep is on your radar for the future, I have a parting gift for you below: my new eBook for 2025 that will answer the question, “Where do I start when it comes to farming sheep?”

Thank you for your support in 2024.

“I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” Ecclesiastes 3:14

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(belated) Merry Christmas :)

Hi Friends,

A belated Merry Christmas to you! I am starting the year with a 7-week break from media work. It will be quiet, so I wanted to give you a heads up :). Lord willing, I will be back to all the things on February 13th!

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But before I go, I have TWO gifts and ONE request for you…

​

GIFT #1: I just released the last of 4 episode for Raising Sheep in EUROPE. You should have plenty of content to enjoy while I’m gone :).

GIFT #2: My 2025 E-book!

The Beginner Shepherd Resource Bundle:

The Beginner Shepherd Resource Bundle is my new E-BOOK for 2025! When it comes to sheep, I get one question a lot: “Where do I start?” This E-book will answer that question short and sweet (just 12 pages)! Enjoy :).

Finally, my request… Will you take a quick poll to help me plan content for 2025?

It’s just a few questions and will help me to know what will help you most this year:

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I’ll be excited to read your responses! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support you’ve shown me in 2024.

-the Shepherdess

“I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” Ecclesiastes 3:14

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Come to my (virtual) CHRISTMAS PARTY!

Hi Friends,

Quick email to let you know that I’m hosting a VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY on **Thursday night (my last livestream/livechat of 2024)! We start at 8pm CST and go for 1 hour. We are going to have trivia for prizes so don’t want to miss out!!

Chicken Lady (my sister) and I are hosting and will be available for Q+A if you have questions. You can join from anywhere in the USA as well as internationally (just be mindful of the time-zone differences)!

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Hope to see you on Thursday!

-the Shepherdess

**A previous email said Friday, and I apologize for that. The meetup is THURSDAY at 8pm CST.

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PS: In case you missed it, my documentary on Raising Sheep in Switzerland is LIVE!!

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November Farm Update

Hi Friends,

This farm update is packed with announcements! Ram lamb reservations are open! I had an 80%-20% ram-to-ewe ratio this year, so I don’t have any ewes to offer, but these ram lambs are sure to upgrade your flock!

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Also you are invited to my 3rd annual SMALL FARMER VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY (free livestream)!! It is Friday December 12th at 8pm (CST).

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Chicken Lady and I are hosting. We will have farm trivia for prizes. Because it is virtual you can join from anywhere in the USA and even worldwide (just keep in mind the time zone differences).

The flock is doing great! We have had a lot of pasture this year, so there has been plenty to graze.

My first fall lambing was pretty low-key… “low key” is always a welcome label for lambing! A few ewes needed assistance, which is typical for my flock – especially with singles. Singles are much larger than twins and more prone to becoming stuck en-route :).

(Just as a heads up, I am not sitting on this ewe… my legs are propped in a way that is not applying any significant pressure)

The only unusual issue I had with a lamb was an umbilical cord bleed. The photo on the left shows the lamb’s cord (still bleeding) 24 hours after birth. For reference, after 24 hours the cord should be mostly dry (shriveled up). I did not have an umbilical clamp or surgical string (recommended for this issue), so simply sprayed the cord area really well with Vetericyn wound spray and tied it off with dental floss (about 3/4″ from the belly). The photo on the right is after about 10 days! The cord popped off and is completely healed over.

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This issue often occurs as a result of the cord being stepped on by the mom or the lamb shortly after birth. The prevention here would have been trimming and disinfecting the cord at birth (when I noticed it dragging the ground). Lesson learned, but I’m grateful for a happy ending!

A (non-refundable) deposit of 50% is due now and the remaining 50% before pickup in April/May (will email you at the first of the year with details). You must be ready and able to pickup the ram in Sulphur Springs Texas. delivery within 120 mile radius is available for an additional fee.

And to finish it off, here is EARLY ACCESS to my 3rd episode from my series on Shepherding in Europe!

-the Shepherdess

P.S: All orders for BOOKS, SHIRTS , or STICKERS from now until Christmas Day will come with a MAFA Sticker as a free gift!! Keep Shepherdess.com in mind for Christmas Shopping!

“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Isaiah 40:11

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REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IN THE ALPS ⛰️| Shepherding in France, Sheep Farming

Buy the book (with free shipping)

Regenerative Agriculture in France: Raising Sheep in the Alps

Today I giving you a look at a day in the life of an Alpine shepherd. Lennart of Friendly Flock in France practices regenerative agriculture in the french alps, managing a flock of sheep in a way that builds soil and restore degraded countryside.

This is episode 2 of 4 in my series, Raising Sheep in EUROPE. Click here for access to all 4 full length documentaries on Shepherding in Europe.

Lennart and his wife Graze their flock in French alps in the Savoie for 5 months, during the warmer summer season and part way into autumn. As winter approaches, they transhume, or migrate their flock to the Cévennes region for the remaining 7 months. The Cévennes is a warmer, Mediterranean an climate and provides better weather for wintering the flock. 

Lennart was born in Berlin, Germany. His first exposure to agriculture was at 18 years old in New Zealand: a time period during which he fell in love with farming and became determined to make it his occupation.

Lennart spent a year in conventional Shepherd school, but was ultimately drawn to the world of Regenerative agriculture and holistic management. He trained with the Savory institute as well as ranching for profit, even traveling as far as Wyoming in the USA for education on grass-based management.

Lennart is not a land owner. He leases 1000 hectares which translates to roughly 2,500 acres, one hectare equaling about 2.5 acres. This is split between 500 hectares in the alps, which he leases from the French government, and 500 hectares in the Cevennes region, which he rents from a private land owner. The latter land resource requires significant effort in human relations to maintain.

With respect to his private contract grazing business, which is separate from the income he earns from French subsidies, Lennart used Facebook to make the initial contacts necessary to form the grazing cooperative.

Lennart raises a variety of meat breeds. The transition from conventional management where they were housed in barns or conventional pastures,  to full time grazing terrain like the Alps was an adjustment for Lennarts initial flock. 

Lennart explains how selling livestock in France is much different than in the USA, where American ranchers have a variety of auction houses and sale barns through which they can sell their sheep and cattle.

Managing regenerative grazing in the alps looks somewhat different than doing so on open pastures. Lennart uses night paddocks for his flock, confining them overnight, then allowing them to graze the surrounding area during the day. He uses herding dogs to manage the flock, directing the sheep toward and away from specific areas based on the amount of rest and recovery still necessary for each.

-the Shepherdess

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

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    RAISING SHEEP IN EUROPE (Documentary)| France, Switzerland, and Italy

    ACCESS TO FULL LENGTH DOCUMENTARIES HERE!

    Raising Sheep on Pasture EUROPE:

    In a world that seems to be reeling with turmoil and endless waves of change, I left my farm in Northeast Texas to film shepherds carrying on in one of the most ancient and unchanging trades known to mankind.

    From the heights of the French Alps to the island of the Mediterranean, I’m thrilled to bring you: Raising Sheep on Pasture: EUROPE.

    Raising sheep on Pasture Europe is a series of three full-length documentaries on Pastoral Shepherding.

    Why Film Sheep in Europe?

    Pastoral Shepherding has remained fundamentally unchanged since the beginning of time — not because of a desire to abide in the past, but as a testament to the fact that, often, the old ways are the enduring ways. 

    Whether through the ancient practice of Alpine transhumance or the multigenerational craft of natural cheesemaking, these videos showcase shepherds who are flourishing as the managing member of the timeless triad of land, sheep, and shepherd.

    The video in today’s post is a complete overview of the trip, as well as a candid look at what it took to traverse six countries in 17 days to bring back this footage.

    The full length documentaries from each country will be available for free to members of my email newsletter community. Join that community below:

    This trip was made possible through the support of my book, The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture. Written for absolute beginners with 30 acres or less. This book is available exclusively available at Shepherdess.com and is not on Amazon.

    Filming in the French Alps

    Our first destination was Chambéry, nestled in the French Alps. This region, historically tied to both France and Italy, boasts breathtaking landscapes and a rich cultural heritage.

    Here, I filmed a day in the life of Alpine shepherd Lennart Classen, who manages “Friendly Flock,” a regenerative grazing business with 900 sheep and goats. Lennart shared insights on rotational grazing, overcoming challenges in the Alps, and his journey into agriculture without prior experience.

    The full documentary, Raising Sheep on Pasture: France, premieres Friday, November 29th.

    Filming the Transhumance in Switzerland

    Next, we drove to Switzerland to document Alpine transhumance—the seasonal migration of livestock between high and low pastures. This ancient practice, guided by shepherds, enriches the land and produces dairy with superior nutritional profiles.

    Raising Sheep Switzerland features the work of the Swiss Shepherdess in Crans Montana, who shares why she and her husband choose traditional transhumance over modern methods like trucking. This documentary, Raising Sheep on Pasture: Switzerland, premieres Monday, December 9th.

    Our time in Switzerland also included a quick detour to Nuremberg, Germany, to explore the historical site of the Nuremberg Trials. While not related to shepherding, this stop offered profound insights into justice and government accountability, themes relevant to agriculture today.

    Sardinia: The Final Destination

    Our last filming location was the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, home to 1.5 million residents and 3.7 million sheep. Sardinia’s rugged landscape and unique forage produce the famous Pecorino cheese, a staple of Italian cuisine.

    I had the privilege of learning traditional cheesemaking from Gianni Mele, one of Sardinia’s most renowned dairy shepherds. Gianni shared his process for crafting artisanal cheese, his pasture management strategies, and how he built a direct market for his premium products.

    The final documentary, Raising Sheep on Pasture: Italy, premieres Thursday, December 19th.

    A Durable Trade

    When I first launched into sheep farming, I read Durable Trades, a book which ranked shepherding as #1 among 63 of History’s most long-standing professions. Trades that have withstood the test of time, while thousands of others have fallen to the wayside amidst waves of industrial and technological revolution.

    As a new shepherd, and as someone wanting to build a deeper level of personal and economic stability into my adult life, the facts outlayed in that book encouraged me in my decision to commit to a small flock.

    …And on this trip through Europe I saw with my own eyes that shepherding, in its pastoral context, has indeed remained both relevant and fundamentally unchanged since the dawn of time.

    Its simplicity is its stability: pasture, sheep, and a shepherd. 

    And that simplicity breeds an inherent durability. 

    As I returned to my own farm in Texas, I did so with a new appreciation and commitment to a trade that I have seen with my own eyes to be truly Durable.

    Which stop are you looking forward to watching the most? Let me know in the comments!

    -the Shepherdess

    “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

    Screenshot

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    A RECAP OF MY $225K FARM EXPERIMENT | Farming Business Dorper Sheep Cows MICRO RANCHING FOR PROFIT

    https://youtu.be/eRXoI_Wxp6I

    A Recap of my $225k Farm Experiment

    2.5 years ago, I made a $2,500 investment across 30 acres, hoping it would turn into a $225,000 return. Did that happen? Yes—and no. Today, I’m sharing how it worked, where it didn’t, and breaking down two key business principles that are essential for anyone starting a farm—or any small business, really.

    My Journey into Farming

    In 2020, I left my background in marketing and retail management and jumped headfirst into agriculture, raising Dorper sheep on 30 acres in Northeast Texas. I didn’t have any farming experience, but I had been an entrepreneur since the age of 10 and had managed a retail business straight out of high school. I understood the reality of entrepreneurship: often working twice as hard for half the pay.

    With the tough economics of conventional American agriculture, I knew farming would be one of the hardest ways to earn an income. But I also wanted food security for myself and my family. Deep down, I believed that managing land and animals to produce clean, healthy food is a form of wealth that goes beyond dollars and cents. Fast-forward to 2023, and through diversifying my on-farm income streams, agriculture is now my full-time job.

    If you’d like a detailed outline of the marketing steps I used to reach $100K in revenue within three years, click the link in this post, and I’ll send it to you for free along with a video explaining the process.

    The $225,000 Project

    When I set out to make farming my full-time job, I thought I needed more land to achieve my goals. I was already leasing 30 acres, but I wanted to acquire an additional 15 acres next door. Small acreage in my area costs between $15,000 and $18,000 per acre, meaning this expansion would require a $225,000 investment—an expense I wasn’t ready to take on.

    Lesson #1: Maximize Existing Resources

    When expanding isn’t an option, you have to ask, “How can I pursue increased revenue with what I already have?” Around that time, I was reading two excellent books, Quality Pasture and Management Intensive Grazing (MIG), which discuss ways to boost the productivity of a single acre. These books encouraged me that with a $2,500 upgrade to my management system, I could get the productivity of 45 acres out of my 30-acre pasture.

    I invested in an electric fencing and watering system, spending a month on the installation. After these upgrades, I stocked my land as if I had 45 acres, almost doubling the number of animals I raised by introducing a mix of sheep, goats, and cattle.

    It worked for a while, and we grazed through the summer smoothly. But by the end of the year, I ran into two significant issues.

    1. A Narrow Buffer for Drought: If we had even a single month of below-average rainfall, I’d quickly run out of grass and have to buy supplemental feed. This put extra pressure on the farm’s budget.
    2. Profit Margin Didn’t Scale with Production: Adding animals didn’t instantly double my farm’s profitability. I didn’t have a market ready to buy goats and cattle at the same premium prices as my sheep, resulting in lower profit margins. In fact, when I evaluated the farm year over year, I found I was more profitable with fewer animals.

    This led me to the second critical principle:

    Lesson #2: Establish Your Market Before Expanding Production

    When I doubled my animal count without a developed market for each type, I found myself selling those animals at a lower profit margin just to keep cash flowing. I went from raising 35-40 sheep at a 50% profit margin to a 75-head mixed herd at a 20% margin. I was making the same amount of money while working twice as hard, so in real terms, the larger operation was less profitable.

    Looking back, my small size was actually an advantage, allowing me to build out a premium market for my flock gradually. When I added new animals without an incremental market, I ended up with more product but no profitable way to sell it. This experience drove home an essential lesson for profitability in any business: Find your market first.

    The Balance of Market, Product, and Process

    To achieve profitability and long-term success, you need to balance three elements: market, product, and process.

    Most startups—and I made this mistake myself—tend to over-invest in the product and the process while making the market an afterthought. The key is to establish access to your market first, whether it’s a local farmers market, an online store, or a direct email newsletter.

    Here’s what this looks like in practice:

    • Farmers Market: Before becoming a vendor, visit your local market. See what customers are buying. Which booths are busy, and which are empty? This can reveal gaps in the market that your product could fill.
    • Online Sales: For premium products, try a pre-order launch. Gauge interest by seeing how many people are ready to sign up for seasonal shares, like spring dairy herd shares or autumn beef shares. This lets you know if an investment in the product and process is justified.

    Where I Am Now

    Today, I’ve returned to a smaller operation with a focus on higher profit margins. I decided to set aside raising goats and beef for now, redirecting my energy toward building the highest-quality Dorper flock in Northeast Texas while expanding my premium marketing channel, primarily through my email list.

    That initial $2,500 investment has reduced my daily time on pasture from two hours to just 30 minutes, saving me about 550 hours each year. Time is money, and this investment has paid for itself many times over.

    Looking back, I’m grateful I didn’t have $225,000 to buy the 15 acres next door. I didn’t need it to achieve my goals. This experience taught me a lesson that extends beyond farming: sometimes, the limitations in our lives can be our greatest advantage. Instead of pushing past boundaries as if they’re obstacles, consider them as guardrails guiding you toward the path you’re meant to follow.

    For more details on my pasture infrastructure upgrade, watch my original installation video here:

    “For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” Isaiah 30:15

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    October Farm Update

    Hi Friends,

    October was packed FULL!! I met many of you at Homesteaders of America conference, was invited to film Hurricane relief in NC, and returned to the farm just in time for lambs to start dropping. Enjoy the update… and I share some voting info for my pro-life followers at the end of the email, so please scroll!

    My sisters and parents made my trip to Homesteaders of America possible this year!

    Hannah was one of many I met at Homesteader’s this year. I’m so grateful for all of you who stopped by to say hi!

    While driving home, I was invited to film a hurricane relief center near Asheville, NC. I created a video about the experience which gives insights on how you can better help the people of NC as winter approaches. CLICK TO WATCH​

    I returned home to a flock that was ready for fresh grass! When the flock is not lambing, maintenance is really low. This makes it easy for a farm sitter to fill in while I leave town :).

    Just a few days after returning, little white beauties started to pop up on pasture! For my video on BREEDING SHEEP 101, CLICK HERE.​

    Lambing extends through Thanksgiving. I will likely take a few breeding stock reservations around Christmas (for pickup after weaning in early spring).

    Stay tuned if you are on the list for breeding stock!

    Presidential is on everyone’s mind, but here is a reminder there are other issues on the ballot that also carry MASSIVE importance. Senate seats are up for grabs, but also abortion (the killing of humans in the womb) is on the table like never before.

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    Below is a list of amendments/propositions/etc. VOTE “NO” FOR LIFE! 👶🏼

    •MISSOURI: Vote NO on Proposition 3

    •Florida: Vote NO on Amendment 4

    •NEW YORK: Vote NO on Proposition 1

    •Arizona: Vote NO on Proposition 139

    •Colorado: Vote NO on Amendment 79

    •Maryland: vote NO on Question 1

    •Montana: vote NO on Ballot Issue 14

    •Nebraska: vote NO on Initiative 439

    •Nevada: vote NO on Question 6

    •South Dakota: vote NO on Constitutional Amendment G

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    -the Shepherdess

    “…that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Daniel 4:17

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    Free LIVESTREAM tomorrow (8pm CST)!

    Hey Friends,

    My livestream is tomorrow at 8pm CST! Every month I sit down with you for an hour to chat LIVE and answer questions you have (sheep farming, marketing, my farm setup, etc!).

    Some topics on docket for tomorrow are: Your sheep FAQ’s, 10 essentials for local emergency, and photos from my recent opportunity to film shepherds in Europe (I’m excited to share what I learned with you!).

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    I hope to see you tomorrow at 8 pm CST!

    Grace

    -the Shepherdess

    p.s. this is the last meetup at 8pm for the season. We are going to roll back to 7pm CST once daylight savings time ends in November!

    “Know ye that the LORD he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3

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    6 (simple) PREPS FOR A LOCAL EMERGENCY | Homestead Prepping Civilian Disaster Relief | Hurricane Helene

    CLICK HERE for the list of 70+ Preps

    HURRICANE SURVIVOR SHARES 6 TOOLS FOR LOCAL EMERGENCY

    I wasn’t caught in the pathway of Hurricane Helene, but I watched from a distance. I’d guess many of you were in the same boat… But if you were directly impacted by Helene —drop a comment and share what your experience was like.

    As I observed the hurricane’s impact from afar, I had a thought that keeps rattling around in my mind: I might face a similar crisis in my own community someday. It may not be a hurricane, but disasters strike in all forms. And if that day comes, how can I be better prepared? Not only for myself, but also to serve others when the need arises?

    To dig into this question, I turned to my private community and asked:

    “Besides food and bottled water, what are 1-3 critical supplies or skill sets you’ve used in a difficult situation?”

    I received almost 25 pages of emailed replies, with nearly 100 different supplies and skills mentioned.

    CLICK HERE for the full list

    For today, though, I want to highlight one email in particular—one that really stood out to me. It’s from James, a 64-year-old man from Louisiana who’s weathered every major hurricane in the state over the past 50 years, including Katrina. James shared the three critical supplies and corresponding skills he’s relied on through these crises.

    James writes:

    I grew up and live in Southeast Louisiana. I’ve lived through and responded to (when I got older) basically every hurricane to come this way since 1960, including Katrina, which went right over our house, and several others that affected friends and loved ones. So yes, food and water are critical, and you’ve got that covered. Here’s my top 3 supplies and corresponding skills list:

    Supplies:

    1. First Aid Kit – This should include everything from aspirin to items needed to splint a broken or fractured bone. We keep ours in lockable tough totes and 5-gallon buckets with Gamma lids.
    2. Fire Starters – Cold food is fine for a bit, but a warm meal can make the difference between forging on or giving up when tasks need to be done. Propane stoves, burners, and BBQ grills are great as long as you can get the propane. But also have a supply of wood and a way to get it burning. I store 2-3 bags of charcoal briquettes and use a chimney-type charcoal starter (it looks like a tall tin can with a handle). You’ll also want lighters, strike-anywhere matches, storm matches, candles, etc. This way, you can get even damp wood to start burning quickly.
    3. Basic Mechanic and Carpentry Hand Tools – A hand axe (hatchet), a cutting axe, a bow saw, and a chainsaw with maintenance tools (files, extra spark plug, extra chain, bar oil, gas, safety helmet, goggles, chainsaw chaps, work boots, gloves, etc.) are essential. Repair manuals and books on basic carpentry and engine maintenance will come in handy.

    Skills:

    1. First Aid Training – Basic and moderately advanced first aid courses can be lifesaving. The Red Cross, local fire departments, and community colleges are great places to find free or low-cost training.
    2. Fire Building and Cooking – Learn and practice lighting fires, as well as cooking on open fires or propane stoves. You’d be amazed at what you can cook beyond burgers and chicken. I’ve cooked lasagna on a BBQ grill, made pies, cooked cakes, stews, roasts, even biscuits. Cooking over an open flame takes practice, so get a book or two on campfire cooking and start learning.
    3. Tool Use and Maintenance – Learn how to use and maintain your mechanic and carpentry tools. You don’t need to know how to build a house, but basic repairs and troubleshooting skills are important. The same goes for using cutting tools—axes, hatchets, saws, and chainsaws. Limbs can snap back, trees can twist and split, and this can be hazardous work, so learn your limits and how to do the job safely.

    Bonus Tip: Shelter
    Most of us have a place to lay our heads, but many people lose everything during a disaster. I’ve slept in tents and cooked under tarps while responding to hurricanes. A small (or large) tent, several tarps, tent stakes, rope, a spool of parachute cord, a cot, sheets, blankets, and a pillow can be invaluable in the right (or wrong) circumstances.

    I’ve used many other supplies and skills throughout my life, but these are my top three. If you master these, many other skills will flow naturally, and you’ll see where you need to improve. Some of the items aren’t cheap, so it might take time to accumulate them, but they will all come in handy when you need them. Hope this helps, and again, God bless!

    James’ advice is a testament to the importance of preparedness, not just for ourselves but for those we care about. His focus on practical skills paired with essential supplies shows us how to be ready for the unexpected and how to serve when crisis strikes.

    -the Shepherdess

    “…but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Daniel 11:32

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    UPDATE ON HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF (18 days later) Visiting Swannanoa & Asheville North Carolina

    Thank you to Savage Freedom Relief Ops (Swannanoa, NC) for the invitation to take a closer look at what is happening in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

    18 Days After Hurricane Helene: A Ground Report from Swannanoa, North Carolina

    Eighteen days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, my dad and I drove to Swannanoa, North Carolina. A viewer reached out to me about a relief center there, asking me to share what’s happening on the ground. This blog post covers my observations and conversations with relief organizers, as well as specific information about FEMA’s role in the ongoing recovery efforts. I’ll share that information at the end after giving you a look at what I found with my own boots on the ground.

    This post will not only provide insight on how to support those affected by disasters but also offer ideas for strengthening your own homestead and community in case of a similar event.

    Swannanoa: A Hard-Hit Community

    Swannanoa is just 10 miles east of Asheville, right in one of the most devastated areas of North Carolina. Hurricane Helene dumped an estimated 40 trillion gallons of water across the Southeast. Some parts of North Carolina were hit with 24 to 31 inches of rainfall over just three days.

    The massive volume of water flowed off the Blue Ridge Mountains, flooding an extensive river system that covers both Western North Carolina and Tennessee. Even the narrowest streams swelled into destructive forces, tearing through homes, buildings, roads, and trees in their path. In some cases, this water even carved out entirely new canyons.

    Mainstream media is projecting a death toll of around 250 and a missing persons count of 100. However, people on the ground find these figures to be significantly underestimated, although the situation is far from funny.

    A Relief Center on the Front Lines

    At the relief center, I saw a collaboration between volunteers, the Coast Guard, and members of the military. Multiple helicopters—both private and Coast Guard—were taking off from this location to drop supplies to communities still inaccessible by road. As I arrived, a team of military personnel and volunteers were heading out with dog teams to search for missing persons.

    Eighteen days after the disaster, search and rescue efforts had shifted to search and recovery. Now, the focus is increasingly on rebuilding.

    Micro-Communities and the Challenge of Relief

    Austin, an organizer at the relief center, explained one of the main challenges in the relief effort: the population pockets in this region are small and scattered. There are numerous isolated groups of 10 or 20 people spread across the area. These micro-communities are harder to serve than larger towns with hundreds or thousands of residents.

    Interestingly, Austin mentioned that these small communities often act as their own first responders, helping each other before formal emergency services can even reach them. Neighbors are sharing resources, patching up infrastructure, and essentially stepping in to assist long before outside help arrives.

    Donation Surplus: A Lesson in What’s Really Needed

    As we drove to different donation drop-off points across Swannanoa, I noticed a massive surplus of second-hand clothing piling up. In fact, some locations had stopped accepting donations because there was so much excess that it covered the sidewalks.

    This highlighted the importance of staying in tune with what’s truly needed. At the relief center I toured, essential items like fuel, camp stoves, heaters, and sleeping bags were being sent to communities without power as quickly as they came in.

    Samaritan’s Purse and Local Efforts

    Samaritan’s Purse had a large presence in Swannanoa, with volunteers distributing fresh water and clearing debris from homes. Much of the debris wasn’t just random piles but organized piles waiting for waste services to pick them up. It was a sobering reminder of how much destruction people were working through even weeks after the hurricane hit.

    Water Purity Crisis

    As I visited gas stations and restrooms, I realized that 18 days after Hurricane Helene, city and county water purification systems were still offline. Toilets looked like they hadn’t been flushed, but after trying to flush myself, I realized it was because the water coming out was filthy.

    Water was running, but it was so polluted that it wasn’t suitable for anything other than flushing toilets. Austin mentioned that reports were coming in of intestinal diseases in households or communities that didn’t have backup drinking water and were forced to drink from unfiltered, unpurified sources.

    A Widespread Power and Water Outage

    While some of the worst damage was concentrated in valleys and along riverbanks, most of the population impacted by Helene still had their homes. The widespread problem, however, was the prolonged absence of power, communication, and clean water sources.

    Some residents were able to get by thanks to wells or backup water purification systems, as well as generators, which allowed them to ride out the crisis relatively unscathed. Others, however, had neither and were still facing ongoing challenges as they waited for power and clean water to be restored.

    The Truth About FEMA

    Now for the information I was asked to share. Some of the relief organizers I spoke to wished to remain anonymous but wanted the public to know the situation with FEMA.

    According to them, FEMA members on the ground are ready and willing to help, but their hands are tied at the bureaucratic level. This red tape is making it incredibly difficult for those on the ground to network and provide the level of relief that’s truly needed.

    Final Thoughts

    Despite the challenges, my visit to Swannanoa left me feeling inspired. Seeing how communities, volunteers, private organizations, and donors were coming together to meet the needs of the people was heartening. It reinforced the importance of relying on local communities during a crisis and reminded me to think about ways to make my own homestead and neighborhood more resilient in the face of potential disasters.

    In times like these, it’s local cooperation, not government reliance, that makes the biggest difference.

    -the Shepherdess

    “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

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    Supplies and Skills to Prep for a Local Emergency

    Hello friends,

    In wake of the recent natural disasters (hurricane Helene and Milton) I sent out an email last week asking if you had 1-3 “essentials” you’d recommend for an emergency (besides food and water).

    I received almost 25 pages worth of response to that question!! Below is a list of 70+ suggestions from those email responses.

    Would you help me improve this prepping supplies list by commenting with brands/types/itemized suggestions?


    For example, “first aid kit” is something a lot of people suggested, but if you have a list of items in your first aid kit, comment with what they are.

    Same with things like generators or walkie-talkie sets; if you have a specific brand that has served you well, leave a comment with the brand. I will update the blog post with your recommendations!

    SUPPLIES to prep for Local Emergencies (reader recommendations):

    the Bible
    First Aid Kit
    Minimum 5500 watt Genator
    Fire Starter Supplies
    Mechanic Tools
    Carpentry Tools
    Go-bags (a bag packed with essentials, always ready to “grab and go” in emergency)
    Extra Blankets and Pillows
    Backup RX/Prescription Meds
    Batteries
    Solar Charging Stations
    Emergency Radio
    Walkie Talkies (with 1 mile radius)
    Fuel (50 gallon drums)
    Firearms (hunting and self Defense)
    Ammunition (with proper storage)
    Generator
    Chainsaw (gas powered)
    Wood Stove
    Cast Iron Cookwear
    Machete
    Radios (with 1 mile radius)
    Extension Cords
    Water filters and chlorine tablets
    candles
    oil
    oil-lamps
    wound treatment
    electrolytes
    emergency feed for animals
    livestock insurance
    Basic Camp supplies
    Flashlights
    Headlamp
    Camp Stove
    Ax
    Hachet
    Sharpening skill
    Wedges
    Chaps
    PPE
    Full bathtub of water (for toilets and dishes short term)
    Propane (20-30lb bottles)
    Gas Stove
    Water Cachement System
    Multi-purpose tool or knife
    Cash
    Propane Camp Stove
    tarps
    roofing nails
    outdoor toilet area (for #1 and #2)
    hand sanitizer
    Road Atlas (A paper map of our state and surrounding states)
    Compass
    Solar battery charger with ubs ports
    Compostable portable toilet, pellets, cedar chips
    Nonelectrical can opener
    Old Coffee Pot made of steel
    Clothes line, mini washboard, soap, clothespins
    Bleach
    Spray paint to mark your roof with rescue messages.

    SKILLS to prep for Local Emergencies (reader recommendations):

    Prayer/Scripture Memory
    CPR Skills
    COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION/COORDINATION
    Fire starting skills
    Camp Cooking skills
    first aid experience
    Ability to produce a loud 2-finger whistle
    Refuge Medical and Refuge Training (refugemedical.com)
    Hunting skills
    Knowing and loving your neighbors (the ones next door)
    A plan for moving your livestock in case of flood or fire
    Basic Carpentry Skills
    Habitually keep your gas tanks full, rather than 1/2 empty. (car and ATV/UTV)
    A good attitude

    -the Shepherdess

    “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Proverbs 22:3

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    Monthly Farm Update (but also a question…)

    Hi friends,

    This farm update will be different; hurricane aftermath has been on my mind all week. The number one thing that amazes me is seeing how the communities of NC and TN are supporting each other.

    ​

    Something I have also considered is that we will probably face similar crisis in our own community… and we need to be ready for it.

    ​

    (maybe not a hurricane, but I think you get what I am saying)

    ​

    I have been asking myself: “How I can be better equipped? What skills or supplies could I improve on beforehand?”

    ​

    Which brings me to my question: Besides food and bottled water, what are 1-3 critical supplies or skill sets that you have used in a difficult situation?

    (I plan to send a follow up email sharing 10 of your best suggestions).

    ​

    Below are 2 donation opportunities, with this disclaimer: these funds are already inundated with 2-3x more support than they asked for (which is amazing). Give if you feel led, but consider what I mentioned above: look for ways that to build into your local community, or connect directly with an organizer in the TN/NC area (respond to this email if you have relief organizers that are falling short on donations and I will try and help get the word out for them).

    • ​Perma Pastures Farm: Networking local farmers with food needs in disaster areas (you will find the donation option in the description of his video).
    • ​Grassroots effort in NC: Check out this video to get familiar with the coordinator receiving donations.

    ​

    Helene might be the worst thing we see all decade, but it may also be an early warning.

    Everything is going well here at my farm in Texas! I have a small Autumn lambing coming in the next few weeks, so I’m excited to share more as the lambs arrive.

    ​

    Praying for Florida,

    -the Shepherdess

    “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7

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    SUPREME COURT ENDS CHEVRON DEFERENCE (Explained) 2024 | Chevron v. NRDC 1984

    AMISH FARMER PLAYLIST

    PHILIP HAMBURGER INTERVIEW

    In recent years, bureaucracy has become a reign of terror within the USA. Departments, agencies, and administrations have increasingly been used as tools to grab essential civil liberties. The Amish farmer case, which I covered in-depth on this channel, highlights the extent to which bureaucracy (both state and federal) has taken hold of the food industry. (If you missed any part of that coverage, I will link the playlist in the description of this video.)

    Cases like that of the Amish farmer leave many of us asking, “How have administrations and unelected officials attained so much authority over private citizens and businesses?”

    The answer lies largely in what is known as the Chevron Deference, a legal doctrine that was the result of a 1984 Supreme Court ruling. This doctrine mandated that judges within federal courts submit (or defer) to an agency’s interpretation of silent or ambiguous statutes within a law, so long as the interpretation was deemed reasonable.

    Fortunately, 12 weeks ago, after 40 years of precedence, the Chevron Deference was struck down by the Supreme Court of the United States as being unconstitutional and “fundamentally misguided.”

    However, 40 years of precedence was enough time to leave a serious mark on patterns and behaviors within the U.S. government. Behaviors that, thankfully, are no longer hedged by legal precedence but must be reshaped by the demands of a properly educated American public.

    This video is going to tell you what the Chevron Deference was for 40 years, how Chevron covertly funneled a dangerous level of power to the executive branch, and finally, I am going to suggest what will be required to turn what is now (in my opinion) neutral ground into positive territory.

    I will also break down how this will impact food freedom cases like that of the Amish farmer.

    What is the Chevron Deference?: Chevron v. NRDC

    The Chevron Deference was established in 1984, in a case involving Chevron Oil and the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC). Ironically (in light of my previous upload on the hidden dangers of climate control policy), the case involved the regulation of emissions from Chevron oil facilities. The NRDC was enforcing the Clean Air Act of 1977, but that particular act contained fuzzy (or ambiguous) language with respect to how emissions were to be regulated.

    Long story short, that lawsuit resulted in the Chevron Deference and its subsequent legal doctrines. The ruling stated that when a law or statute is ambiguous or silent, federal courts must give deference to a government agency’s interpretation of what that silence or ambiguity means. As a quick definition, deference means “to submit to.” So, judges in federal courts were obligated under Chevron’s precedence to submit to a federal agency. This created problems on several levels, one of which being the fact that federal agencies are often the ones filing suit against individuals and businesses. For a litigant to receive deference is technically a bias.

    Not only were federal agencies allowed to interpret, but they were also permitted to create rules around silence and ambiguity within the law.

    You are probably already seeing it, but the Chevron Deference has been labeled “the Lord Voldemort” of administrative law. While I have never watched the movie (nor would I ever endorse it), a quick Google search revealed to me what people meant by that label.

    Chevron became a picture of administrative evil, ultimately funneling power to the executive branch that it was never intended to have.

    How the Chevron Deference Became a Power Grab

    And here is how: (Keep in mind, this is a very simplified look. If you would like a technical analysis, I would recommend Epoch TV’s 1-hour interview with Philip Hamburger, an American legal historian and a scholar of constitutional law.)

    As we all learned in middle school, power within our federal government is divided into three branches:

    • The Legislative Branch is where Congress resides. Elected officials from each state come together to discuss and agree upon laws or rules. The Constitution is the parameter within which new laws or rules are made.
    • The Executive Branch is where the President resides. The President and his team give the stamp of approval to the laws that come out of the legislative branch.
    • The Judicial Branch is where judges and the court system reside. Here, the laws are enforced at the ground level. Judges (elected officials) make judgments as to how to apply the law on a case-by-case basis.

    These three branches work together under the authority of the United States Constitution and the accountability of the American people (who can vote them in or out during various election cycles).

    Chevron became ugly because it funneled legislative and judicial power to administrations within the executive branch, creating a covert system of centralized power at the federal level.

    Three branches of federal government still existed outwardly, but the executive branch gained a level of power it was never intended to have.

    And in case it is not entirely clear how, here is a quick summary:

    • Where Congress (the legislative branch) used to hold the somewhat exclusive right to make laws and write rules, under Chevron, federal agencies now had permission to make rules where the law was silent or ambiguous.
    • Where judges in the court system (the judicial branch) are tasked with executing judgment without bias, under Chevron, judges were obligated to defer to federal agencies in the courtroom “so long as their interpretation was reasonable.”

    According to SCOTUSBlog.com, “Chevron has become one of the most important rulings on federal administrative law, cited by federal courts more than 18,000 times since 1984.”

    Chevron not only provided a strong legal precedent for bureaucracy within the court system but, according to Philip Hamburger, it reshaped the behavioral patterns of Congress.

    Hamburger claims that Congress has become “infantilized,” as for four decades it has “handed off” its responsibility for rulemaking and interpretation to various federal agencies.

    The Chevron Doctrine has profoundly influenced our modern political climate. To again quote Hamburger: “When all of the regulatory power of the federal government is in the hand of agencies under some degree of control or restraint by the White House, then everything turns in a presidential election. Too much turns on it. This is one reason why presidential elections have become warfare.”

    Impact on Food Freedom Cases

    Now, keep in mind, Chevron was a federal ruling, which means it technically has no precedence in state courts. For this reason, it will not provide any direct relief for state cases like Pennsylvania v. The Amish Farmer.

    However, I suggest that there has been tremendous spillover to the state level. I base this on sitting in a courtroom in Pennsylvania last February and watching a commonwealth judge defer to the Department of Agriculture’s interpretation of a raw milk permit.

    Neutral Ground Into Positive Territory

    Now this brings us to today:
    As of June 2024, the Chevron Deference was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the USA, after two private fishing boats in New England challenged regulations from the National Marine Fisheries Service. The regulations required the private boats to carry and pay for observers who would collect data about their catches and monitor for overfishing.

    The private fishing boats initially lost, as under Chevron’s precedence, deference was given to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

    The ruling was appealed and taken to the Supreme Court, where Chevron was struck down as being unconstitutional and “fundamentally misguided.”

    This is a major victory, and to an extent, bureaucracy has been dethroned. However, bureaucracy still exists—and in the proper context, it is a legitimate player in government. It should not be making rules or receiving bias in the courtroom, but administration does have a legitimate function in the executive branch.

    But here is what I would submit for conversation: We are now on neutral ground from which advancements for either the negative or positive can be made.

    Here is what I mean: I believe that the administrative state (bureaucracy) will be very quick to re-enthrone itself and re-establish its authority to make rules and influence the judicial system.

    Unless individuals and businesses become proactive in putting legal counter-pressure on the encroachment of federal agencies, similar to how those private fishing boats challenged the Marine Fisheries Service, we will lose this ground.

    We will also need to be proactive in awakening Congress to its obligation to not only write the law but to provide Constitutional definitions where ambiguity and silence present themselves.

    That is, in my opinion, the immediate action that will be required to turn this ruling into a win. Give me a thumbs-up if you agree, and leave a comment with your opinion: Is Chevron a major win, or is it a return to neutral? I look forward to reading your comments.

    And if you missed it, watch this video next, where I discuss the negative impact of climate control policies and the knowledge necessary to combat it.

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    August 2024 Farm Update | Regenerative Agriculture in Texas, USA

    Hi Friends,

    August was full. While pasture work is at a minimum, I used the extra time to produce a video on the impact of regenerative grazing on the Carbon Cycle.

    Video here (if you missed it)

    Please comment/share/like ​the video​ to support it. There is a lot of bad (ag-related) policy coming out of the Climate Change Movement. This is my effort to combat it!

    Enjoy a few more pics from August at the farm! (for those waiting on Marketing tutorials, I have a special offer at the end of the email)

    Pardon the dust, no rain for e few weeks and these girls could use a shower!

    I did my quarterly health inspection this month. I was FAMACHA scoring and deworming. I used to FAMACHA score monthly, but last year I moved from monthly to quarterly. A few ewes struggled with this transition, so ​I culled them​ overwinter. It was a great move and made for an easier year this year!

    After deworming, I leave my sheep on on a dry lot for 48hrs. This means that parasites that were not killed by the dewormer are expelled onto a dry lot and not pasture. This is a helpful practice to avoid dewormer resistance!

    Headed back to pasture after 48 hours in quarantine!

    Despite a dry month we have plenty of pasture stockpiled from generous spring rains!

    I get a lot of questions about marketing, so I am offering access to my ​”$100K w/ Newsletter Workshop”​ at 1/2 price through Septmember 5th. This digital workshop unpacks all of the details behind my email newsletter strategy. It was my email newsletter list the helped me to diversify and reach $100k in revenue on my farm within 3 years. The class also also gives you a “60-day Checklist” to help you through the tasks necessary to build toward your first sales.

    *God gives the increase, so I cannot make any income guarantees. This Workshop is simply designed to guide you step-by-step in what worked for me!

    I hope this resource helps you! If you can’t invest in the paid class right now, ​check this replay of the free class​ I hosted the other night :).

    -the Shepherdess

    “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Colossians 1:17

    The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture | A Book for Beginners in Sheep

    The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture | A Book for Beginners in Sheep

    (41 customer reviews)

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    (REPLAY) My Best Tool for Reaching $100k on Farm

    Hi Friends,

    ​

    Here is the replay from last night’s meetup, alongside a link to the special offer I provided for the extended training (available through Sept. 5th)! Email me with any questions :).

    ​

    -the Shepherdess

    “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” 1 Cor. 3:7