The Shepherdess

Resources for Beginner Sheep Farmers, Dorper Sheep for Sale in Texas!

Monthly Farm Updates

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June 2024 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Sheep in Texas

Interested in purchasing my Dorper Lambs? Join my waitlist below!

Hi Friends,

This was a fun month: but definitely filled full of hot, sweaty work. Enjoy a look behind the scenes at June! Also, I finally posted a full video of my first time butchering a lamb on farm. Check it out here!

Because Dorpers are hair sheep, we only have to shear once every 3-4 years. That means this is only the 2nd time shearing at our farm. Last attempt ended with me losing a chunk of my finger, passing out at the sight of my own blood, and my brother taking over. This time was a major success in comparison. Everyone has a haircut and I still have my fingers… haha!

Before shearing.

Yes, hair sheep shed, but in my flock 1 in 4 retain some fuzz on their back strap. It builds up and needs to be removed… especially with Texas temperatures approching the triple digits. (For those who might ask: I am using Premier1’s 4000s Shearing Machine and the Apache 9-tooth comb)

After shearing: I love how shiny they are!

Do I cull for shedding? Not yet… I’m actually using a good shedding ram to breed the fuzz out. This ram sheds slick and has eliminated most of the wooliness in my lambs!

You guys always comment on pics of my grazing paddock setup. This one shows one of my favorite tools: my Tarapost reel stand!! For a complete list of my grazing/watering system supplies, CLICK HERE (or on the photo above)!

I’m always asked: “what is a sheep’s favorite grass?” My answer is: almost anything green (goatweed being the exception)!

This photo shows how they grazed out a paddock full of weeds in just 2 days!

This was such a happy moment! Lucy was the 2024 Dorper Dream Flock Grant winner! We had roughly 147 grant applications and around 90 qualifiers. I performed a random drawing on the qualifiers and Lucy was the Dream Flock winner. She is a young farmer from the midwest, doing an amazing job!

Thank you to all who applied for the 2024 Dorper Dream Flock Grant, and for those who donated extra supplies to make the winner even more successful with these sheep! I look forward to providing another grant opportunity in 2025!

Until next time,

-the Shepherdess

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

Looking for sheep to buy? Checkout the Shepherdess Breeder Directory!

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May 2024 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Lambs in Texas

Join the Waitlist for 2024 Dorper Lambs!

Hi Friends,

Here is a look behind the scenes for May at Harmony Farms! The Dorper Dream Flock WINNER was announced (congrats to Lucy Rickard!). Regarding the livestock sale on May 30th: some of you wondered why I did not send an email about the lambs on sale day. My spring lambs were all spoken for through my website within a few minutes. I did not want to frustrate you by sending you an email with links to sold out lambs.

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If you missed my spring lamb availability, I should have a few more to offer this fall; including some more mature, breeding-ready rams for October joining! In the meantime, check out the Shepherdess Breeder Directory for farms near you!

This 5 month old grass (and milk) only ram lamb is starting to dwarf his mom!

It was such a pleasure it was to meet so many of you at the Sunny Hill Flower Farm Meet and Greet! I loved putting faces to names, hearing your stories, and talking small-scale farming/ranching. Such a pick-me-up! THANK YOU!!

I made a change this year that I am so happy about. I usually lamb in March and April. This year I lambed most of my flock in February. This allowed my lambs to put weight on before the late spring parasite bloom. As a result, they are more naturally resisting parasites and growing so well this year!

I rotate my sheep using 2 strands of poly-tape. Using poly-tape over electric netting requires that I use a 12Joule AC (AC means a wall-unit, not a solar) charger. You can see the burn-line underneath my poly-tape here!

I hope you enjoyed this update! Thank you for your support :).

-the Shepherdess

Looking for sheep to buy? Checkout the Shepherdess Breeder Directory!

“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7

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April 2024 Farm Update

Interested in purchasing my Dorper Lambs? Join my waitlist below!

Hello Friends,

The lambs are growing strong and we have more grass than they can eat! It has been an amazing spring so far!

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I have 2 MAJOR announcements at the bottom of this email. #1. Details and a date for 2024 Lamb Reservations and #2. Information on the 2024 Dorper Dream Flock Grant! Scroll and enjoy!

The Crimson Clover came in strong this year and provided protein rich feed for my ewes (alongside ryegrass, vetch, Persian clover, and more). This Crimson Clover grows naturally in East Texas, however 2 years ago I broadcast a 50 lb bag of seed on this pasture. Here is a video that shares the process!​

Aside from hand-broadcasting, I do not perform any major pasture plantings. There are 3 reasons for this: #1: Seed and the planting process is expensive, #2: sheep thrive on lower quality pasture (planting fancy grasses is not a priority), and #3 The quality of my pasture has naturally improved with good grazing management.

I have a few Pigtail Posts leftover! Free shipping on $75+ so grab a set if you haven’t already!

2024 Livestock Sale: May 30th at 8AM (online only at Shepherdess.com)

On May 30th at 8am CST I will be posting both Dorper ewes and rams for sale at Shepherdess.com. My rams and ewes are from a single genetic line this year (with exception of the Dream Flock Grant), so they cannot be bred together; however the quality is rock solid and these sheep will shine in a well-managed pasture based system.

2024 Dorper Dream Flock Giveaway (details below):

Two days before my livestock sale (May 28th), I will be announcing the winner of the 2024 Dorper Dream Flock giveaway.

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That’s right, I am giving one of you the chance to start your Dorper dream flock, with 3 sheep from my flock! I will be selecting one farm/homestead to receive 2 Purebred Dorper breeding ewes, 1 Purebred Ram, a COMPLETE Shepherdess Supplies Kit, and a 1-1 consultation call (between the winner and I)! DETAILS to enter HERE! ​

Thanks so much for reading!

-the Shepherdess

“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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March 2024 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Lambs in Texas

Interested in purchasing my Dorper Lambs for your own farm? Join my waitlist below!

Hey Friends,

I am so excited to share behind the scenes from March at my farm. Also, mark your calendars for May 10-11th. Lordwilling, I will be in Luling Texas for a meet-and-greet! Market at the Farm is a free event hosted by Sunny Hill Flower Farm at Mercy Meadows Ranch. RSVP below!

Market at the Farm in Luling, TX is the perfect Mother’s Day day trip: U-pick flower garden, live music, food, coffee, petting zoo, games for children, local vendor market and more! I hope to see you there :).

RSVP HERE

(RSVP is free. If your schedule changes you can be cancel any time before the event.)

The very last lamb of the season was born in March! I will have more details on 2024 lambs for sale in April’s farm update! Please stay tuned.

I’m grateful for early spring pasture! I launched my spring grazing program on March 7th, one week ahead of schedule! I was definitely glad to stop feeding hay a bit early this year :).

Speaking of grazing! I found a great deal on 1000 Pigtail Posts for rotational grazing (previous owner used them to create dividers at a concert)! But I don’t need all 1000… I’m passing the deal on to you by selling bundles of 20 at almost HALF RETAIL PRICE (free shipping on $75+). Go grab some!!

I rotational graze my sheep, moving them to a fresh paddock around 2-5x per week. I use two lines of (electric) Polytape to create new paddocks. The lines are set at around 6″ and 24″. The heights make it too low to crawl under and too high to (comfortably) jump over.

With 6 bottle lambs at once, I decided to invest in some fenceline bottle racks! It is fun to watch them lineup and feed themselves!

I have been weaning my bottle lambs at 40lbs (reaching this weight by about 10 wks old). I feed them hay and alfalfa pellets (sometimes a small handful of crushed barely mixed in) so that they are ready for a full transition to solid food once they reach 40 lb.

For my regular lambs I wean them off their moms around 50 lbs. They stay in my weaning pen until they reach 60lb. In the weaning pen I deworm them and feed hay and alfalfa until they hit 60lb. It usually takes 4-6 weeks for them to reach 60lb. At 60lb, they graduate to pasture and are grazed the same as the rest of the flock. This is my 3rd year using this weaning system. Lambs in this system seem to have better parasite resistance than the rest!

I just listed my Raising Sheep Book Bundle, with the 3 books I recommend you have on hand as a beginner Shepherd. You can buy all 3 together or individually by clicking here!​

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Thanks for reading! I appreciate your support very much!

-the Shepherdess

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:8

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February 2024 Farm Update | Raising Dorper Lambs in Texas

Interested in purchasing my Dorper Lambs for your own farm? Join my waitlist below!

Hi all,

February was busy and I am excited to give you a look at it! I have had several emails asking if I have been impacted by the the Texas Wildfires. No, I am closer to the Louisiana border than the Texas Panhandle. Please pray the fires come under control within the next week. Ranchers are depending on it for spring grazing.

I have been sharing about Amos Miller case since early 2022 when the Federal Govt. filed suit against his Organic Farm. Miller Organic Farm is now being sued by the state (a second major lawsuit). This month, I left the farm to attend the Amos Miller Rally in Lancaster, PA. I obtained press-pass to the court hearing and plan to update you all with more info on the proceedings. ​WATCH MY AMOS MILLER VIDEOS HERE!​

Lambing is almost finished! I have one ewe left to give birth. I am grateful for a good season and lambs that are growing like weeds! A few of the Lambs that were born in November have already been weaned. The lamb at the front is not weaned, but is a bottle lamb so she is residing at the weaning pen :).

Despite a (mostly) smooth lambing season, I hit a snag with one of my ewes. The ewe was small, the lamb was large and poorly positioned.

After trying for an hour to deliver the lamb, I loaded the ewe into a pet taxi and took her to the vet (thanks to my dad and brother’s help)…

After a rough c-section a big ram lamb was BORN ALIVE, but not responsive!

I spent about 30 minutes rubbing, stimulating, and even giving the lamb CPR. The vet also came and gave him a stimulant.

The lamb survived and is THRIVING!! I am so grateful to the Lord for a happy ending! His mother is also recovering very well!

If you are waiting on info regarding Dorper Lambs for SALE, be watching for info in the coming month. I am focusing a lot more on meat sales this year, but may have a handful of really high quality breeding ewes and rams up for grabs.

My EAT BEEF, NOT BUGS tee is now available in sizes S-3XL!! Your purchases help support my farm and the work I share on the internet.

If you are interested in raising sheep yourself, check out my book: The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture

Thanks so much for supporting my work!

-the Shepherdess

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 24:16

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January 2024 Farm Update

Hello Friends,

This update covers November-January. I can’t believe I have not sent a regular farm update since October! I am continuing my social media break through February 7th, but here is a little look at what’s happened from November-January!

WARNING: I have some lamb processing photos at the bottom of the post, so stop short if you are not interested in seeing them :).

(2 week old orphan lambs)

In November one of my oldest ewes die shortly after giving birth to twins. I never had success raising lambs on powdered formula. For these lambs, I sourced raw goat milk and had a huge success!!

10 weeks old and 40lbs!!

The ram lamb hit 40lb by 10wks!! To stay budget friendly, I switched to a lower cost formula once the lambs were around 7 weeks (still NOT powdered, but one of you left a comment on facebook telling me how to amend cow milk from the store… THANK YOU!). I plan to make a video with all 3 homemade formula recipes I tried.

The flock is 1/2 way through lambing! I scheduled a January/February lambing instead of March/April lambing this year. Parasite pressure is really hard on my March/April lambing group. This lambing is an experimenting to see if we can mitigate some of the struggle.

(click to buy the book!)

In 2020 we experienced what seemed like “food shortages”. In reality, there was a bottle neck in our meat processing system.

80% of our nations meat supply is controlled by 4 major meat processors.

​From 2020-2022, local slaughter houses were booked up to a year in advance as major meat packers recovered from lock-down-related closures.

Since observing this, it has been my goal to get in touch with how to process my own meat.

Butchering livestock is way outside of my comfort zone, but so far I have processed 3 sheep. It has been very rewarding to develop this skill set…

The first lamb had died of bloat (she gained access to a feed bag and over-indulged). I decided to make lemonade out of the situation and use her as my first practice! I was not able to eat this one, since I had just run a dewormer treatment the day before (withdraw period is about 14 days for the dewormer I use)

The second lamb was much smaller, but still some great practice.

The third was a mutton that I was able to breakdown and use for a dinner party! It tasted really incredible!

Thanks for reading this update!

-the Shepherdess

The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
Proverbs 27:26

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October 2023 Farm Update

Hello Friends!
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I am excited to share an October farm update with you! This one is fun because I had the opportunity to travel to Virginia to meet some of you! Enjoy a look at October at Harmony Farms.

I traveled to Virginia for Homesteaders of America 2023! I was super-excited to find an orange TENT for the event ;). It was a great opportunity to promote my book!

If you missed the conference, all of my tees are available (with FREE SHIPPING) at Shepherdess.com!

The best part of the whole event was meeting so many of your face to face!!

October is such a month of refreshing on the farm! The lambs are all off to processing, the weather is cool, and the ewes are ready for breeding.

This year I shortened my fall breeding window. I talk about it in this video, but I noticed that ewes that lamb after April 1st struggle with parasites more than the ewes that lamb in March. This year I plan to have spring lambing finished by March 15th, then rejoin any open ewes for a fall lambing. I’ll be excited to share how it goes!

Thank you for reading and supporting the work I’m doing!

-the Shepherdess

Are you looking for sheep to purchase? Check out the Shepherdess Breeder Directory!

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September 2023 Farm Update

Hello Friends,

This farm update is a little different… most of it is coming from Australia! I am often asked if the regenerative principles I promote work in areas of compromised rainfall. To get the answer, I visited Australia to film a 3-part series on Raising Sheep on 100% Pasture (in arid climates).

I’m not going to lie: your generous support of my book launch was part of the reason I was able to take this trip… THANK YOU. It is my goal to use the profit in a way that would provide you with more education and resources.

​Australia is the 2nd largest sheep producing country in the world (2nd to China) and also the driest inhabited continent on the face of the earth. The video series is going to be full of management strategies from some of the best farms! (launching November)

We took advantage of a layover in Southern California to film Dylan at Boek House. Dylan raises hundreds of lambs on forage only. Dylan sells his lambs direct to consumer in the Ojai Valley. The thing that amazed me is that Dylan owns no land. He has built relationships with landowners in the valley to grow his lamb operation.

The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture is a book that will guide beginners through everything from raising lambs on pasture, to installing a rotational grazing system, and MORE!

Bellevue Grazing Company was at the top of my list to visit once I landed in Australia. Bellevue is an AWARD WINNING Dorper Stud (“Stud” is a term used to describe a registered breeding stock operation) in Queensland. They raise Dorpers on 100% pasture with no grain and little or no chemical inputs.

Bellevue hosted their annual on-farm Ram sale while I was there and it was incredible to be a part of the event!

Huge thanks to Sophie and Bellevue for hosting me and sharing about the operation!

Macyntire Brooke Lamb was another one of my stops in Australia. Sophie M. raises Australian White Sheep on 100% pasture. Sophie sells all of her lamb direct to consumer as “Fresh Boxed Lamb”. This model is incredibly resilient, allowing her to sell at a premium even as the Australian sheep market takes a hit this year.

And it wouldn’t be an update from Australia without Koalas and Kangaroos, so here you are :).

I love the little joey popping out of the pouch!!

As much as I enjoyed the travel, it was great to return to my farm in the USA. A special thanks to my family for watching the animals while I was gone!

Thank you all! I look forward to seeing you next month,

the Shepherdess

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Looking to buy sheep to start your own sheep farming journey? Check out the Shepherdess Breeder Directory!:

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August 2023 Farm Update

Hello Friends,

August ushered in a slower pace on pasture and allowed me to launch and ship the Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture. The heat was extreme and we had little or no rain, but (remembering last year’s drought) I reserved some pasture in prep for another dry spell. Here is a look at August!

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​I also want to issue a quick apology! Over the past couple of weeks those who ordered sheep supplies have experienced delays in shipping. I typically ship my sheep supplies within 1-2 business days, but with the Book Pre-order, a few of those orders were lost in the influx. My shipping helpers and I have caught up and plan to be back on track with supplies shipments this week.

The Sheep are doing amazingly well in the dry heat. The Dorper is built for drought conditions, so they are having no trouble sailing through the dry spell!

We have had little rain and triple digits for 6 weeks straight. The good rains this spring allowed me to put some pasture in reserve for the dry spell!

My book: The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture has launched and is shipping now!!! I am so grateful for your response to this book.

My incredible family jumped in to help fill your orders!

I really hope this book helps to soften your learning curve and hasten you to a pleasurable, profitable experience with sheep!

I have a NEW SHIRT AVAILABLE! Probably one of my favorites yet :).

I am so grateful for your continued support! I look forward to seeing you again next month :).

-the Shepherdess

“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

Are you looking for pasture raised sheep to buy? Check out my pasture based breeder directory!

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July 2023 Farm Update | Raising Sheep in Texas

Hello Friends,

I am excited for August… but I don’t want to bypass a July Farm Update! July started out pretty rough. I lost a few ewes and spent some time doctoring my late-born lambs. Despite a rough start, July ended beautifully. I hope you enjoy a look behind the scenes!

I am adding breeders to the Shepherdess Breeder Directory! If you are shopping for pasture raised sheep, that is the place for you!

I was able to stock up on square bales for the winter. I am grateful for the good rainfall which has made hay more easily accessible this year!

The amazing rainfall is nothing to complain about, but it did lead to an extended parasite season. I typically rely on the dry heat of July and August to end the season. Sadly, I lost a few sheep during the heavy July rains. As the month wore on, a few lambs (above) continued to struggle with anemia. I weaned them and put them on dry feed, but they continued to struggle….until…

Fellow shepherds referred me to a vitamin supplement (drench) called “Redglo”! This is a product for horses. You must assume all liability when you use for sheep. I drenched each lamb with 5 cc’s of Redglo per day for 5 days. Within 2 days I noticed a massive improvement. One little lamb had chronic bottle jaw (fluid buildup as a result of anemia). Within 24 hours of her first dose of Redglo the bottle jaw dissipated! Everyone is on the upswing and I am so happy!!

Pasture moves just before dusk! Such a beautiful time.

The final proof of the Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture… my book is heading to print!!

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR AUGUST 15th!!!!!!! My new book book, The Basics of Raising Sheep on Pasture is set release at 8am on August 15th! I will be giving away special gifts on launch day, so please watch your email for details as August 15th approaches :).

Tired but grateful as July comes to a close. Sometimes life calls for a double scoop of ice cream in the middle of the day… the sheep made me do it ;).

Thanks for your support! I appreciate all of you so much.

-the Shepherdess

Check out this featured farm from the Shepherdess Breeder Directory:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

Click here to read previous farm updates!

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June 2023 Farm Update | Raising Sheep in Texas

Hello Friends,

June was beautiful… mostly because I met a few of you face to face! Micro-flock pickups happened this month and it was great to see these sheep off to new homes :).

Shepherdess Breeder Directory: an opportunity for buyers and sellers to connect!

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I am launching the Pasture Based Breeder Directory at Shepherdess.com.

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If you have pasture raised sheep to sell, click here. I am waiving the sign-up fees during the month of July and August.

For those shopping for sheep, bookmark shepherdess.com/breeder​s. I will be listing new farms in the directory at the beginning of August.

It was so rewarding to meet with the new flock owners!

Waiting for some new flock owners to arrive!

Lisa and Dave were so great to visit with!!

At the home front we had a few new calves born! This picture tells you what happens when you leave the gate open :).

With all of the flock pickups wrapped up, it is back to grazing as usual!


If you are managing sheep on pasture, June and July are challenging months for parasites. I’ve had several emails asking what dewormers I use. I use Cydectin for Barber’s Pole Worm and Toltrazuril for Coccidia (Coccidia manifests in stunted growth rate, pot bellies and black diarrhea).

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Treatment I use for Barber’s Pole Worm

Treatment I use for Coccidia

While we have tested several natural deworming methods (garlic, DE, Shaklees Basic H) , I have not found any of them to be effective for parasites in my climate.

If a sheep is really overloaded, I will follow up the dewormer with 2 products that help to rebuild the red blood cell count.

This is an oral vitamin supplement that is fed through the mouth using a drenching gun!

​These products are available at Shepherdess.com and shipping is free over $75! Orders at Shepherdess.com really support my work on the farm, thank you so much for shopping there!

I hope this helps you!

-the Shepherdess

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

Click here to read previous farm updates

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Farm Update (December and January ’23)

Hello Friends,

It’s time for a farm update… and this one covers December and January! I had someone write, concerned that I did not send December Farm Update. I want to assure you that all is well. I was working non-stop in December to finalize the hardcore educational resources I have been working on all year! Enjoy a behind the scenes look at December and January on the farm (and yes, we had some tiny surprises!).

​We had about 5 surprise lambs! I keep my ram on property year round. Last July he broke out of confinement while I was out of town. Thankfully the weather in December and January was great. These little lambs were able to put some meat on their bones before rough February weather hit!

For those asking about the next availability of livestock: keep your eyes on April! My complete ’23 lamb-crop should be accounted for by then and I will open reservations at ShepherdessDorpers.com.

I have been feeding hay (for the most part) since November. The drought really eliminated most of my winter grazing. However, in December, good rains and warm weather caused the 3 acres of Rye Grass and Clover I planted to sprout! It wasn’t a huge crop, but certainly a nice boost!

A Spring ’22 ewe lamb growing out nicely!

I receive a lot of questions about the various supplies I use in my flock. I took some time to make a video on my “15 essentials”. I hope it helps you!

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Until next time,

-The Shepherdess

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28

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November Farm Update

Hello Friends,

November was beautiful. However, we had our first predator attack in 3 years. It was pretty bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Details on the attack below (as a warning, there is a censored image at the bottom of the email).

I have stocked ShopShepherdess.com with Farmer-Made and USA-made gifts for Christmas… Thank you for supporting the shop!

Sheep farming in the USA

We had enough grass to graze through November! The drought really cut back on my stockpile this year. I am currently feeding hay as the winter grasses get a head start.

The lease has been a huge asset this year! It is not fenced for sheep, but the cattle have been making use of it.

The predator attack was pretty nasty. They killed a ewe overnight and left nothing but skin and bones by the morning. This was the first attack in 3.5 years (the flock spends 24/7 on pasture). We have tight fencing and a mama cow that runs K9’s out of the paddock. However, I moved the cows to my grazing lease 10 days before this attack. I also found areas where the dogs had dug under the fence.

“What about a guardian dog?” I had a really bad experience with my first dog (he bit, chased, and acted in a predatory way toward new lambs). I am open to the idea of a mature/proven guardian dog, but will probably not start with a puppy again. Email me if you have leads.

Our gated shelter.

As a result of the attack, the flock will be spending nights in our gated shelter.

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Until next time… Thank you for your support!

-the Shepherdess

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
​And gently lead those who are with young.”

​Support the Shepherdess on BuyMe a Coffee!​

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October Recap at Harmony Farms

October at Harmony Farms

Hello friends,

October was golden and I am excited to share a recap with you! After working all summer, TWO HUGE projects came to fruition (more below). I want to thank you for your amazing response to both! It is a huge relief to have them completed and so well received.

(p.s. scroll to the bottom for a new shirt in honor of election month… it may or may not be what you expect. 😉)

The first project I completed was the LAMB FOR LIFE© vi​deo class​ and E-Book Bundle. LAMB FOR LIFE contains everything I wish we knew as beginner sheep farmers! This information took us from too much loss to sheep farming for profit! You can learn more about LAMB FOR LIFE© here.

The second project is the Shepherdess Supply co. As a beginner farmer, I was overwhelmed by the 39,723 choices out there. I wished someone with experience would just point me to the supplies that worked best. The Shepherdess Supply co is the shop I was looking for as a beginner!

Instead of 39,723 options, you will find 32 of the best options (at least “the best” I have found!). These are supplies that I keep on hand at Harmony Farms and I hope they will serve you well.

The new 15 acres is pretty worn out, but I am excited for the chance to work with it!

On the pasture front, I acquired grazing access to 15 acres of neighboring land. I tell the whole story in this video! There are some challenges ahead, but I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.

Unisex S-3XL IN STOCK now!

Okay, so (depending on who you are) it’s not really a political tee… but I like to campaign for real beef when I can😉. Now in stock at ShopShepherdess.com!

That’s all for now! Thank you as always for your support. It means more to me than I can put into this newsletter!

-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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June Farm Update

Dorper Sheep in Sunflower Patch
Hello Friends!
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June is here! Excitement mingled with challenge would sum up the month. My first Grassfed Beef came back from the processor, lambs are weaned and ready for pickup, drought persists, and some very sad news is at the end of this email.
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Please REGISTER TO JOIN ME for my monthly livestream, next Thursday (June 30th) at 8pm CST!
I am taking a break from the livestream in July, so this is our last opportunity to meet until August!

2022 lambs are weaned and ready for their new homes! I have weaned them onto an alfalfa hay and am so excited at how these guys are looking.

My sister (otherwise known as the Chicken Lady at Harmony Farms) had incredible results with her sunflower planting this year… and it’s not just for looks! Sunflower seeds are a high protein feed source for chickens. She will use the seeds from this small plot to plant a larger plot and ultimately supplement her daily feed ration.

My grassfed beef steers (from this video) came back from processing! It feels surreal to come full circle with these beeves. The meat is all spoken for and receiving rave reviews from the buyers.

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A lot of people ask me about how to use the internet to sell their products. I now have a collection of classes that will guide you step-by-step in how to market your products (any products!) on the internet!

And now for news I don’t want to share: Art (my livestock guardian dog in training) was killed last week. My dad told me he found him beside the highway that runs in front of our farm and brought me his collar. I haven’t really had words for it, but I wanted to tell you guys since you were following his progress.

Thank you so much for following along! Your support is such a gift to me on this journey.
the Shepherdess

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

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April Farm Update

Hello Friends,

I have a date for Lamb deposits! April 29th I will be sending a catalog with my 2022 Dorper lambs. You will be able to purchase via credit card and pickup is scheduled for mid-June. Enjoy the farm update below… this month has been BUSY so it’s a big one!

Be sure to join me LIVE on Thursday for my Small Farmer Meetup. I have updated the livestream time to 8pm (CST) throughout the summer!

It has been JAM PACKED here on the farm front with lambing, watering systems, fence installation and more…

I’m in love with all of the new characters on pasture! 👀This little lamb was born with the biggest eyes. I named him Barney Fife… I think the resemblance is pretty strong! 🤣

Lambing ushers in a season of flock maintenance. Keeping ewes and lambs healthy means extra handling. My Lakeland sheep chute and handling system is making an incredible difference this season. Work that took 3 guys and half a day last summer can be finished by ME in just an hour. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

This month I have been laying water lines and installing electric perimeter fence. For the past 2 years portable solar chargers have powered my rotational grazing system (1-2 joule shock output). These small solar chargers worked great great to get me off the ground, but it has always been my plan to install a more powerful (and permanent) system.

ValleyFarmSupply.com has a great selection of solar and AC fence chargers!

With the installation of this permanent hotwire, I am also installing this 12 joule Cyclops AC charger!! I’m excited to share more about both of these projects once I’m done!

I have been soaking up the book Quality Pasture, by Allan Nation. This book has given me so much direction with respect to how to perform pasture improvement. More details on the book can be found here!​

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-the Shepherdess
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“O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people…. let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭105:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

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March Farm Update

harmony farms dorper sheep in texas

Hello friends,

It’s March!! Lambing has kicked off and 40% of my ewes have given birth so far. I apologize: if you have emailed me this month, I have been living on pasture or at the lambing shed and have been slow to respond. That said, join me for Small Farmer Virtual Meetup on Thursday and we can talk there! It is a FREE 1 hour livestream where you can chat with me and 70+ farmers across the globe. REGISTER HERE.

​Lambs are dropping! If you saw this video last summer you will know I traveled cross country to bring some new and improved Dorper genetics to the farm. I am super impressed by the quality coming out of my new ram!!

Lamb crop is at about 75% rams and 25% ewes. If the trend continues, I will have plenty of ram lambs available for sale next month! I will send out an email with details on how to place your deposit for 2022 lambs once the final count is in.

Spring grazing is kicking in hard this week! Our growth has been slower than normal due to erratic freezes and a winter drought. But, praise the Lord, we have had about 5″ of precipitation since the beginning of February. It is enough to pull us out of the extreme drought zone and kick start the spring grazing season!

the art and science of grazing by sarah flack books on rotational grazing

Finally, I want to give a shoutout to one of my favorite grazing resources. It is the book Art and Science of Grazing by Sarah Flack. (Available at ShopShepherdess.com)!

The art and Science of Grazing Book Example Page

This book is worth it for the images alone! It shows you all you need to setup a grazing plan for sheep, cows, and goats.

Thank you all for supporting my work on the farm!

I appreciate you very much,

-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 Farm Update

Hello Friends,

A mini blizzard, an early lamb, my first E-Book (FREE for you HERE!), and the arrival of my Lakeland Sheep Handling system… it has been a busy month! I want to give a special thanks to everyone who has ordered from ShopShepherdess.com this month. Your orders have made some of this farm expansion possible!

Make sure to join me at theSmall Farmer Livestreamthis Thursday!!

It was nothing compared to 2021’s winter storm, but Texas experienced a mini-blizzard this month. It came and melted within just a few days. The flock spent two nights in the shelter and were back out to pasture!

​We had an early arrival on farm!! A beautiful 11lb ram lamb! The rest of the lambs arrive in March/April, Lordwilling.

Last summer I realized that the absence of a good handling system would really affect my long term goals. My Dorper ewes max out at 150-160lb and the rams are close to 200lb. The size of my sheep and the growth of my flock prevented me from running health maintenance without 2-4 volunteers to help me. Last summer 1/2 of those volunteers told me they were graduating high school and moving on with life. AKA: they didn’t want to wrestle with sheep anymore… haha! It sounds humorous, but there were probably more internal tears than laughter at that announcement.

I had two choices: downsize my flock to a number that I could manage without volunteer help (probably 15 ewes), or find a handling system that would allow me to work 100 sheep by myself. Long story short, the Lord met my needs and last week my sheep handling system arrived from Lakeland Farm and Ranch Direct!!! If you bought books, wallets, shirts, or stickers from ShopShepherdess.com, you played a part in making this handling system happen for me!! THANK YOU!!
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-the Shepherdess 🐑

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:9

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January Farm Update

Hello Friends,

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The year is new, the pasture is quiet, but plans for the coming season are mounting! I think it’s funny how you come out of summer dead-tired, but by January you cannot wait to start all over again :). I hope you enjoy the update and make sure to register and join me on January 27th for a LIVESTREAM FARMER MEETUP!

Dorper Sheep Farming in Texas

We are still enjoying some good grazing! Here in upper East Texas, temps stay pretty mild throughout the winter. Certain grasses will persist through our cold season. Thanks to my sister’s diligent efforts with her portable chicken coops the pasture has been a little greener this winter! (link to a video on chicken-for-fertilizer)

Succulent greens on pasture, including some clover!
American Made Leather Wallet

A slower pace on pasture has allowed me to dust off my leather working tools and create a small collection of leather wallets for sale. I have a few more left here and all proceeds are toward my work here on the farm! CLICK HERE for a video on how these wallets were made.

Shepherdess Leatherwork

Thank you all for your support!

Until next time,

-the Shepherdess

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

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December Farm Update

Hello Friends,

Last year was my first winter on pasture. I had just started grazing my flock in August and winter was an unwelcome arrival. I didn’t want the growing season to end… I wanted to keep moving forward at full throttle.

This year is an entirely different story. After an intense spring and summer, I am welcoming the slowness of the winter season with open arms. The Lord knew what he was doing with the seasons. A season of rest after a season of growth is such a beautiful thing! I hope you enjoy this farm update, and MERRY CHRISTMAS if I don’t talk to you before then :).

The Good:

We are grazing winter stockpile right now. Despite the fact that my warm season grasses got the upper hand this summer, there is a ton of green undergrowth. If my paddock-planning plays out well, I should be able to graze stockpile through January 10th. Come January 10th, we will be feeding hay until the growing season kicks off in mid March.

The Challenging:

You may have seen the video on youtube, but I had a couple of losses during a weekend of freezing rain that swept through. I lost two ewe lambs over that weekend. While this is disappointing, there was more to it than the freezing rain. These two lambs had moms that did not produce good first-milk (colostrum). I had been doctoring them all Summer in hopes they would pull through. Unfortunately, the moment the weather turned south, they were gone. Despite all this, my losses have been really low in 2021, so I am extremely grateful.

Thanks for reading this farm update! I really appreciate you being a part of what I am doing at Harmony Farms.

-the Shepherdess // “Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves…” Psalm 100:3

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September Farm Update

the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

Hello friends!

What an exciting thing to be nearing the end of summer! Autumn ushers in a slower pace as we round off a busy spring and summer here at Harmony Farms. I’d really love to see you at my Small Farmer LIVESTREAM this month. It is a free event and I hope you will join me and farmers across the world as we talk about what’s happening on our farms!

Dorper Sheep Breeding in Texas

The Good:

I was so thrilled with the results of the first Shepherdess Livestock Sale. It was such a pleasure to meet with buyers and send these lambs to their new homes. I am so grateful to each buyer who invested in my operation by purchasing my stock. Many are asking when my next Dorper lambs will be available for sale. March/April 2022 is the tentative date for pre-orders on my next lamb crop.

Dorper Sheep in Texas

I slowed the rotation from once a day moves to once a week moves. The intense heat brings significant relief from one of my primary enemies in pasture: the barber pole worm. Hot and dry weather decreases the parasite load on pasture and allows me to slow my rotation without compromising animal health.

Dorper Sheep in Texas
Winnie is our (pet) mini-horse. His face tells you how much he enjoys grazing with the sheep ;).

The Challenging:

Heat kicked in hard this August (heat index of 104+ for several weeks). I had to be extra vigilant to stay on top of hydration and electrolytes for the flock. A really helpful tool for that was Apple Cider Vinegar. I added about 1/2 cup per 40 gallons of water during a severe heat wave. The addition of ACV really increased the flock’s water consumption, which helped relieve much of the stress that the heat induced.

Thanks for reading this farm update! I really appreciate you being a part of what I am doing at Harmony Farms.

-the Shepherdess

“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

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July Farm Update

The Shepherdess Dorper Sheep in Texas

Hello Farmers!!

It has been a BIG month here at Harmony Farms. We weaned 2021’s Dorper Sheep lamb crop in preparation for the August 11th Shepherdess Dorper Lamb sale and completed a flock expansion project! The video above gives you all the details. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Scroll to the bottom for the LIVE ONLINE EVENTS I am hosting this month!

The Good:

I have just completed a 3000 mile trek to bring some of the best Dorper Sheep Genetics back to Harmony Farms. I am now running two lines of genetics here on the farm: a registered flock and a commercial flock. I am so grateful to the Lord for open doors.

Dorper Sheep for Sale in Texas

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This month we weaned 2021’s Dorper lamb crop! I am so excited about how these little not-so-little lambs are looking. What you see is 100% grass and mom’s milk only. We did not grain supplement any of our Spring 2021 lambs!

Harmony Farms Dorper Sheep For Sale in Texas

The Challenging:

The workload is heavy right now. Acclimating the new livestock, giving the entire flock their annual pedicure (aka, trimming 140 hooves), and maintaining the daily rotational grazing program… it’s been non-stop! I’m enjoying the gift of strong, black coffee and the help of an incredible support group.

Online Events:

​Small Farmer Virtual Meetup with INTEGRAZERS​

​Farm on the Web Workshop: Using Instagram for your Farm Business​

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Thank you for reading and supporting my work here!

-the Shepherdess“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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June Farm Update

Hello Farm Friends!!

June means BUSY here at the farm. I hope you enjoy this update from the month and please scroll to the bottom for a complete list of the online events I am hosting!

The Good:

WE HAVE A DATE!! The first Harmony Farms livestock sale is set for August 11th, 2021!! We have about 12-15 head of FULLBLOOD DORPER SHEEP up for sale. Rams, wethers, and a few ewes. A catalog will be posted at HarmonyFarmsDorpers.com around the end of July. Below is a sneak peek at one of the ram lambs up for grabs… So excited to share more as I can!!

The Challenging:

We had 17 inches of rain in just 4 weeks. I know there are so many in droughts right now, so I hesitate to list this as a “challenge”, but so much water in such a short period of time can pose challenges when you are farming sheep (hooves and internal parasites, primarily). If you are waiting for rain, my prayers are with you… and I wish I could ship about 40% of mine your way. Overall, though, I am thankful because the once-a-day move to fresh pasture (plus a whole lot of God’s grace) is keeping the flock really healthy during this season.

Online Events:

Small Farmer Virtual Meetup with RORY GROVES, author of Durable Trades

Farm on the Web Workshop: Using Social Media for your Small Farm

Thank you for reading!

-the Shepherdess“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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May Farm Update

Hello Friends!

It’s time for a monthly Harmony Farms update! I have a lot of questions about breeding/live stock availability. I will have 10-12 head available for sale this August, Lord-willing. I have about 4 rams, 6 wethers, and possibly 2 ewes. I will be sending out more info as we approach the date, so please stay tuned!

Scroll to the bottom for a full list of the ONLINE EVENTS I am hosting this month! (Including a LIVE ONLINE EVENT WITH JOEL SALATIN!!!)

The good:

The grass is back! I am back to moving the flock once a day. I put a pause on this intensive grazing during lambing. Juggling both was edging me toward burnout. Now that lambing is over, I am moving daily. It feels so good to see the flock on a perpetual diet of fresh greens!

The challenging:

I put the HERD in Shepherdess this month. I waited too long to upgrade my charger system and the girls began to jump the line. I finally took a day off to update my fence charger, increasing the power on the line from .22 joules to 2 joules. I also improved my grounding system and all is well (and contained) on pasture! Sheep are smart, keep the lines hot.

Online events:

May 20th at 7 PM CST: Joel Salatin LIVE Q+A​

May 27th, 7 PM CST: Small Farmer Virtual Meetup​

May 28th 7pm CST: Farm on the Web Workshop (FARM-MERCH EDITION)​

Thank you for reading my May farm update! Be sure to checkout my most recent videos.

-the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

“Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves…” Psalm 100:3

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APRIL HARMONY FARMS UPDATE

Hello everyone,

I first want to say thank you. Each one of you has been such a support to me as I build my farm! Here is a recap for April 2021. If you scroll to the bottom you’ll see the online events I’m hosting this month!

The Good:

We are capping off a great lambing season! We had a lamb-crop of about 1.35 this year. I am extremely grateful for the quality that I am seeing in these little Dorper lambs. We had more rams than ewes this year. This means I am going to be marketing some pasture raised meat as well as a few breeder rams for other small farmers.

The Challenging:

Lambing was a lot more hands on than normal this year. I had to assist about 1/2 of my first time ewes. After consulting with some of my “sheep mentors” I came to the conclusion that I may have been too liberal with my winter protein supplement. In utero, lambs put on the majority of their weight in the last 4-6 week gestation. By overfeeding in that time period I created fat moms and fat babies… which can mean difficult labor. I am grateful to have the situation to learn from and look forward to adjusting my strategies in the future.

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APRIL EVENTS:

​Small Farmer Virtual Meetup with Karl Ebel​

​WORKSHOP: How to Build a Website for your Farm​

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Thank you for reading my April farm update! Be sure to checkout my most recent videos.

-the Shepherdess

“Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”

Psalm 100:3

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