The Shepherdess

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

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Cost of Building a 10 Acre Sheep Farm From Scratch.

PDF RESOURCE LIST

Today I am going to walk you through what I would use to make 10 acres of raw land suitable for raising and grazing sheep. I am going to outline what you need to install and give you a ballpark figure of how much this infrastructure will costs. I will explain the various options for water and electricity, even outlining some options for land that has neither water nor electrical access yet.

Fencing:

Fenceline Clearing: $500-3000

In my area of Northeast Texas, a forestry clearing machinery kit can be rented for $3,000 per week. For light brush, a brush hog costs about $500 per week to rent.

Perimeter Fencing Material: $3824

I would install the same fence that is on my farm right now. This fence is a woven wire field fence and costs $478 per 330 linear foot. The cost covers a 6×6″ woven wire field fencing that comes on 330ft rolls. You will need to factor in the cost of corner braces if you do not have the lumber from clearing the fenceline to do so.

Corner Braces: 5 each 8’x6″ treated post ($30 each). $150 per corner post x 4 $600.

Gate: $313

2 Gate hinge kits at $18 each

1 Utility Tube Gate for $217. Two 8’x6″ treated post for either side of the gate = $60

Fencing Total: $4,637-7137

Water:

If you already have a spigot access point, you can simply take water to your paddocks using a 500′ length of UV resistant Poly-tubing. That’s what I do. The 500′ length of pipe cost me $200 and I have water in all of my paddocks.

#1 Pond: In my region, it costs $1200-3600 to dig a small pond. That said, I would not dig a pond, but haul water instead. Sheep drink very little water. On the hottest days I observe they only drink 1 gallon per head per day.

65 Gallon Tank: $280

Sheep drink about 1 gallon of water per day, so if you are considering a flock of 20 sheep on 10 acres, a 65 gallon water tank will service your flock for 3 days.

Water total: $200-$3000

Housing/shelter:

There are a lot of options when it comes to sheep shelter! Feel free to leave yours down below.

I am currently working with a company to purchase a 10×20′ structure that will be a miniature replica of the 2-sided structure that I currently have.

With the modifications this structure will cost around $2,200.

A 2-sided shelter is all I have ever needed here in Texas. The closed side is facing the north, which is where the cold wind blows in from. As long as there is plenty of dry bedding, the sheep are just fine in this shed!

Shelter Cost: $2,200

Rotational Grazing Infrastructure:

Charger System:

Assuming no electrical access, I would utilize a 5 joule solar system for 10 acres. $800

Total: $800

Rotational Grazing Supplies:

Here are the supplies I would keep on hand for rotational grazing:

6 reels. $90

6 rolls of polytape. $240

40 Step in Posts. $87.60

2 sets of tri-jumper cables. $20

2 Reel stands with brackets: $250

Total: $687

Buffering for Incidentals:

I would put a $1,500 buffer into my budget for this project for incidentals. This will cover the cost of the unexpected. If you don’t spend it, you can put it toward the cost of breeding stock… but it is that it is better to come up with extra than to fall short.

How many sheep on 10 acres?

In a good rainfall area (40″+) with land that has 70% grass cover or more, 2-3 sheep per acre is possible.

That said, I would start with 1 sheep per acre. Buy 8-10 of the highest quality ewes you can find and pair them to the best ram you can afford. Starting small is my anthem. It will keep you from burnout: both financial and emotional.

What’s more is that sheep reproduce really fast. Within 8 months your flock size will double. You can save back your best ewes every year to increase your flock size from 10 to 20, and so on.

Please share this article with a friend if it helped!

-the Shepherdess

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish…” Luke 14:28

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BASIC SHEEP SUPPLIES I USE | Deworming, Tail Docking, Shots, and more!

PDF List of Supplies I Use

DIY Sheep Chute

Lakeland Handling Systems

I am going to show you what kind of products I use in my Dorper Sheep flock with detailed info why I use them.

I am going to address how the new regulations on livestock antibiotics affect my sheep farm.

I am going to talk about how I keep records on my sheep flock.

I am going to talk about handling systems for sheep.

Where to find the products I am using:

With exception of the prescription only products, all of the products I use to work my flock are part of the Shepherdess Complete Starter Kit at Shepherdess.com.

What you will also find at Shepherdess.com is a HUGE amount of free training for beginner sheep farmers, in fact I would highly recommend you start with my free 1 hour class on the basics of raising, grazing, and marketing sheep.

Every 30-45 days I will give the flock what I call a “quick look”. I’ll check eyelids for anemia and, if someone is limping, I’ll figure out why. This typically takes an hour or less and I will just pile them all into the nearest small or use some of the portable Lakeland panels to create small enclosure wherever the flock is grazing.

Today, however, was one of my biggest working days of the year, which only happens 2-3 times per year. I performed about 7 different tasks… and those tasks are as follows.

Tasks I Performed Today!

  • CDT: Vaccine (vet only). CDT is a vaccine for sheep and goats that you can purchase through your vet. It guards against tetanus and overeating disease (bloat). I avoid giving the shots to the meat wethers that I raise, but prioritize them for my breeding animals. The two issues they guard against are ones you will likely encounter if you are grazing. Clover dense pasture can cause bloat and tetanus is a risk where rusty fencing, or horse manure is present. (yes, horse manure carries tetanus)
  • Cydectin: Dewormer for Barber’s Pole Worm. I treat the Barber’s Pole Worm with Cydectin.
  • Toltrazuril: Dewormer for Coccidia. I use Toltazuril as Coccidia prevention and treatment. Coccidia is another parasite that eats holes in the gut of your lambs and can stunt growth. For the most part rotational grazing and culling has taken care of this problem in my flock, but I don’t mind running the occasional treatment, especially if it has been a really wet month. Symptoms include a pot belly, slowed growth rate, and/or persistent diarrhea. This treatment works really quickly. Lambs under 8 months are most vulnerable. This coccidia treatment is available in the Shepherdess Essentials Bundle!
  • Vitamin B and Anem-x 100 Iron Supplement: Immune Boosters for Stress. These two supplements are something I’ll give to mature ewes that seem stressed. As an example of why I used it here: 3 of my ewe were stressed and/or in poor body condition from lambing In December and raising lambs in sub-optimal conditions. These two supplements and the needles you need to administer are available in the Shepherdess Essentials Bundle!
  • Ear-tagging: New lambs and moms that have lost there eartags throughout the year will receive a fresh orange tag. You need 3 things to eartag: A non-fading eartag marker, an eartag applicator, and of course the tags. You want to make sure the tags are small for sheep. These eartags are not in the Essentials bundle, but are available separately at shepherdess.com For the new lambs I will put the name of their sire (dad) on the back as well as their dams (moms) number. The fact that I can look at a lamb and know which mom it belongs to betrays the fact that I spend way too much time with my sheep. Another way to keep record on moms and babies is simply to eartag on pasture shortly after the lamb is born.
  • Roll Call: With the help of my mini-shepherdess I ran a roll call on the entire flock. My flock is not huge, but it is growing and with them spending a majority of time on pasture, I wanted to make sure no-one had escaped the farm, or was abducted. Thankfully everyone was present, accounted for and looking great!
  • Weighing: I weighed a cross-section of the flock to get an idea of where everyone was at, and to keep tabs on some of the ewes that had lost condition due to lambing in December. The scale I am using is also from Lakeland.
  • Tail Docking and Castration: The same tool is used for both tail docking and castration. You have the castration pliers and a small rubber band. You just have to stick different parts through this rubber band and leave it there.

How do the new regulations on Livestock Antibiotics affect my farm?

They don’t. I use antibiotic maybe 3-4 times per year. I have a relationship with my vet, so will buy a bottle when I buy my CDT. It stores it in the fridge and keeps for the whole year. I’m sad that there are more regulations in place, but this one is not affecting me too severely.

Handling System:

Deluxe Handling Package for Sheep and Goats by Lakeland

What I actually use to do the bulk of my sheep work is a Lakeland Farm and Ranch handling system, which I love. It takes the muscle out of working sheep and is allowing me to grow my flock as a single female owner/operator who is 5’3′ with sheep that outweigh her. When I did not have this sheep handing system, I needed 2 big guys to help me on days like today. With this system, I can work the flock by myself with the help of two little girls who I can pay in cheeseburgers and cherry limeades rather than $20 per hour.

When our flock was smaller, we would just use a small pen and a homemade chute, which I will link below to that DIY chute. Just make sure it is a small pen and the sheep are tightly packed together. Do not leave any room for them to run from you… or it will be a very long day.

Simple Record Keeping for the Flock:

I use a simple Google Sheets to keep tabs on the flock. I create a column for each year and file the ewes according to the year they were born. Our flock goes back to 2017, so I have 7 columns.

On that Google Sheets I will create new tab down below for huge working days like today. I have a 10 year old secretary on site to write down notes for each ewe with respect to what kind of treatment she received, how much she weighed, etc. Once we are done, I will take that piece of paper and add notes to my Google sheets for each animal. I do know there are services that help with flock record keeping, I just have not taken the time to jump into any of them yet… maybe someday!

We are almost finished with lambing, and I actually timed my lambing to be earlier this year. I did this for several reasons, but one of them was so that I could do this kind of flock maintenance in cooler weather. It is really uncomfortable to work sheep when the Texas temperatures kick up in may.

I hope this walk through a day of working sheep helped you!

-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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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!

​

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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2022 RECAP | SHEEP FARMING IN THE USA

1 HOUR SHEEP FARMING WEBINAR: https://bit.ly/Sheepx3Webinar

2021 LAMBING VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qhe6…

By popular request, I am giving a full recap of Lambing in 2022. Most of my lambs were born in March and April, but I had a few surprises born here in November and December.

I am going to talk about how I prepare for lambing, the complications that popped up this season and how I addressed them, and then at the very end I am going to give you a complete look at my cast of characters for 2022 (this may or may not include a lamb with a strong resemblance to Barney Fife).

The Supplies I use for my flock at Lambing. (Click on the photo for purchase)

I am hosting a free webinar in January on the basics of raising, grazing, and marketing sheep. Spots are limited so reserve yours using the link below. If you are watching this after the live workshop, you will be able to watch the replay through that same link :).

I did a lot of prep in the two weeks leading up to my official lambing season. First was to make sure I had all of my supplies on hand. I am going to share with you the various supplies that I used throughout lambing. Some of these products are not easy to find on local level. In light of this problem, I spent some time getting distribution rights for these supplies and have bundled them all into what I am calling The Shepherdess Essentials Bundle which is available at Shepherdess.com. Having these supplies on hand is going to save a lot of money in vet bills and maybe even a few lives so no matter what phase of the game you are in, make sure to order this bundle of products on hand.

Second was to prep the lambing shed with fresh bedding, and run a pre-lambing inspection on all my ewes. Here I am primarily checking for parasites and deworming any ewe with a notable parasite load. A ewe’s immune system dips at lambing and during lactation so parasite loads left unchecked can become a major issues.

Issue #1 that cropped up this year was a need for assisted delivery. I assisted about 8 ewes and 6 of 8 were a result of malpresentation. A lamb presenting correctly will have two hooves pointing forward and the nose resting right on top. The problem that kept recurring was that my lambs were coming out with only one foreleg forward. This added a lot of bulk to the shoulders.

Now this is a pretty common malpresentation. Sometimes a ewe can birth a lamb that presents this way just fine, however there were two factors that did not make that the case for these 6 ewes. First, many of the ewes were first time moms and the lambs were very large singles, not the moderately sized twins that you want. For this reasons the ewe would pass the head and the foreleg but those big shoulders would get caught. Despite pushing for an hour or more, the lamb would not pass.

In assisting these ewes, I would give them some time to attempt to deliver the lamb on their own. Once it had been about 45 minutes with no progression I’d go in to assist. When I could, I would push the head back in to the birth canal and draw both of the legs forward. Most times however, the lamb was too far delivered to push it back. In such cases, I would take the leg that was coming forward and pull it out as far as I could (this frees up some space for those broad shoulders), then I would pull the lamb by the neck and leg in a sort of c-curve toward the udder.

If the ewe was still contracting, I’d pull with contractions, otherwise I just went for it.

For 2 of these malpresentated deliveries, the ewe went into labor overnight. When I did my check in the early morning I found the first ewe in some significant distress. I was able to deliver her lamb, but the ewe was really non-responsive as a result of exhaustion. I gave her a shot of Vitamin B, which is a great means of replenishing energy after a stressful situation. (Vitamin B and the needles and syringes to administer it is going to be in the Shepherdess Essentials Bundle I have linked below) She came to and followed the flock out to pasture, before realizing her maternal duty.

The second ewe had also been laboring overnight. The lamb was badly hung and had been for several hours. “Hung” means that the head had been hanging outside of the birth canal for a pretty long time. This typically results in the lamb being strangled. I caught the ewe and helped her pass this limp lamb with an extremely swollen head. I was so disappointed because to this point I had not lost any lambs. I pulled the lamb assuming it was dead. I put it up by the moms head so that she could at least see it and I just turned and said ” Thank you, Lord I am so sad this one died, but—” Then, all of the sudden the lamb let out a huge sneeze.

It turns out I issued a premature death sentence… and I have never heard a more beautiful sound than that sneeze.

She had a huge welcoming committee.

Again, I followed this birth up with a Vitamin B shot for the ewe as she was also pretty well paralyzed with exhaustion. Within just a few minutes she was up on her feet and nursing her lamb. It took a full 24 hours for the swelling in the lamb’s head to go down, but thankfully it didn’t keep her from nursing.

Beginner sheep farming course

When it came to the mastitis I had 2 cases of mastitis I treated differently. Mastitis is an infection of the mammary glands that can inhibit the function of the udder and compromise the new lamb. The first case of mastitis I caught before the ewe gave birth. The udder was feverish and lumpy, it had a reddish-purple tint, and was almost sweaty to the touch. I made the decision to give the ewe a 3 day antibiotic regimen before delivery.

I want to make a note here about my opinion on the use of antibiotics, shots, modern medicine on the farm. When I start to talk about shots I sometimes get comments from very well-intended individuals who will say things like “healthy flocks don’t need shots” or “don’t baby your sheep”.

I welcome any opinions, but I’ll also feel free to be bold with mine: I hold to the principle that the judicious application of modern medicine within flocks is good animal husbandry.

This antibiotic regimen was finished about 9 days before the ewe gave birth. Once she raised and weaned the most beautiful set of twins. This ewe did die shortly after weaning. She was old and the mastitis was likely just a symptom of aging out. But she raised an amazing set of lambs before she left the farm.

The second case of mastitis was much more severe. I did not catch this case until the lambs were born. Her udder was rock hard on one side. For this ewe, I did an inter-mammary infusion. (which again, will be in the Shepherdess Essentials Bundle available a Shepherdess.com)

This process was really unpleasant, because I had to flip the ewe on her back and put this tool up her—- and squeeze the solution directly into her udder and then massage her udder for 60 seconds. She hated it, I hated it, we all hated it. But this allowed her to regain enough function to feed her offspring. Now this ewe was culled, but I did provide her with what she needed to get past this issue.

I also want to talk about my portable lambing jug. This little unit was a life saver! During lambing I continued my rotational grazing program. At certain points the rotation put me out of range of my main shed. The portable jug gave me a confined area to treat any issues that popped up. If I needed to treat a mom (such as in the case of mastitis) I would simply put her lambs in there and she’d follow me in for treatment. It was a little bit heavy, but I could pull it a short distance with my body weight, or an atv if the distance was longer.

Excellent maternal instinct is a Dorper breed characteristic, and the ewes in my flock are really living up to that. Once a lamb is born healthy, the ewes will do the rest.

One thing I did make sure to do this year was have supplemental colostrum ready as well as a lamb feeding tube with me at all times. (you guessed it, the feeding tube and colostrum replacer is in the Shepherdess Essentials Bundle!)

Colostrum or not really is life or death for a young lamb. If I have a ewe that is producing a surplus of colostrum, I will milk her and freeze that colostrum for a future need. Otherwise I use a good quality powdered colostrum replacer.

While a feeding tube can be intimidating, it is my go-to over a bottle. I can fill the lambs belly in 3 or 4 minutes. Once I am done the lamb hops straight back to it’s mom and resumes nursing with no problems. If you are supplementing because a ewe does not have enough milk, something to keep in mind is that the more the lamb suckles, the more milk the ewe will produce. We have found that bottle feeding can cause what is known as nipple confusion. The bottle’s will alter the sucking reflex of the lamb in such a way that it will have difficulty latching back on to the mom. The feeding tube allows the ewe and the lamb to maintain that nursing bond. I will use a bottle once I have deemed that the lamb is going to be a bottle baby for life.

The final issue I had was with a lamb that was born wobbly, weak, knock kneed, and had a curved spine. These symptons are commonly linked to selenium deficiency. I went ahead and administered .25ml of BOSE under the skin. BOSE is a selenium-vitamin E shot. The following week, I gave the lamb one more .25ml shot. BOSE is available by prescription only through your vet, so I have not included it in my Essentials Bundle, but have referenced it on the pamphlet inside of the bundle. This will give you the exact product to request from your vet.

Now for the cast of characters. As much as I try to play professional shepherdess, I always end up naming a few lambs. This year was a B theme. We ended up with… get ready for it: Bruce, the giant ram lamb. Betsy, with the black spot. Bandit with the masked markings, and Barney Fife. I’ll let you decide if there is any resemblance ;).

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Merry Christmas

Sheep farming in the USA

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’” John 1:29

It’s hard for me to imagine loving anything more than one of these lambs (at least in the non-human realm😄).

I’d do almost anything to see them thrive, and when their life is cut short it is so painful.

It amazes me to consider the love of God the Father as He gave His precious Lamb to pay for the sins that would otherwise drag me to Hell.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1John 4:10

Merry Christmas, Friends and thank you for a another year of support. 🐑 .

-the Shepherdess

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the Lord directs his steps… | About the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

Below is an article I wrote for the Grovestead Newsletter. Go to the Grovestead.com to subscribe to the printed publication!

“A man may choose his path, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

My current course is one I bucked, ignored, and resisted for years.  I forged a path I thought would take me in the opposite direction but, like a boomerang, I flew right back into the middle of the work I was avoiding.  But with a plot twist: the work I tried so hard to ignore has become (what I consider) the most important work of my life.  

I am a shepherdess, a farmer, and an advocate for entrepreneurship in small-scale farming.

My background is in business management and digital marketing.  In fact, those are still my main sources of income and that which funds my farming effort.

In early 2020 I found myself with the rest of the world: at home.  Home for me was 23 acres, in the country, with a flock of sheep.  That flock of sheep was one I wanted so badly to get rid of.  Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately!), this flock did not belong to me at the time.  The sheep belonged to my parents.  

the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

My dad has always been one to resist the norm.  Most of our neighbors raise beef cattle, so when we moved to the country he decided we would raise sheep.  We were beginners in farming so we assumed that the size of an animal was synonymous with it’s difficulty level.  “Sheep are way smaller than cows, so they must be way easier to raise!”  I can hear sheep people laughing right now.

Unfortunately, from the moment the sheep arrived they did everything in their power to die, or escape our barbed wire fence (our neighbors were entertained by the rodeo!).  Due to subtropical conditions in East Texas, internal parasites are the bane of ranching operations for miles around.  Being that sheep are doubly susceptible to parasites, the health of the flock was a perpetual tug-of-war.  By spring of 2020 we did not expect the flock to make it through the summer.  I watched the struggle from my home office, thinking “What a waste.  Hopefully they all die this year!”.  

I know that level of honesty puts me in a bad light, but I hope it showcases the Lord’s mercy and power to change a hard heart.

In addition to quarantine, 2020 brought to light “flaws” (mildly put) in the US food system.  We saw millions of pounds worth of pork and chicken euthanized and sent to waste.  Headlines covering this dismal waste were paralleled by photos of empty shelves and further headlines citing nationwide “food shortages”.  As I looked at these reports side-by-side I realized the problem was not a “food shortage”, but a complete systemic failure.

Neither Covid nor the government were to blame for this failure.  We the people of the United States of America have relinquished and neglected one of our most fundamental responsibilities: growing food for ourselves.  In fact the United States, which boasts a population of 355 million, relies on a farming population of 1.3%.  This is down from a 50% farming population in 1900. 

As I watched the supply chain crisis unfold, I realized I was accountable.  I had resources in front of me to do something.  I knew I couldn’t fix the problem for the whole world, but I could probably fix it for my family, and maybe a few neighbors.  

And thus it began.  

My initial plan was to raise beef.  My family has eaten grass fed beef for 12 years.  When I looked at 23 acres of grass my thought process naturally defaulted to beef as the means of converting it into a food source.  Raising beef would also allow me to continue ignoring the sheep.

These 3 books got me started as a beginner in rotational grazing!

I didn’t know anything about farming, so I went shopping for a book about cows.  I found the perfect book: Salad Bar Beef, by Joel Salatin.  I deemed the book “perfect” because the front cover had cows and dollar signs on it (my two primary points of interest at the time).  

Within 5 chapters my mind was blown by the concept of Intensive Rotational Grazing.  I read how moving animals on a daily basis had the capacity to increase forage production by 300%, rapidly revitalize soil health, and disrupt the life cycle of internal parasites.  Then I put down the book and looked out my window at a flock of sheep that was dying of internal parasites.

At that moment I realized I had been given the information I needed to save those dying sheep.  

I finished reading Salad Bar Beef on July 20th.  By August 15th I had installed electric perimeter fencing, mapped out a plan to section our 23 acres into 100 temporary paddocks, and taught the sheep what it felt like to disrespect hotwire.

I became their shepherdess and moved them to fresh pasture every two days.  

The flock at Harmony Farms just 8 months after the start of grazing management.

The results still give me goosebumps.  Hollow frames became plump, rough coats began to shine, and heads that hung low under unseen internal burdens were lifted up.  A flock we thought would die out over summer entered a season of new life as we approached Autumn.

But the biggest change took place inside of me.  I fell in love with these animals, the land, and the way that both improved under my management.  After a few months of shepherding, I went to my parents with my entire savings and bought the flock.  The flock I had avoided for 2 years.

My dad is a generational woodworker.  In his younger years he refinished and rebuilt ornate pieces of furniture for a living.  On occasion he would give me one of his pieces as a gift.  To be responsible for something that my dad created was an incredible feeling.  In my work on pasture I am responsible for land and animals that God, my Heavenly Father, has created.  It produces that same feeling… but on a scale that far surpasses any material experience.

I feel like David could have easily written Psalm 8 on pasture.  I am going to include a portion of that Psalm as the final word in this article. 

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.   Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.  O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”  Psalm 8:4-9

-the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

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January Farm Update

Hello Friends,

​
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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Happy New Year…

Thanks to a very special flu, I have barely had the energy to post a recent photo, let alone a month-by-month recap of 2021… so I won’t be doing that this year.

But I want to say this: “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” 1Thess. 5:24

Depending on how the year went for you, reminiscing could bring waves of grief or feelings of accomplishment.

2021 contains both for me. God has been so good to me and my work at Harmony Farms. At the same time, 2021 bears with it the pain of losing one’s I loved and the sting of unmet expectations.

But He that calls me is faithful. That is my anchor as I reminisce on 2021 and look forward to 2022.

He also will do it: that insurmountable object before you is nothing for Him.

This amazing fog has covered the farm for the past couple mornings and evenings. It’s so thick, I can’t see anything on the other side of it. But as I begin to walk through the fog the path clears just enough for me to take the next step.

Maybe there’s something in that for us.

Happy New Year and thank you all!
-the Shepherdess

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My Documentary for the National Grazing Lands Conference

National Grazing Lands Coalition invited me to speak at their National Conference this year. While I am unable to attend the national conference in-person, National Grazing Lands allowed me to submit this video documentary on my small scale cattle ranching (to be aired at the conference)! This is a pretty complete summary of the past 18 months of my life as a beginner farmer. It outlines my micro ranching for profit startup, my transition from beef to Dorper sheep as the main focus in my farm business, and the ways I am marketing my farm products (Dorper sheep).

Video Timestamps:

2:54 Micro Ranching for Profit

14:20 Why did I switch from beef to Dorper sheep?

16:24 American Agriculture in Crisis.

20:04 How I am selling my farm products.

27:39 This is harder than I though it would be.

Thank you so much to all who have been with me on this journey from the very beginning. I am so grateful for your support of my Dorper sheep farm.

-the Shepherdess

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Shepherdess Dorper Ram Lamb Preview

Tue, Aug 10 at 7:45 AM

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https://harmonyfarmsdorpers.com/2021-dorper-lambs-for-sale/ ​

The Shepherdess Dorpers Ram and Whether sale goes live TOMORROW at 8AM CST!! All purchases will take place at ShepherdessDorpers.com and pickup will be arranged after the sale.

I was asked to describe the traits that put these rams at the top of my flock, so here they are!

Each Ram lamb has a tag # and you will have the opportunity to buy the specific rams described below! First come, first served. No reserves.

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2111: From the moment of birth this ram lamb has displayed an ideal build and stellar rate of growth. He was the largest lamb at weaning and has the nickname “mammoth” on pasture. His mom is probably the strongest ewe in my flock, maintaining excellent condition clear up to weaning.

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2110: This ram lamb falls in close behind mammoth: he has displayed excellent rate of growth from the beginning. This ram is almost an exact replica of my commercial flock sire: strong build and excellent markings. His mom is extremely productive, lambing at just one year old and maintaining incredible body condition clear up to weaning.

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1824-RL: In addition to excellent rate of growth, this ram lamb is the offspring of my most parasite resistant ewe. This ewe has produced offspring that consistently makes it through inspection with outstanding scores on the FAMACHA scale. This parasite resistance is an incredible trait to carry into your flock.

2109: This Ram lamb is the offspring of one of my most resilient ewes. She is highly productive, dropping twins unassisted at nearly every lambing. She has been with the flock since 2018 and is a total veteran on pasture! This ram’s mom has more color on her body than my other ewes. This is purely cosmetic and does not effect the productivity of the animal, but I wanted to list this in case a pure white body is high on your priority list.

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1904-RL: This ram lamb is out of one of my favorite ewes: She is highly productive and my best shedder, dropping 100% of her coat before any of my other ewes. She lambed twins effortlessly on her first lambing. She has perfect markings with a pure white body and jet black head. I call her my “show sheep” and you will see her in most of my youtube thumbnails and profile pictures.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

-the Shepherdess

The Shepherdess at Harmony Farms

​”So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” 1 Corinthians 3:6

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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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Growing Pains

I was feeling it tonight. I thought it was burnout.

So I sat down and put pen to paper: I wrote down everything that has happened over the past 6 weeks.

Pulling the flock off pasture for a historic winter storm, working sheep solo for the first time, pulling lambs: one a success and one leaving me with nothing but sore muscles and an ear-tag with no owner. Building our first permanent infrastructure. Initiating spring’s intensive grazing program. W-A-I-T-I-N-G on edge for the remainder of the flock to lamb. Working to remain consistent in the business building side of my farm… and more.

Looking at that paper full of experiences I realized…

It’s not burnout, it’s growing pains.

The experiences of the past 6 weeks have been unmatched opportunities for growth.

As I correct my perspective, I shift to thankfulness. Thankful the Lord has brought me through each new and difficult experience.

I know more now than I did 6 weeks ago… and while it doesn’t eliminate the exhaustion, it does lift my spirits.

I’m sore, but I’m growing… and that growth is worth the exhaustion.

-the Shepherdess 🐑🌱

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”2 Cor. 12:8

Dorper Sheep Farming and Breeding Stock in Texas

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I wouldn’t have believed you.

the Shepherdess at Harmony Farms Dorper Sheep

If you would have told me a year ago that I would the shepherdess of a flock I worked so hard to ignore, I would not have believed you.

For years I shoved off anything farm related, hoping if I ignored it long enough it would go away.

But last May I felt like the Lord was was leading me to use my gifts in management and marketing to produce a solution to the crisis that was unfolding in our nation. Grocery stores were empty. Millions of animals were being euthanized due to centralized processing closures. A food system that sustained 300+ million people was cracking in half.

So what do you do when you receive a wake up call?

I knew I didn’t want to go back to sleep. So I did the next thing: I looked out my window at 30 acres of grass and asked myself: how much food can I grow here?

And I started growing it… with no previous farming experience.

I hope people following my journey will do the same thing. Look at your resources, no matter how small, and ask yourself: “How can I be part of the solution?”.

For you, the answer may or may not be becoming a farmer. However, I believe the Lord has given everyone of us gifts and resources to steward; first for His glory, and second for the service of others.

Thank you for following this journey I am on. It’s all new to me, but His grace is sufficient… and I’m finding myself so very satisfied in a life that I tried to ignore for so long.

-the Shepherdess

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

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Why I Rotational Graze My Sheep in Winter

I wanted to quit rotational grazing my sheep this month.


There is no green grass, we have already made one pass through each paddock since the first frost, and the sheep are becoming more difficult to contain. While we are feeding hay, I assume their constant escape of the electric fencing is an instinctual drive to find more and better food.

Thanks to some encouragement from sister, and farm-partner in crime, I am continuing this rotational-grazing-sheep-thing over winter.

I realize that not everyone lives in a mild winter-climate like Texas, so barn and bedding are essential for many farms… but with average temps at just 40-50 degrees in my parts, I don’t feel like I have any excuse to pull the flock off pasture.

Here is why I am rotational grazing my sheep over winter:

I am rotational grazing my sheep for even manure distribution.


The flock puts off about 150lbs of manure per day. Having this spread across 30 acres instead of in a barn is worth the moves. Plus, I have NO machinery to scoop and redistribute deep bedding, were I to house the flock in a well-maintained barn. By continuing to rotational graze, the sheep are ammending for my lack of machinery and spreading their own manure across the pasture.

I am rotational grazing my sheep for Parasite Management.


The parasites that can plague sheep are dormant, but not absent, during winter. Paddocks still need rest time during winter for UV sanitation and parasite die off. By rotational grazing my sheep over winter, my pasture paddocks continue to receive 30-45 days of rest between grazing.


I am rotational grazing my sheep to avoid soil compaction.


When I wanted to pause rotational grazing over winter, I considered designating a 7-acre pasture to be my “winter pasture”. However, as I watched what happened when I left the flock in one spot during days and days of rain, I realized I’d end up with a mud pit by the end of winter. I know for a lot of climates there is no other option than to leave your animals in what is called a “sacrifice pasture”. For me, however, my winters are mild and I do have the ability to maintain my rotational grazing program.


I am rotational grazing my sheep over winter to maintain personal work habits.


Confession: I feel like consistency is difficult for me to cultivate and maintain. By maintaining my rotational grazing program throughout winter I am staying in the groove and constantly working with the flock. When spring comes and the weekly rotational grazing program shifts back to a daily rotational grazing program, I will have a better chance of adjusting back to that work load.


Do you rotational graze your animals? If so, are you able to maintain your rotational grazing system over winter? Tell me in the comments!

-the Shepherdess

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9