At age 65 my uncle is allowing me to live and work on his Kansas farm. God is good. Next year we plan to process 5000 pastured chickens. I also have 12 goats clearing land. I am helping Kansas tent dwellers with work for stay. God has had his hand in all I am doing. To God be the glory!
Love the journey. God’s sense of humor and love. 60 year journey of doing what I did not want to do. Would not change anything. Keep talking to your sheep. David used his psalms for the sheep. Following your voice.
Yes! I was talking to my mom the other day and said: “I guess you cannot escape what the Lord created you to do.” 😄 It’s a comforting thing... once you lean into it. 😁😁 -the Shepherdess
I drove by yesterday morning and looked at all the grass that you've been able to grow and thought to myself you need some more animals! Well here you go 👍
Just concentrate on where you want to go , how you get there is none of your business. The Tao will open the doors that will enable you to get there, what you need and the people you need will show up. Keep a strong faith. God bless.
It has been a pleasure to watch you this year and hope to enjoy another year as well. Thank you especially in this vid for your commitment to do God's will. Delight yourself in the Lord and trust fully in Him. God does not promise prosperity or health and happiness as we follow Him but He does guarantee His presence and eternal rewards to those who fully trust in him. Keep trusting and following!
Dear Grace, We are happy for Your success of farming, and we are proud of you!! 👼Please, if you need a worker one day, remember me, even I though I am old. I wish you All health and wealth and happiness, in Jesus name 🙏🏻 ✝️
Thank you for your blessings, Mary! I am so grateful for your prayers and support. I look forward to continuing to share this journey with you. ❤️ -the Shepherdess
So happy to see your progress! Lots of changes on my side, I still love to watch your videos, don't stop, you have people that love your farm show. So,, God bless you and your farm family 👪. See you later
I can't wait to see the new growth to the farm and how you manage the 2 separate flocks. I know there will be challenges but it is fun to watch your solutions and what works for your place. Happy 4th.
Hey, what do you think about Llamas? I recently saw that Llamas and Donkeys will aggressively defend a flock. Llamas can apparently bond with a flock, and so I was wondering if it's possible to just have some sheep free grazing with a llama to watch over them. There was a mention of one study, in an article I read, which said that a Llama can guard about 200 sheep at a time, or something like that. It seems to me that some sheep will wander from the flock, a bit, and the land I'm thinking about leaving them on is large enough for them to get lost, then killed by Coyotes. So, even with llama, or something, it seems like the flock will inevitably dwindle to nothing. I'm assuming that flocks don't move together to different pastures as a group, right? Just trying to figure-out what to do with some land... so... investigating all types of agricultural methods. :p
Awsome video. Greatly appreciate your Insight. I would love to hear about the managment of the 2 flocks. What I mean is... do ewes all run as 1, do flocks get separated during breeding season, what an how. You make perfect sense about the "starter flock" thanks an keep up great work.
Thank you, Brett! If you go to one of my more recent videos “Breeding prep”, I talk about how I separate my flocks for breeding and how I plan to graze them o over winter -the Shepherdess
I have really been inspired by your channel. Also it has been encouraging to see you always pointing people to the Lord. I currently have chickens, but I have been considering starting to raise sheep. I have about 15 acres in NC. I plan to use rotational grazing. Would you recommend Dorper or Katahdin sheep?
Thank you, Lane! I’m pretty partial to dorper and plan to put out a video explaining why I like them. Katadin have a smaller carcass/meat yield than dorper. Some say katadin are more parasite resistant, but I don’t have any firsthand experience with that. I feel like parasite resistance is 80% management and 20% breed. I hope this input helps and I’ll try to post that video this week. 👍🏻 -the Shepherdess
Very interesting video. We are looking to start our flock of sheep. I know this is your first year with your sheep but been doing it for three years or so. Would you recommend start with 1 ram and 2 ewes or 2 rams and 2 ewes with breeding the offspring ewe of one ram with the other ram?
Start with 1 ram and 2 ewes. After 3 years you can consider the second genetic line, but until then you’ll be able to line breed your ram to his offspring for up to 3 generations. It may seem odd to breed a ram to what is technically his daughter, but it’s very common and happens in nature... and produces a great quality stock if your ram is good quality. -the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess oh I didn't know the ram could mate with the daughter. I was scared it was going to start having ewes with deformed bodies and multiple heads 😆 Thanks for the information
Yes, took me a while to get used to the idea as well. 😄 Only one head per lamb so far. Lol. If you search “mob breeding” here on YT you might find some more education on the topic. We do not mob breed, only line breed, but it’s a fairly common practice. -the Shepherdess
@@TheNakidGardeners the best time to buy sheep is March-August. This is when most of the non-grain based operations will be lambing and selling stock. -the Shepherdess
Hi are you going to separate your commercial stock from registered or breeding? From the video looks like they will all be together. Just wondering when ewes are bred how you will know if it is by a registered ram or not. Keep up the good work.
Hi Shane, Thanks very much! They will be split into two groups once we put the rams out in October. The registered ram will be with the registered ewes and the commercial ram will be with the commercial ewes. -the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess If you were to breed the commercial ewes with Registered Rams, given the commercial ewes are 80%plus dorper, would the new crop coming in at around 93% pure be able to be registered as well? Or does both sire and dam have to be registered at 100%. Thanks
You can only list the % you have a paper trail for. It’s one of the cons of registered route. My commercial flock is all dorper, but if I were to breed my registered ram to one of my commercial ewes then the lambs would only be listed as 50% registered on their papers. My commercial operation will probably always be larger. I want to stay focused on productivity over papers... but I don’t think it’s bad to diversify with a small registered flock if you can. Stock with papers that show a good bloodline can go for double$$. -the Shepherdess
We are looking to start raising sheep in the next year. We are collecting data and information at this time. We have goat's however they seem to have more maintenance than sheep. I am in TX, DFW area. Do you know of anyone with an wonderful breading stock this way????
Ever hear of mob breeding? I heard an interview done by Richard Perkins titled mob breeding with a Scandinavian guy affiliated with the Savory institute (I think?) and it made a lot of sense to me. I might even close my flock and do it.
I never watched the interview so I don’t know all the technicalities. We have been doing line breeding (father to daughter) and it’s worked for 3 generations so far. Just weaned some BEAUTIFUL lambs. (Video coming) -the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess my plan based on the concept articulated in that interview is to not castrate, run a ram flock, and sort off and breed the top 10% once. After breeding I'm going to butcher them, or sell them for meat or as proven rams. Inbreeding is possible, and if issues arise from inbreeding that animal will be culled, but the chances of one breeding his dam or sibling will be reduced by the amount of rams. We'll see how it goes. It's pretty darn similar to how the white tailed deer population is managed in my area through the game tag system.
@@swamp-yankee keep me updated on how that goes for you! It would be neat to see some videos of your operation. Hopefully you’ll start a channel soon. 🐑
@@theShepherdess maybe once things calm down, and we're settled on the new leased place I'll do that. Next season I'm hoping to raise sheep full time. We were asked to leave our farm in the spring this year, after shaking hands for another five years, and being on that farm for two, so this season has been pretty chaotic, but I haven't had to destock. Getting booted off that 20 acre farm was the best thing that's ever happened to us though. We lost 20 acres of the most degraded and mismanaged land ive ever seen that was keeping the flock skinny, and found 100 acres ranging in quality from dense brush I will have to push off and burn to top quality forage. All of a sudden I need more critters.
Hi!, I live in Brazil, good place to have criations! cows and sheeps have been kept from my old parents. About sheeps, I like Ile de France, Sufolk,, Dorper, Breed (I have, and I eat breed, cuz its the best teast i have tried), texel and some of other ones tha provides wool... that one who provides woos also teast very, very , amazing good teast.... About cowns,my favorite alongo mya parents experience thats over than 5 generatioins and my opinion about some specifically, you must to have a Limousin, belt galoway, Braford, Hereford, Angus... Brangus... bulls with cows 50 percent european other 50% indian, nolore, Brahma, brazilian one actualy,,, that's good, I hope could help someone! (sorry about my english guys! haiuhsiuh) Thanks From Brazil! #Agro #Food #hardwork #goodpricesforsmallfarmersinbrazil #Thanks! #likeherteachings
Thank you, Curt! If you subscribe to my newsletter (link in description) then you will be among the first to know about availability. 🐑 -the Shepherdess
The black head dorpers bring a higher price right now, so I am going to stick with them. Plus, they are so pretty on pasture with the contrast of black and white. 😍 -the Shepherdess
i listened to bad advice my whole life,, now i am on my way to following my dreams,, i still get all the negative comments from people around me now i no longer care what they say as long as they stay out of my way,, remember never follow some one else`s trail forge your own,, that way you avoid the road blocks they set for you,, keep GOD in your heart and on your mind and you`ll succeed
@@theShepherdess Sorry I missed the premier and had to catch up late. Wow, that's awesome you got a second flock of registered stock! We're on the same page Grace, I'm getting a second flock later this summer (if everything works out) of registered St. Croix ewes and a ram to follow later. Except I don't have to drive 3000 miles to make it happen, lol! That's amazing...where in the world did you have to go that was so far?! I agree, I like your black and whites! Congrats on your anniversary, time flies when you're having fun. Happy 4th...take care Grace. ;)
Thanks, Brent! I travelled north, south, and east to collect this stock. 😅 Some of the trips were not successful... but I was glad I didn’t compromise on the source. Karl Ebel said: “ if you can start with stock that’s really good you are way ahead”. Anyhow, it was a lot of work, but worth it. I feel so excited about the quality I’ve got. I look forward to seeing a video on your new stock once it’s in! -the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess Oh I see, so you had to collect them from multiple breeders. All the traveling makes sense now, thanks. Your dedication and hard work investment will pay off, you're just building sweat equity for the moment. Thanks, I can't wait to see them myself, I've been working on this deal since last fall....it's been a long wait. Take care.
Been following from Canada. So happy for you, May God bless your second year with a healthy productive flock. And I see you wear bungee cord necklaces too!
Thank you, Gayle! I am so grateful for your blessing. ❤️ Yes, I always keep a bungee cord on hand... the necklace version isn’t the safest, but it’s handy. 😂 -the Shepherdess
It’s refreshing to hear someone talk about their faith. Keep it up.
At age 65 my uncle is allowing me to live and work on his Kansas farm. God is good. Next year we plan to process 5000 pastured chickens. I also have 12 goats clearing land. I am helping Kansas tent dwellers with work for stay. God has had his hand in all I am doing. To God be the glory!
Love the journey. God’s sense of humor and love. 60 year journey of doing what I did not want to do. Would not change anything. Keep talking to your sheep. David used his psalms for the sheep. Following your voice.
Yes! I was talking to my mom the other day and said: “I guess you cannot escape what the Lord created you to do.” 😄
It’s a comforting thing... once you lean into it. 😁😁
-the Shepherdess
The beauty of sheep, herd will grow quickly. Plus they are adorable.
That’s what I love about sheep... they can double every year! Excited to move forward... thanks David!
-the Shepherdess
They are definitely the cutest sleep you’ll ever see
I am so happy for you and excited to see you Grow🤍.
Love it all. To God be the Glory!!
It is my pleasure watched you, you've motivated me to happily start my livestock farm
New subscriber. All I had to hear was “I just want the Lord’s will”. You will be in my prayers. 🙏🏼. Hang on tightly to that anchor and never let go!
Thank you, Sal!! Keep praying. I’m excited for what’s ahead but it’s going to be work. 🐑🐑🐑 Your support means so much.
-the Shepherdess
I drove by yesterday morning and looked at all the grass that you've been able to grow and thought to myself you need some more animals! Well here you go 👍
Yes sir! 😄😄
Another great video, love your 2nd year plan...Stay Healthy...Stay Safe
Just concentrate on where you want to go , how you get there is none of your business. The Tao will open the doors that will enable you to get there, what you need and the people you need will show up. Keep a strong faith. God bless.
It has been a pleasure to watch you this year and hope to enjoy another year as well.
Thank you especially in this vid for your commitment to do God's will. Delight yourself in the Lord and trust fully in Him. God does not promise prosperity or health and happiness as we follow Him but He does guarantee His presence and eternal rewards to those who fully trust in him. Keep trusting and following!
THANK YOU, Dwight!!
How exciting for you! I've raised Suffolk and Hampshire only, but the Dorper has my attention. Am enjoying watching your journey!
Dear Grace,
We are happy for Your success of farming, and we are proud of you!! 👼Please, if you need a worker one day, remember me, even I though I am old. I wish you All health and wealth and happiness, in Jesus name 🙏🏻 ✝️
Thank you for your blessings, Mary! I am so grateful for your prayers and support. I look forward to continuing to share this journey with you. ❤️
-the Shepherdess
So happy to see your progress! Lots of changes on my side, I still love to watch your videos, don't stop, you have people that love your farm show. So,, God bless you and your farm family 👪. See you later
Thank you, Jimet!!
-the Shepherdess
God bless you, and thank you so much for this Ministry. 😀cool
Congratulations on a GREAT first year, friend! It's been a joy following your journey! 🙌🏻
Keep on keeping on!🐑🌾
Thank you, Jandre!
I can't wait to see the new growth to the farm and how you manage the 2 separate flocks. I know there will be challenges but it is fun to watch your solutions and what works for your place. Happy 4th.
Thank you, Dan! I am always so grateful for your support. I look forward to sharing as the process unfolds!
-the Shepherdess
I love sheep and I love the lord, you are amazing :)
Been watching since the start and have also applied a lot of the things you and Greg Judy talk about. Keep it up
Thank you, Jake! I really appreciate you being here... your support means a lot.
-the Shepherdess
Country View Acres sent me
How many sheep are in your 2nd flock? Its a fascinating concept and not one that I have never considered
This is so exciting for you! Thank you for sharing this :)
Thank you Julie for your support!!
God Bless love the content, very informative keep them coming. Thank you😊😊
I love your videos, they are so full of info and I enjoy your process....
I was sent to you by county wide farmer channel good luck with your farm
Thanks for coming
Good girl I'm so proud of you
Hey, what do you think about Llamas?
I recently saw that Llamas and Donkeys will aggressively defend a flock.
Llamas can apparently bond with a flock, and so I was wondering if it's possible to just have some sheep free grazing with a llama to watch over them.
There was a mention of one study, in an article I read, which said that a Llama can guard about 200 sheep at a time, or something like that.
It seems to me that some sheep will wander from the flock, a bit, and the land I'm thinking about leaving them on is large enough for them to get lost, then killed by Coyotes.
So, even with llama, or something, it seems like the flock will inevitably dwindle to nothing.
I'm assuming that flocks don't move together to different pastures as a group, right?
Just trying to figure-out what to do with some land... so... investigating all types of agricultural methods. :p
Awsome video. Greatly appreciate your Insight. I would love to hear about the managment of the 2 flocks. What I mean is... do ewes all run as 1, do flocks get separated during breeding season, what an how. You make perfect sense about the "starter flock" thanks an keep up great work.
Thank you, Brett! If you go to one of my more recent videos “Breeding prep”, I talk about how I separate my flocks for breeding and how I plan to graze them o over winter
-the Shepherdess
Amazing! I recently discovered your channel, and your videos are really inspirational and get me excited to start my own flock. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!!
I have really been inspired by your channel. Also it has been encouraging to see you always pointing people to the Lord. I currently have chickens, but I have been considering starting to raise sheep. I have about 15 acres in NC. I plan to use rotational grazing. Would you recommend Dorper or Katahdin sheep?
Thank you, Lane! I’m pretty partial to dorper and plan to put out a video explaining why I like them.
Katadin have a smaller carcass/meat yield than dorper. Some say katadin are more parasite resistant, but I don’t have any firsthand experience with that. I feel like parasite resistance is 80% management and 20% breed.
I hope this input helps and I’ll try to post that video this week. 👍🏻
-the Shepherdess
Very interesting video. We are looking to start our flock of sheep. I know this is your first year with your sheep but been doing it for three years or so. Would you recommend start with 1 ram and 2 ewes or 2 rams and 2 ewes with breeding the offspring ewe of one ram with the other ram?
Start with 1 ram and 2 ewes. After 3 years you can consider the second genetic line, but until then you’ll be able to line breed your ram to his offspring for up to 3 generations.
It may seem odd to breed a ram to what is technically his daughter, but it’s very common and happens in nature... and produces a great quality stock if your ram is good quality.
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess oh I didn't know the ram could mate with the daughter. I was scared it was going to start having ewes with deformed bodies and multiple heads 😆
Thanks for the information
Yes, took me a while to get used to the idea as well. 😄 Only one head per lamb so far. Lol. If you search “mob breeding” here on YT you might find some more education on the topic. We do not mob breed, only line breed, but it’s a fairly common practice.
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess yea I am looking into doing breeding like yourself. When is the best time to get sheep?
@@TheNakidGardeners the best time to buy sheep is March-August. This is when most of the non-grain based operations will be lambing and selling stock.
-the Shepherdess
Where did you get your sheep? Why did you pick those and not others you saw? How many did you buy? What was the cost?
good mornings from sa good luck you will never know unless you try
Thanks Ben!
-the Shepherdess
second to go with the 2nd flock now that's a think
All natural like Voisín, is plus chip and better profit, CG.
Yes, I enjoyed Voisin’s book, Grass Productivity! Great principles.
-the Shepherdess
I really like the video do you plan to use embryo to improve your genetics in the future
Where did you go that was 3,000 miles? I’m in TN was it near me? I want to start a flock 🙏🏻
good work, keep it up as it motivates people.i wana start up with sheep farm too, if possible some tips would be appriciated girl
Thank you!
Hi are you going to separate your commercial stock from registered or breeding? From the video looks like they will all be together. Just wondering when ewes are bred how you will know if it is by a registered ram or not. Keep up the good work.
Hi Shane,
Thanks very much! They will be split into two groups once we put the rams out in October. The registered ram will be with the registered ewes and the commercial ram will be with the commercial ewes.
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess If you were to breed the commercial ewes with Registered Rams, given the commercial ewes are 80%plus dorper, would the new crop coming in at around 93% pure be able to be registered as well? Or does both sire and dam have to be registered at 100%. Thanks
You can only list the % you have a paper trail for. It’s one of the cons of registered route. My commercial flock is all dorper, but if I were to breed my registered ram to one of my commercial ewes then the lambs would only be listed as 50% registered on their papers.
My commercial operation will probably always be larger. I want to stay focused on productivity over papers... but I don’t think it’s bad to diversify with a small registered flock if you can. Stock with papers that show a good bloodline can go for double$$.
-the Shepherdess
We are looking to start raising sheep in the next year. We are collecting data and information at this time. We have goat's however they seem to have more maintenance than sheep. I am in TX, DFW area. Do you know of anyone with an wonderful breading stock this way????
Support comment*
Where did u travel to to get your ram?
Ever hear of mob breeding? I heard an interview done by Richard Perkins titled mob breeding with a Scandinavian guy affiliated with the Savory institute (I think?) and it made a lot of sense to me. I might even close my flock and do it.
I never watched the interview so I don’t know all the technicalities. We have been doing line breeding (father to daughter) and it’s worked for 3 generations so far. Just weaned some BEAUTIFUL lambs. (Video coming)
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess my plan based on the concept articulated in that interview is to not castrate, run a ram flock, and sort off and breed the top 10% once. After breeding I'm going to butcher them, or sell them for meat or as proven rams. Inbreeding is possible, and if issues arise from inbreeding that animal will be culled, but the chances of one breeding his dam or sibling will be reduced by the amount of rams. We'll see how it goes. It's pretty darn similar to how the white tailed deer population is managed in my area through the game tag system.
@@swamp-yankee keep me updated on how that goes for you! It would be neat to see some videos of your operation. Hopefully you’ll start a channel soon. 🐑
@@theShepherdess maybe once things calm down, and we're settled on the new leased place I'll do that. Next season I'm hoping to raise sheep full time. We were asked to leave our farm in the spring this year, after shaking hands for another five years, and being on that farm for two, so this season has been pretty chaotic, but I haven't had to destock. Getting booted off that 20 acre farm was the best thing that's ever happened to us though. We lost 20 acres of the most degraded and mismanaged land ive ever seen that was keeping the flock skinny, and found 100 acres ranging in quality from dense brush I will have to push off and burn to top quality forage. All of a sudden I need more critters.
@@swamp-yankee that sounds like such a great situation! A good reminder to hold out when things are turned upside down.
Hi!, I live in Brazil, good place to have criations! cows and sheeps have been kept from my old parents. About sheeps, I like Ile de France, Sufolk,, Dorper, Breed (I have, and I eat breed, cuz its the best teast i have tried), texel and some of other ones tha provides wool... that one who provides woos also teast very, very , amazing good teast....
About cowns,my favorite alongo mya parents experience thats over than 5 generatioins and my opinion about some specifically, you must to have a Limousin, belt galoway, Braford, Hereford, Angus... Brangus... bulls with cows 50 percent european other 50% indian, nolore, Brahma, brazilian one actualy,,, that's good, I hope could help someone!
(sorry about my english guys! haiuhsiuh)
Thanks From Brazil! #Agro #Food #hardwork #goodpricesforsmallfarmersinbrazil #Thanks! #likeherteachings
!
if you sell like 4 are 5 ewes with or with out lambs I would be a buyer
Thank you, Curt! If you subscribe to my newsletter (link in description) then you will be among the first to know about availability. 🐑
-the Shepherdess
We are very interested in breeding stock! We are just south of DFW and looking for someone that can help us as we start our journey!
Thank you jessica! I should have plenty available in April. Go to ShepherdessDorpers.com to add yourself to the wait list :)
Have you ever considered white Dorpers? 🤔
Like 1 flock of black head dorper and 2nd flock of white dorpers
The black head dorpers bring a higher price right now, so I am going to stick with them. Plus, they are so pretty on pasture with the contrast of black and white. 😍
-the Shepherdess
Why the dorpers?
I'm a lil worried for you guys. I will pray for you. I see something idk if every body sees. Idk? I have one question. That's all.
i listened to bad advice my whole life,, now i am on my way to following my dreams,, i still get all the negative comments from people around me now i no longer care what they say as long as they stay out of my way,, remember never follow some one else`s trail forge your own,, that way you avoid the road blocks they set for you,, keep GOD in your heart and on your mind and you`ll succeed
Pre-first? Is that a thing? Lol
You just made it a thing. 😂
@@theShepherdess #trendsetter
@@theShepherdess Sorry I missed the premier and had to catch up late. Wow, that's awesome you got a second flock of registered stock! We're on the same page Grace, I'm getting a second flock later this summer (if everything works out) of registered St. Croix ewes and a ram to follow later. Except I don't have to drive 3000 miles to make it happen, lol! That's amazing...where in the world did you have to go that was so far?! I agree, I like your black and whites! Congrats on your anniversary, time flies when you're having fun. Happy 4th...take care Grace. ;)
Thanks, Brent! I travelled north, south, and east to collect this stock. 😅 Some of the trips were not successful... but I was glad I didn’t compromise on the source. Karl Ebel said: “ if you can start with stock that’s really good you are way ahead”.
Anyhow, it was a lot of work, but worth it. I feel so excited about the quality I’ve got.
I look forward to seeing a video on your new stock once it’s in!
-the Shepherdess
@@theShepherdess Oh I see, so you had to collect them from multiple breeders. All the traveling makes sense now, thanks. Your dedication and hard work investment will pay off, you're just building sweat equity for the moment.
Thanks, I can't wait to see them myself, I've been working on this deal since last fall....it's been a long wait. Take care.
Been following from Canada. So happy for you, May God bless your second year with a healthy productive flock. And I see you wear bungee cord necklaces too!
Thank you, Gayle! I am so grateful for your blessing. ❤️ Yes, I always keep a bungee cord on hand... the necklace version isn’t the safest, but it’s handy. 😂
-the Shepherdess