Shepherding 101

“We had a fantastic time in your peaceful oasis and we loved the sheep! You have a great spot for retreats and for all types of fiber lovers. Thank you so much for the time to teach us about being a shepherd”. Christina and Carla (Toronto)

“Thanks so much for your hospitality. Our stay was fantastic. We loved the accommodation. Thanks for going over ‘sheep stuff’ with a young couple starting fresh. Taylor and Ashley (Thorndale)

Two days and two nights staying at “The Shepherds Cottage”. This is a fully furnished and self contained accommodation on our farm. Attached is the office and seminar room that is stuffed with sheep info, magazines, reference books, posters and interesting sheep artifacts. We will spend 3 hours day one and 3 hours day two. These two sessions are weather related. A few hours outside on topics such as: Pastures (grasses/legumes, renovation, fertilizing, rotational and strip grazing. Fencing: traditional, electric, DIY. Hay making: the art and patience required, equipment needed. (we rented other farms for decades where we made 150 acres of hay annually). dry hay making, wrapping and acid spraying. Deadstock: Euthanasian and burial options. Preditor issues: Livestock guardian choices and electricity! The second day: Indoor topics: Pens and paddocks, livestock handling equipment. We have decicated handling facilities. Sheep breeds: Different characteristics of popular breeds available. Breeding: Traditional, out of season, ‘Cedars’ and use of hormones. Nutrition: forages, concentrates, needs at different times. Health: De-worming and vaccinating protocols, veterinary relationship and drugs at hand. Lambing time: Be prepared. Tools and procedures for tagging, docking, tattooing and record keeping.

So contact us if this interests you. There will be a per diem (on top of accommodation cost) for the shepherds time.

The Shepherds resume: This is the 45th year raising sheep (albeit in a semi retired state now). We attained a 500 ewe accelerated flock in the 90s. This levelled off from a commercial operation to a replicator flock (that supplied large groups of Dorset females to starter and existing flocks) to 350 ewes. This was complimented by breeding Suffolk terminal sires. In 1996 we imported British Suffolk as embryos to promote ‘old style’ Suffolk rams). We sold an average of 150 ewe lambs a year along with up to 40 rams (which we held back until yearlings.) The early years was experimentation with F1’s utilizing Ramboullet and Romanov. For decades we bought frozen sheep semen internationally and did laparoscopic A.I. here on the farm. Keith has been: A past director on both Dorset and Suffolk clubs. A past director/secretary for District 5 of OSMA. Appointed by Agriculture Minister to ‘The Red Meat Plan’ advisory board. A past OMAFRA certified and accredited Live Lamb Grader, ROP weigh person and pregnancy tester (Doppler). We were honoured to host for many years the graduating final year Guelph DVM students in small ruminant health management rotation. For decades we had an ‘On Farm’ store where we sold freezer lamb to clients.

Keith and Mary came to this farm in 1979 from jobs in the city to start an adventure with a family owned farm not in use. An opportunity to work outside and be a bit closer to the natural world. Keith’s paternal grandfather left a challenging life in agriculture in Scotland, during the depression of the 1920s. Keith’s father was born on a farm in Ancaster Ontario. Mary’s father was born into a life of subsistence farming in the mountains of Sicily. A village called ‘Vita’. He recalled as a young boy tending to sheep on the hillsides. It would seem that some things…..come back around.

You can reach Keith directly by email at : lamont@sentex.net or leave a voice mail at: (519) 853-1975