Raising sheep - naturally.

I especially enjoy reading my issues of Countryside because they feature organic homesteading and an emphasis on our natural way of life, the way farming used to be. I have always felt that plants and animals should be raised as naturally as possible, especially without the use of chemical pesticides that leave residues of poison on food and soil.

One key ingredient to the natural way of life is to pick the right variety of plant or breed of animal that will thrive in your area. Having organically gardened for years in the city, I knew this to be true. I also knew saving the gene pools of some of the old-time plants and animals gives us more alternatives from which to later breed hybrids. Sometimes that "hybrid vigor" they speak of breeds for one main characteristic, like a large bloom on a rose, a large volume of milk for commercial dairymen, or a large obese lamb at six months old.

My goal in homesteading, now that we finally made it to our farm in Oregon, is to be as self-sufficient as possible and still have time to enjoy life. Here's what I've discovered about sheep raising that has simplified my life and brought me one step closer to a natural way of raising food and fiber.

I picked sheep as my animal to raise because they are little and fairly problem-free if not overcrowded. They work well on a smaller homestead. I picked small sheep (under 24") because I knew I might be maintaining them myself most of the time. Besides, small feeds a family of four well without everyone getting tired of it before it is used up.

"Small" or "miniature" is also very cute, and in sheep this is a niche market the commercial sheep raiser is never going to fill. I also knew I needed two or three very hardy breeds so I wouldn't be buying someone else's problems. I wanted no lambing problems, no foot rot, no sickly critters that had to be coddled for survival.

After sifting through everything I could find about sheep and a bit of trial and error, I have chosen two breeds that fit the bill for me -- the Soay sheep and the smaller Southdown, called the "Babydoll".

Both breeds are generally raised in very small flocks, giving the buyer a better chance at healthy stock. It's fairly easy to watch three dozen sheep for the slightest limp or a sticker in the eye, but 300 or 3,000? That's when disease spreads. (When introducing new stock to your farm it is wise to always quarantine the newcomers at least 30 days.) Because of the hardiness of these two old-time breeds, I have been able to raise them pesticide free. They are totally organic pasture fed, without the addition of expensive poison-sprayed grain. I do supplement with a non-sprayed alfalfa/grass or clover/grass hay in winter.

The Soay sheep in particular have been found to be a gourmet treat when marinated and barbecued like kabobs, or roasted whole in a pit for a holiday feast, as many ethnic groups do. This breed is tender, very low fat and delicious. The sheep does have a very nice spinning wool, but the lanolin taste found in most lamb is missing from this primitive breed that sheds each year on its own.

Managing parasites, particularly worms, is always a challenge with sheep, and no one wants to medicate if it's not necessary. I have found that the primitive breeds have a great amount of parasite resistance, and when moved from one pasture to another at regular short intervals, can be raised up to slaughter time without needing worming. Of course, this should be checked regularly with stool samples taken to the vet for evaluation. I know if I do have to worm, my lamb is still so close to naturally raised that it can't compare to store-bought. Organic wormers are used by some folks but so far tests are too inconclusive to be certain they work. I'll be testing some of these for my next project.

I live in an area of commercial pear orchards, and I know people have no idea how often and how close to harvest those pears are sprayed with pesticides, and how seldom anyone actually checks up on the orchardists. I can only imagine how often commercial meat producers must medicate their animals, spray for external parasites, use fungicides on hooves, overgrain and add hormones to the meat you're about to buy and eat.

So the answer? If you're vegetarian, get hardy sheep so the manure for your plants will not be filled with worming residue. And if you want delicious meat for dinner, get hardy sheep so you know exactly what's in that meat that tastes so exquisite.

If I can help anyone find these sheep, or answer questions, I can be e-mailed at [e-mail], or mailed at 7061 Wagner Creek Road, Talent, OR, 97540.

Here is a recipe for unbelievably good lamb kabobs:

Lamb kabobs

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce, teriyaki and
Worcestershire sauces combined
1/4 cup red wine, or 2 tablespoons
vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dried minced onion, or 2
teaspoons fresh
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sage
(vary with fresh ginger, mustard or
bay leaf)

Cut one roast or 3-4 chops into 1" cubes, removing any extra fat. Marinate in above mixture at least three hours, turning meat chunks as needed to thoroughly coat.

Then skewer and barbecue over medium coals, turning once, for about 6 minutes total time. Don't pack the meat tightly onto skewers as it will cook too unevenly. Meat should be tender and moist when cooked the right length of time.

Even the most doubtful will become a lamb lover if you've used a breed with mild-flavored meat.