Penquis Valley Shepherds

Update 3 July 2009

Tripping Sheep Acres started as a pure bred Oxford and Targhee Sheep Farm in 1989 and quickly moved into showing sheep at New England Fairs for about 6 years when sheep shearing became a primary source of additional farm income. Since 1996, many trips to Great Britain, around the U.S. and Canada have investigated sheep dairy management farming and within 2009, this endeavor finally begins. A new manure bunker, a well-head and parlor have been incorporated within the ongoing creamery construction.  Our OstFriesian ram from Wisconsin has been used by two farms to breed ewes this and last season.  Creamery construction - despite the winter slow down - will still usher in our first milking in late April and May and all frozen milk will be processed over the coming late summer and fall for our first year's crop of cheeses and fresh products to be sold in late 2009.  At this writing, other local farms may become part of  a future marketing focus for Penquis Valley Shepherds, as the working group of sheep dairy people locally who pool purchasing, marketing, manufacturing and consulting efforts to store, age, distribute and sell products within our soon to be known regional label for quality assurance.  Look at this web site for future ordering data and news regarding each farm's start up and advances.  Penquis Valley Shepherds is a member of Central Maine Sheep Breeders Association, The Maine Cheese Guild and The Maine Highlands Farmers.  Direct Contact e-mail address:  pvsmilksheep@aol.com .

British author Olivia Mills, seated on her tractor in Hampshire, England (2002) hosted Wallace Sinclair at her farm for 15 days at a time when she was terminally ill.  This did not stop her from imparting straight answers to all questions and her knowledge - as outlined in her book,  Practical Sheep Dairying - was an experience of profound agricultural teaching.  Tripping Sheep Acres and Penquis Valley Shepherds' farmers all practice her methods to make excellent food products for local and gourmet consumers.  Mrs. Mills may not be with us any longer but her legacy stands the test of time for all farmers interested in entering this exciting resurgence of an ancient farming practice here in The Maine Highlands. 

   (_____)      We fill pint & quart bottles with
   |          |         our milk and cream*.  This is very
  /           \        important for lactose intolerant
/              \       youth and adults of special need.

* Raw & Pasteurized Milk, aged & fresh Cheeses

Upon Tripping Sheep Acres' land are composite sheep made up of bloodlines from Targhee, Oxford, Romney, Texel, Katahdin, East Friesian (OstFriesian), Cheviot, Shetland, Dorset, Black Welsh Mountain and Icelandic breeds of sheep.  Some animals have no more than three breeds per cross, others four or only two crosses and there are pure animals to be used as back-line ewes.  Each original foundation animal continues as seasonal mums for controlled breed flock numbers of the breeds listed above and settled by our new ram, "Magoo".  Our Katahdin ram, "Pamola" accidently passed on in 2006 but left an improved ram "The Bruce" who became our off season foundation breeder of unrelated composite sheep with the OstFriesian Magoo thereby adjusting the crossing of Pamola's or The Bruce's offsprings for controlled yields.  View The Bruce on our photo page, Candid Camera, herein.  Other updates affecting our flock book which make up our regional milk sheep crosses such as local Cheviot, Tunis, Dorset and the Icelandics will likewise be added to this web site as time goes on.

 

Our farm operation added a quarterly newspaper to our annual list of chores.  Mainely Agriculture, distributed 5 times a year recently has produced a second summer issue, a combined Mid Winter/Annual Trade Show issue, the Spring issue and will distribute the summer issue in July and August.  Distribution this next issue centers on all Maine state fairs, 2 New Hampshire fairs and we continue to get the paper to many feed stores, vet supply sites and farm infrastructure locations statewide, recession be dammed.  One year in publication this summer.  This benefits our farm and all farmers to get news about Maine agriculture free and clear out to the reading public to advertise and market their farming ventures.  Please patronize our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in Mainely Agriculture, no matter if you just buy a can of soda or a tractor.