Sheep.

Here at Wolston Farm we raise our sheep primarily for their wool, which we turn into a wide range of products and also sell as raw fleece or yarn. About a third of our flock are purebred Shetlands. The rest are Scottish Blackface and what we call Wolston Sheep — a mix primarily of Shetland, Scottish Blackface, and Black Welsh Mountain with a bit of Romney, Lincoln, and a few other things.

We care a great deal about the environment we provide our animals. The fencing is being replaced, paddock by paddock, with sheep-and-goat fence, and the pastures are being revitalized. Work done at OSU taught us that the ground here doesn't provide all the minerals sheep need, so supplemental mineral is a year-round requirement to maximize health.

All our lambs are raised on mother's milk and pasture grass — no hormones, antibiotics, or artificial supplements. The sheep have free access to mineral and fresh water year round; in winter the pasture is supplemented with grass and alfalfa hay.

Sheep for sale

We occasionally sell live sheep to people looking to start or expand a flock, or for use in training herding dogs. The primitive breeds — Shetland, Scottish Blackface, Black Welsh Mountain — are excellent for training sheepdogs because they don't get “dog broke” easily and are independent enough to keep the dogs honest and paying attention to all of their sheep.