Homesteaders

[Loc20chick]

I've tasted wool breed lamb and raised and eaten hair sheep lamb and there's a huge difference in flavor. The hair sheep are so mild and sweet in flavor and so tender that you barely have to chew. The wool breed lamb I ate had a strong flavor and stringy flesh...the flavor had to be masked with the use of lots of garlic. They say it's the difference in the amount of lanolin in the wool. Don't know about all of that, but the hair breeds definitely smell better when raising them as stock.

The whole "sheep come out looking for a place to die" and "sheep are stupid" didn't seem to apply to my hair sheep...very intelligent, very hardy animals. The best livestock I've ever had and would raise again...easy to care for, easy to keep conditioned on just grass, very healthy and intelligent.

I wouldn't have a goat if someone gave me one and the money to keep it for its lifetime.

Why?

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

I've tasted wool breed lamb and raised and eaten hair sheep lamb and there's a huge difference in flavor. The hair sheep are so mild and sweet in flavor and so tender that you barely have to chew. The wool breed lamb I ate had a strong flavor and stringy flesh...the flavor had to be masked with the use of lots of garlic. They say it's the difference in the amount of lanolin in the wool. Don't know about all of that, but the hair breeds definitely smell better when raising them as stock.

The whole "sheep come out looking for a place to die" and "sheep are stupid" didn't seem to apply to my hair sheep...very intelligent, very hardy animals. The best livestock I've ever had and would raise again...easy to care for, easy to keep conditioned on just grass, very healthy and intelligent.

I wouldn't have a goat if someone gave me one and the money to keep it for its lifetime.

Hair sheep (gawd, I can't help thinking of them as Kardashians!) apparently are different in lots of ways. Have another friend who raises them just for their family's use, and she says they taste great - but I have no personal experience there. I've never eaten anything but grocery store lamb, and many years ago. Have never heard her tell of one dying/being killed, so I have to assume they're hardy as well. They don't seem to be as cute, but that's probably a good thing. They also don't seem to be as... fertile? She seems to have one or two lambs a year from three ewes, whereas the people I know with wool breeds tend to have a *lot* of multiple births - and a lot of losses.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Any recommendations on where to find some? Chevon or lamb? Would that be something the local meat counter at the grocery would be able to get in? or the meat locker?

We used to get lamb at the Farmers Market in Eau Claire, WI. There is a farm just out of Augusta that raises sheep - it is called Lamb-A-Lot Acres. It is very good meat! When we moved to Wyoming, I had to buy a leg of lamb from Sam's Club during the holiday's and re-package it to treat us during the rest of the year. I don't remember if they have it at Easter or Christmas ... the stuff I bought from there one year was from New Zealand.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Great plans, it's good to think big, start small and get to your dreams. I like "bit of heaven homestead"
If you don't get a reasonably priced processing place you could make a plucker or invest in those big ones that will make proceeding easier and quicker.

"Bit of Heaven Homestead " it is. Started my paperwork today. Thank you.

 

[KlopKlop]

"Bit of Heaven Homestead " it is. Started my paperwork today. Thank you.

Great name. What paperwork?

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Great name. What paperwork?

just to register the name with the County so I can put my sign out front, no one else can use the name and I can do my taxes as a farm not just personal property. The taxes are different. Not in all states and how much depends on the farm size. We do sell stuff from our farm to provide for our family so it is technically a "family business " as long as all i's are dotted and all t's are crossed. No major paperwork but it helps keep the government happy and out of my hair. I also will have our legality set up so we can barter for goods and it still counts as "non-monitary" income. For example if one farm raises beef we can trade x amount of chickens and eggs and vegetables (or any combination of what we grow/raise) for an equal amount of their beef, milk, hay or whatever it is they provide. Come tax time it still counts as $x was received but also counts as $x spent to maintain my family. I only sort of understand the details but I'm trying to make sure I stay off radars. We don't do anything illegal I just don't have the time for digging myself out of a hole because I forgot to tell one person about $1.00 I made on eggs or $0.50 I spent on feed. So book keeping has become very important.

Heck I can tell you exactly how many eggs each chicken has laid and who every dozen has been sold to. I'm one of those thought hat the IRS will hate if they ever decide to audit me. All records are paper copies not electronic and 95% is hand written.

 

[Beekissed]

Why?

Because I like animals that behave themselves, stay in fences and are beautiful. To me, goats have none of these traits. My sisters have had goats and they were one headache after another and I've grown used to not having that much stress in my life, so I avoid it.

Hair sheep (gawd, I can't help thinking of them as Kardashians!) apparently are different in lots of ways. Have another friend who raises them just for their family's use, and she says they taste great - but I have no personal experience there. I've never eaten anything but grocery store lamb, and many years ago. Have never heard her tell of one dying/being killed, so I have to assume they're hardy as well. They don't seem to be as cute, but that's probably a good thing. They also don't seem to be as... fertile? She seems to have one or two lambs a year from three ewes, whereas the people I know with wool breeds tend to have a *lot* of multiple births - and a lot of losses.

Don't know what kind she has but that's not been my experience. Not only do most hair sheep breeds have twinning and triplets as one of their traits and most can be bred three times in two years, but their offspring are amazingly beautiful, more so than woolly breeds in my mind.

Not cute? Surely you jest?

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Hers aren't multicolored like yours - they're all a pretty uniform pale yellow. I acknowledge that yours are cute, lol

 

[Beekissed]

These aren't mine, but are examples of different hair breed lambs. Mine were cute too, but I no longer have sheep~wish I did, though.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Because I like animals that behave themselves, stay in fences and are beautiful. To me, goats have none of these traits. My sisters have had goats and they were one headache after another and I've grown used to not having that much stress in my life, so I avoid it. Don't know what kind she has but that's not been my experience. Not only do most hair sheep breeds have twinning and triplets as one of their traits and most can be bred three times in two years, but their offspring are amazingly beautiful, more so than woolly breeds in my mind. Not cute? Surely you jest?

Ok I want one!!! How much space will I need for 2? Would a 10×10 run-in and an acre work?