How We Raise Our Sheep We raise red Katahdin hair sheep at Gardendwellers. They're a hardy shedding breed that does well in a grassfed system, and are great mothers with multiple lambs. Spring 2024 we have 18 ewes to lamb in March that were crossed with a Dorper ram. We raise our sheep using rotational grazing using moveable poly-net fence, rather than turning them out into one big pasture for the summer. This enables us to utilize their grazing pressure and hoof disturbance to impact the land in a positive way. It also ensures that their favorite plants and native prairie plants are not over grazed. Because they are eating on fresh pasture often, it helps break the parasite cycle and means that our sheep stay healthier naturally. They occasionally get a very small amount of soy-free grain (peas, barley, oats, corn) only as bribery and right after lambing to provide the ewes and lambs with an extra energy source when they need it the most. In winter, we feed free choice prairie grass alfalfa mix hay. Free choice minerals are offered to our flock year round and we try to provide them with sea kelp for extra vitamins. We only use chemical dewormers very rarely, and on an as needed basis, rather than treating the whole flock. We try to focus on natural parasite resistance through good genetics and mineral program, rather than drugs.
How We Finish Our Lambs Since we raise our lambs on pasture (hay during winter) and do not feed them grain, they are slower growing. Because of this, we typically have our lambs processed at 12-15 months of age. Since Katahdins are a hairbreed, they have very little lanolin, and as a result have a milder tasting meat than most wool breeds. Butchering at 11-24 months of age is common in many of the larger sheep producing countries and they are referred to as "Hoggets". It's just as tasty as a younger lamb, but with more meat on the carcass, and in our opinion is at its prime.
Buying Gardendwellers Lamb Our USDA inspected lamb cuts are available for on farm pick up. We also sell half and whole lambs that you can pick up from the processor or take live off the farm. Our lambs typically yield around 30#, depending on the cuts. We have breeding stock lambs available after weaning in the summer. We may occasionally have mutton and cull ewes available for butcher as well. We don't ship our meat at this time, but may be able to meet or deliver in North Dakota depending on distance and if we have plans to travel already in place. Contact us for current lamb pricing, availability or to make delivery or pick-up arrangements.