DL.The first thing that strikes me is that there are "no" sheep being bred in your area,WHY?..
- The main reason is probably the climate. Our winters are fairly wet but mild, but our summers are hot and humid. That's why I've picked these breeds. They handle this climate well and are good on grazing/forage so they work in low input systems. I also prefer the smaller breeds of sheep, since I would be the primary person handling them. I'd rather not deal with a animal that's twice my weight that's feeling feeling stubborn, scared, or cranky.
http://gulfcoastsheep.info/about-the-breed/characteristics/
www.tunissheep.org
http://www.caredsheep.com/
As sheep are a principal part of your plan (what will be your focus) Wool or Meat?
Wool. We have local spinners that normally have to order their fibers. I would prefer to start with a few bred ewes and a unrelated ram lamb, since we don't have many local sheep. That would give me 2 generations he could breed before I need to be expanding the gene pool.
You made mention of a couple of breeds,how far away would be the closest growers?..
- The nearest breeders I know of yet:
Gulf Coast sheep- Texas, Louisiana, Missouri
Tunis- Missouri
California Red- Alabama
Jacob sheep- (Another possibility) a couple hours northwest of here.
Could you outline your climate ,ie:snow,how long?summer drought?..
Our growing season is early April to late October. Veggies that like cold can get planted in mid Sept, or mid Feb with some protection.
We rarely get more than 3 snows per winter and usually about ankle deep. It melts in a few days to a week.
Last year we were dry most of July and August, but I heard that was not normal. This year I've made notes of rain, or severe weather on the calendar.
Average rainfall is around 50-55 inches annually. This shows our average annual weather patterns:
http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/D...ne&IATA=HOT&lastyear=on&normals=on&records=on
You spoke about the mountains,what is the likely elevation of your farm?
- The Ouachita Mts are an ancient chain, so they're not as tall as they used to be. This property's elevation is 630 ft (roughly 200 meters) above sea level. We have some very steep rocky areas in town. Lots of the land out of town is more rolling terrain. The area I'm interested in varies from around 500 ft - 1200 ft.
Is there anywhere you can gain an understanding of local livestock farming(State Ag Dept).............
- I probably have 1/2 of the pamphlets that the county Ag service carries. They seem more oriented to huge farms, but some of the info still applies.
BTW,I'm not being "nosy",I'm trying to get you to focus on the environment in which you are going to undertake your dream,(you may recall I spoke about the "perils" of trying to "bend" nature to your will.)...
- It's not nosy. You are being helpful. Thank you.
I agree about trying to pick plants and animals that will thrive where you're at, instead of struggling to get by there.
Take a look at the Farm listings of local Real Estate agents on the Internet,maybe take a drive out to these areas and have a look around,
- I check the real estate listings for acreage frequently and sometimes for farms/ranches/improved land.
if you can do it on a week day call into any Rural Supply stores you come across and ask about what sort of livestock are farmed in that area.
- Mostly chickens - including huge egg suppliers. Goats are pretty popular, and sometimes pigs, ducks or guineas.
Oaklawn racetrack is in this town, so every spring there's lots of race horses.
I would suggest you examine "whats possible" first,then we can look to possibility's.Anyway thats enough to consider for tonight...Good Luck and I look forward to you comments,re the above.
Maybe they will be back at the next one.
