Sheep Farm

Sheep Haven Farm – 22 Acres

Zone 1 – The Meadows

Twenty one acres of pasture, divided into 2 sub-zones, re-wilded to native pasture via prescribed burning and seeding of native species.

Grasses:

-          Big Bluestem

-          Little Bluestem

-          Indiangrass

-          Switchgrass

-          Eastern Gamagrass

-          Sideoats Grama

Legumes:

-          Illinois Bundleflower

-          Patridge Pea

-          Purple Prairie Clover

-          White Prairie Clover

-          Showy Tick Trefoil

Forbs:

-          Maximillian Sunflower

-          Black-eyed Susan

-          Common Milkweed

-          Compass Plant

-          Wild Bergamot

-          Anise Hyssop

Shrubs:

-          American Plum

-          New Jersey Tea

-          False Indigo

-          Ninebark

Zone 1a – Cattle

Fifteen acres surrounded by electrical fencing divided into 2 sections – 3 acres and 12 acres. One Milking Shorthorn bull in the 3 acres with one pecan tree.  Two Milking Shorthorn cows in the 12 acres with one pecan tree.

In November of years 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 breed the bull with Cow A (Henrietta Pearl). In years 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 breed the bull with Cow B (Mabel Lou) in November. Calving should take place the following July or August. Wean calves at 6-8 months of age. Expect 1 calf per cow. Expect around 6 gallons of milk per day starting in year 2.

In year 6 butcher the Year 1 calf from Henrietta Pearl. In year 7, butcher the year 2 calf from Mabel Lou. Follow this pattern to butcher 1 cow per year.

Maximum of 6-7 cattle on land.

Zone 1b – Sheep and Goats

Six acres surrounded by electrical fencing and divided into 8 equal paddocks of .75 acres each. Populate as follows:

-          Ram Group: 1 Katahdin ram, 5 Nubian does

-          Ewe Group: 5 Katahdin ewes, 1 Nubian buck

Groups will rotate every 7 days with the Ram Group starting in Paddock A and rotating to B>C>D>E>F>G>H and the Ewe Group starting in Paddock E and rotating to F>G>H>A>B>C>D>E.

Each paddock is to contain 1 bat box. Paddocks A, C, F, and H are to contain one pecan tree each.

In late August, grant the Ram access to the Ewes for breeding. Lambing should take place in March-April and weaning should take place 8-12 weeks later. Lambs should be ready for slaughter at 6-8 months of age. Expect 1-2 lambs per ewe.

Maximum of 16 sheep on land.

In September, grant the buck access to the does for breeding. Kidding should take place in March and weaning should take place from May-July. Kids should be ready for slaughter at 6-8 months of age. Expect 2 kids per doe.

Maximum of 16 goats on land.

Zone 2 – The Birds

Bobwhite Quail – 50
Chickens – 4 Brahma hens, 6 Wyandotte hens

Chicken

-          Coop – 50 square feet, elevated, and surrounded by a gravel bib of 5 feet to deter predators.

-          Run: 200 square feet, fully enclosed with chicken wire and a ceiling of 9 feet, hardware mesh around the bottom to a height of 3 feet and buried 12 inches into the ground.

o   Planted with:

§  Buffalo grass

§  Little bluestem

§  Western wheatgrass

§  Purple coneflower

§  Wild strawberry

§  Clover

§  Yarrow

§  Smooth sumac

§  American Beautyberry

o   Enrichment options:

§  Dust bath bin

§  Felled logs

§  Perch swings

§  Herb bundles

§  Hanging treats

Quail

-          Coop – 75 square feet, elevated, and surrounded by a gravel bib of 5 feet to deter predators.

-          Run – 200 square feet, fully enclosed with chicken wire and a ceiling of 9 feet, hardware mesh around the bottom to a height of 3 feet and buried 12 inches into the ground.

o   Planted with:

§  Little bluestem

§  Switchgrass

§  Purple coneflower

§  Black-eyed Susan

§  Wild strawberry

§  Buffalo Grass

§  Clover

§  Smooth Sumac

§  American Beautyberry

o   Enrichment options:

§  Dust bath bin

§  Felled logs

§  Perches

§  Hanging treats

Zone 3 – The Barn

Situated between the cattle pasture and goat/sheep pasture to allow access from both. The barn should be a minimum of 880 square feet, preferably up to 1,000 to allow for more flexible use of space. Include an 80 square foot rabbit hutch and a 150 square foot fenced play area. Play area should be astro-turf and contain sand pits. Stock with 20 French Angora rabbits. Breeding can occur 3-4 times per year with 4-12 kits per litter. Rabbits are ready for butcher at 14-16 weeks.

In the Barn Zone will also be 2 or more 500 gallon water tanks to service zones 1a and 1b.

Zone 4 – The Orchard

Indian Runner Ducks – 20
Bee hives – 2

A plot of 90’x136’ with five rows of four trees each.

Tree	Bloom Time	Harvest Time
Anjou Pear x2	Mid to late March	Mid to late September
Bartlett Pear x2	Mid to late March	Early to mid-August
Honeycrisp Apple x1	Early to mid-April	Early to mid-September
Jonagold Apple x2	Early to mid-April	Late September to early October
Gala Apple x1	Early to mid-April	Late August to early September
Elberta Peach x4	Late March to early April	Late July to early August
Stella Cherry x4	Early to mid-April	Early to mid-June
Yamhill Hazelnut x1	February to March	Late September to October
American Hazelnut x3	February to March	Late September to October

 

For each tree, establish a guild consisting of the following:

-          Ground cover

o   Clover

-          Trunk

o   Garlic

o   Strawberries

-          Middle circle

o   Comfrey

o   Dandelion

o   Yarrow

-          Outer circle

o   Black currant

o   Creeping thyme

-          Perimeter

o   Marigolds

Along one side of the orchard a 10’x12’ duck coop with a kiddy pool to house and entertain 20 Indian Runner Ducks.

Zone 5 – The Garden

Forty five raised beds of 4’x8’ in nine rows of five beds each, between the barn and the house and next to the orchard. A plot of corn in the ground, a plot of potatoes in hay bales, a greenhouse with attached tool shed, a bat box, and 2 beehives in this zone.

Subzone 5a – Raised Beds (45 total, 4’x8’) with a 5’-wide path around the outside and 3’ paths between. Total of 42’x106’

-          Tomatoes/Peppers/Borage – 3 beds

o   Bed 1 – 4 each Roma and San Marzano, 6 borage

o   Bed 2 – 4 each Amish Paste and Opalka, 6 borage

o   Bed 3 – 2 each Sweet 100 and Black Cherry, 4 Scotch Bonnet peppers, 6 Borage

·         Tomatoes: 20/20

·         Peppers: 4/16

-          Peppers/Nasturtiums – 2 beds

o   Bed 1 – 3 each California Wonder Bell, Habanero, and Hungarian Wax, 8 nasturtium

o   Bed 2 – 4 each of Cayenne and Thai Chili, 8 nasturtium

§  Totals/Targets

·         Peppers: 20/16

·         Nasturtium 16/bonus

-          Beans/Beets – 5 beds

o   Bed 1 – 20 Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, 54 sugar beets

o   Bed 2 – 20 Scarlet Wonder Pole Beans, 54 sugar beets

o   Bed 3 – 20 Black Turtle bush beans, 30 sugar beets

o   Bed 4 – 20 Pinto bush beans, 30 sugar beets

o   Bed 5 – 20 Kidney bush beans, 30 sugar beets

§  Totals/Targets

·         Beans: 100/100

·         Beets: 198/bonus*

-          Greens/Radishes – 3 beds

o   Bed 1 – 100 Spinach, 50 Romaine lettuce, radishes** between rows, marigolds on edges

o   Bed 2 – 60 Bok Choy, 15 cabbage, radishes as row markers and filler for cabbage, marigolds in corners

o   Bed 3 – 40 broccoli, 40 celery, radishes as borders, marigolds around broccoli

§  Totals/Targets

·         Spinach: 100/100

·         Romaine: 50/50

·         Bok Choy: 60/60

·         Cabbage: 15/15

·         Broccoli: 40/40

·         Celery: 40/40

-          Cucumbers/Zucchini/Squash/Gourds – 5 beds

o   Bed 1 – Left edge and center should be chamomile. Right edge starts an arch and will be planted with 5 bottle gourds.

o   Bed 2 – Left edge ends an arch and will be planted with 5 luffa gourds. Center should be alyssum. Right edge starts an arch and will be planted with 5 sunburst squash.

o   Bed 3 – Left edge ends an arch and will be planted with 5 black beauty zucchini. Center should be chives. Right edge starts an arch and will be planted with 5 patio snacker cucumbers.

o   Bed 4 – Left edge ends an arch and will be planted with 5 patio snacker cucumbers. Center should be alyssum. Right edge starts an arch and will be planted with 5 Boston pickling cucumbers.

o   Bed 5 – Left edge ends an arch and will be planted with 5 Boston pickling cucumbers. Center and right edge should be chamomile.

§  Totals/Targets

·         Summer Squash: 5/5

·         Zucchini: 5/5

·         Cucumbers: 20/20

·         Bottle gourds: 5/bonus

·         Luffa gourds: 5/bonus

-          Blueberries/Sage – 2 beds

o   Bed 1 – 1 each of Sunshine Blue, Misty, and Jewel Southern Highbush, 4 dwarf sage

o   Bed 2 – 1 each of Sunshine Blue, Misty, and Jewel Southern Highbush, 4 dwarf sage

§  Totals/Targets

·         Blueberry: 6/bonus

·         Sage: 8/bonus

-          Eggplant/Rosemary – 1 bed

o   Bed 1 – 6 eggplant, 4 rosemary

§  Totals/Targets

·         Eggplant: 6/bonus

·         Rosemary: 4/bonus

-          Asparagus/Dill/Rhubarb/Marjoram – 5 beds

o   Bed 1 – 24 Asparagus, 6 dill around border

o   Bed 2 – 24 Asparagus, 3 rhubarb

o   Bed 3 – 24 Asparagus, 10 marjoram around border

o   Bed 4 – 24 Asparagus, 3 rhubarb

o   Bed 5 – 24 Asparagus, 6 dill around border

§  Totals/Targets

·         Asparagus: 120/bonus

·         Dill: 12/bonus

·         Rhubarb: 6/bonus

·         Marjoram: 10/bonus

-          Peas/Basil/Fennel – 4 Beds

o   Bed 1 – 90 Sugar Snap Peas, 6 Basil

o   Bed 2 – 90 Sugar Snap Peas, 4 Fennel

o   Bed 3 – 90 Wando Shelling Peas, 6 Basil

o   Bed 4 – 90 Wando Shelling Peas, 6 Fennel

§  Totals/Targets

·         Sugar Snap peas: 180/bonus

·         Wando Shelling peas: 180/bonus

·         Basil: 12/bonus

·         Fennel: 10/bonus

-          Carrots – 4 Beds

o   Beds 1-4 – 192 carrots in 16 rows of 12 carrots

§  Totals/Targets

·         768/600

-          Onions – 10 Beds

o   Beds 1-10 – 96 onions in 12 rows of 8 onions

§  Totals/Targets

·         960/960

-          Lemon Balm/Lemon Verbena/Stevia/Calendula/Catnip/Holy Basil – 1 Bed

o   2 each of Lemon balm, lemon verbena, stevia, calendula, catnip, and holy basil in two rows for tea.

§  Totals/Targets

·         Irrelevant/Bonus

Subzone 5b – Corn (15’x30 feet) at the end of the garden, bringing the total of the garden to 136’, matching the orchard.

-          Corn – 504 square feet

o   100 each of Bolden Bantam and Hickory King plants

§  Totals/Targets

·         Corn: 200/200

Subzone 5c – Potatoes in hay bales (10’x18’) on top of gravel or pathing material. Ten foot side borders 5’ walkway and 18’ side borders corn.

-          Potatoes – 30 bales (16"x18"x36")

o   Each bale – 2 potato plants

§  Totals/Targets

·         Potatoes: 60/60

Subzone 5d – Bees and Batbox (7’x18’)

-          Two bee hives

-          One bat box elevated between them

-          In-ground plant barriers to make 2 plots, planted with peppermint and spearmint

Subzone 5e – Greenhouse

-          12’x16’ greenhouse opening into the potato-bales with attached tool shed. Extra outdoor space to store wheelbarrows and other large implements. Lean-to?

Zone 6 – The Hedgerow

Surrounding the orchard and garden for a total of 536’ (openings for entry/exit not calculated), three rows of thorny, dense plants to deter vermin. Made of 3 layers – Inner, Middle, Outer.

-          Inner Layer – Plants spaced 4.5’ apart

o   Wild Roses x40

o   Missouri Gooseberries x40

o   American Black Hawthorn x40

-          Middle Layer – Plants spaced 5’ apart

o   Prickly Ash x107

-          Outer Layer – Plants spaced 4.5’ apart, staggered from inner layer and offset by one plant to encourage dense, varied interlocking of branches.

o   Wild Roses x40

o   Missouri Gooseberries x40

o   American Black Hawthorn x40