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Grant

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I recently posted about moving to plant production. I’ve planted 1500 Elderberry, over 500 blackberry, over 400 raspberry and 100 Haskap (Honeyberry) plants this year. All of this is in the front half of my 13 acres so the back 5 is empty. I’ve decided to fill it up. I’ve committed to buying 3 bred Babydoll ewes and a Ram and 3 bred Harlequin ewes and Generation C Ram. Hoping for lots of ewe lambs since my rams are coming from different farms with different gene pools. All registered. I won’t pick up for a bit, so I’ve got to get the fence sheep proof and put a roof back on the livestock shelter since a 60 mph wind gust came right at the front of the building and took it off this spring. I’m setting up electric around my night pen to deter coyotes/foxes. I have 9 dogs here as well. I have a LGD who took care of the cattle, but he’s gotten lazy with nothing to do.

With the small sheep I can always graze around the berries as well. My son has a 10 acre vineyard and they could go on a vacay to eat over there for a bit also. He has 2 LGD for his alpacas.

The journey never ends.
 

Grant

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Sheep LOVE berry leaves! I’ve seen them eat the wild dewberries as well, even green ones. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
Maybe I’ll keep them out of the blackberry and raspberries then. The elderberry will be tally enough that they can nibble the lower branches.
 

LearningSheep

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My katahdins and dorpers have had access to a blackberry bush here - and they go to town on it! Luckily ours are wild and completely overgrown so it's not a bad thing for us - but I would be careful if you want the plants to survive!
 
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