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Three Corner Field Farm: Growing Step by Step

Aaron Gabriel, CCE, Part-time Farmer, a publication from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, Washington County, March 2001

As you pass by Three Corner Field Farm in Shushan, New York, you can not help but notice this scenic and well-kept sheep farm. It just seems a little too intense to be an ordinary sheep operation. And in fact, it is not ordinary, at least for our area. The owners Karen Weinberg and Paul Borghard have just reached one of their goals this year to commercially milk a flock of sheep - 70 of them. Their interest began with two sheep 12 years ago, when they bought the farm for a peaceful place to live. Before long two sheep were not enough to keep the pastures under control. The flock grew by itself and by friends giving them their 4-H and other sheep that needed a home. Little by little pastures were restored and fences built. They marketed lambs for meat directly to local customers but only made enough money to cover most of the variable expenses like feed.

Next, Karen started to think about producing sheep milk for the family, but their farm experience was interrupted when their jobs took them to Paris for a couple of years. While in Europe, she began to research sheep dairying. It is quite common there and she had the opportunity to visit many operations to learn as much as she could. Karen feels that not having farming experience can be a plus, because it forces you to ask lots and lots of questions and see as many operations as possible before you develop a plan. It also helps you develop your own unique farm system and business plan for your situation, rather than adopting only traditional systems. After returning to Shushan, Karen attended a sheep dairying symposium here in the States. It was a very important step, because here she met many people in the industry that have become her network for advice, equipment, supplies, and markets.

Karen's ideas and dreams were taking shape. Paul works in the area of finance, and likes to see a business plan. After doing years of research, Karen and Paul pieced together a written business plan. Paul takes most of the responsibility for working the business numbers and keeping books. Karen takes most of the responsibility for managing the flock. It has been said that a business is an extension of the owner's personality. As you tour Three Corner Field Farm, it is clear that the owners like order, a well-working system, and a clear plan. With a consistent effort and a step by step plan this farm was brought back to working order. This year a milestone was reached by producing sheep milk. The next steps will be to grow and have both Karen and Paul working on the farm full-time.

Their plan included developing a hardy milking flock to endure our winters and thrive on intensive grazing, rather than being adapted only to confinement systems like other dairy flocks. So, Karen bought local crossbred ewes that had some East Fresian in them, a dairy type breed. For breeding, she bought a good East Fresian ram. It was born in the United States as an embryo transplant that came from New Zealand. Ewes lambs are kept for the milking flock and rams are sold for meat. They reached their goal this year to milk 70 sheep. Next year they will milk 100, then 160 the next year and finally they will milk 200 sheep the year after that. Once the milking flock is established, they will use an East Fresian ram to breed only their best dairy ewes and a meat-type ram to breed the other ewes.

The flock produces both milk and meat. Lamb marketing focuses on the fall ethnic holidays. Karen considered several ways to wean lambs in a milking flock. Their current system is to let the newborns nurse for two weeks. Then for the next two weeks they nurse only during the day and separated from the ewes at night. In the morning, the ewes get milked. After these four weeks the ewes are milked twice a day. This year ewes averaged 2 1/2 pounds of milk per day and ranged from 0 to 7 pounds. Sheep can be bred to begin their first lactation from as early as one year to about 18 months old. The lactation typically lasts five to seven months, but some sheep may continue producing milk for many more months.

Another part of the plan at Three Corner Field Farm is to keep the operation as simple as possible. They wanted good working facilities, so they decided to invest their money into the milking parlor, equipment and building. This was the best use of their money. The sheep are left outside all year. They find shelter among trees, valleys and other protected areas in the pasture. The only field machinery owned is a tractor with a bucket, a bushhog, flail mower, and manure spreader. Haymaking comes when the flock needs the most time and attention. Karen does not feel that making hay is the best use of her time or talents. So Karen barters with her neighbors. They harvest hay from her fields. The hay is split between them and the neighbors also use Karen and Paul's buildings for storing machinery and hay. It works well for both farms.

Currently Karen sells the sheep milk wholesale ($0.50 to 0.80/lb) to another farm in New York that makes cheeses. Milk produced each day is frozen until enough is accumulated to make a delivery. More folks are beginning to milk sheep, but the market is still good. Karen is content to produce milk for the wholesale market rather than make her own cheese. Right now she is focussed on establishing and managing the milking flock well, before any new tasks are added to the operation.

The sheep dairy operation at Three Corner Field Farm is very interesting. But, what is impressive is the management. Every step of the way towards milking 200 ewes as a full-time family operation is a deliberate, researched, and thought-out plan. Their goals are being reached and the result is a productive and rewarding business. Karen and Paul are patient in reaching their goals. They know how much they can accomplish and they have a sense of timing for making the business grow at a healthy and manageable pace. The lesson learned at Three Corner Field Farm is that a good plan and reasonable goals are essential for success.