Some people get into farming through the back door, that is without ever having lived in the country before beginning. This is the case with Greg Pierson and Janet Tekell of West Fork, Ark.
The couple came to West Fork when Janet, who works in patient/administrative services for a local hospital, was transferred to Fayetteville. Greg had worked as an environmental geologist for 20 years and then took a trip to Italy which made him decide to go to culinary school and become a chef.
Suddenly Greg and Janet found themselves with an amazing view and 60 acres of land that were begging to be used. The property had 35 acres of pasture and 25 wooded acres. After some reflecting and research, Greg had a new career on Iron Star Ranch. They were going to raise animals, and not just one kind but two: goats and sheep.
They selected Savannas instead of Boers because their research suggested Savannas had better mothering abilities and milk production.
After deciding on the breed, Greg found that full-blooded does were very difficult to locate. So they started with a full-blooded billy and kept breeding up their Kiko cross does. They now have two full-blooded Savanna does, so this will be the first year for full-blooded kids to be born on the ranch. The current herd is comprised of 30 does with two breeding billies.
To diversify the productivity of the ranch, the couple also decided to raise sheep. They raise the sheep in collaboration with another rancher who markets the lamb meat at the Fayetteville Farmers Market. They selected the Katahdin breed because it is a low input meat breed that sheds its wool, thus minimizing management time. Katahdin sheep are known for producing milder flavored meat than most wool sheep. Katahdin ewes have exceptional mothering ability and lamb easily; lambs are born vigorous and alert. All the sheep are full blood Katahdin, and lambs have been sold for either breeding stock or slaughter.
Iron Star Ranch is a member of Katahdin Hair Sheep International, World Wide Sheep and Goat Association, National Sheep Improvement Program and North American Savanna Association.
Greg said, “Last year was interesting because the sheep and goats were lambing and kidding at the same time. We were busy.” In addition to checking for the obvious general health of the animals, Greg intermittently collects fecal samples of mothers and lambs that Janet then tests for parasitic worms. In addition to collecting data to select more for more tolerant animals, it helps them to identify those animals that need treatment before they become anemic, which could put them at risk for death.
Greg said, “I hold them and trim their hooves, and she vaccinates them. We both take care of the few that get sick or need deworming.”
“We are content with what we have,” concluded Janet.
