The Ludlam Family
Hopkins, Michigan
NASSA Flock #240 USDA Scrapie Flock #MI17
Member Michigan Sheep Breeders Association
- Raising quality Shetland Sheep since 1993.
- Veterinarian owned and managed.
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Our primary flock goals are excellent conformation and health. Secondary goals are preserving a diverse range
of colors, patterns and fleece types. - Our award-winning Shetland sires and dams consistently produce championship offspring.
WINTER IS UPON US
What's New
at
Windswept Farms
WINTER 2012
Our family started the holiday season with our annual trip to NAILE- the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. NAILE is the world's largest purebred livestock show and an amazing event.
The Shetland breed and our family had a fantastic year at NAILE this year. The Shetland Junior Show had 14 exhibitors from 3 states showing 48 head of sheep, making it the second largest wool breed Junior show!
In the Junior show Sammy had Grand Champion Shetland Ram with Tarragon. Elliot Smith had Reserve Champion Shetland Ram with our Windswept Rory. Sammy also had Grand Champion Shetland Ewe and Best Fleece on Hoof with Lavender.
In the Open Shetland Show we had 12 exhibitors from 4 states showing 87 head. Once again Sammy was the big winner from our farm, with Lost Lake Farm Aragon winning Grand Champion Shetland Ram and Best Headed Ram. Sammy also had Grand Champion Shetland Ewe and Best Fleece on Hoof with Lavender.
We want to thank Joe and Nyla Catanzaro for selling Sammy Lost Lake Aragon. Aragon has been undefeated in the show ring for Sammy for the entire year and 7 sheep shows. Aragon has already produced outstanding lambs for our farm in 2011, and we are eagerly awaiting his 2012 lambs.
We had a fun Thanksgiving with Heather's family in Sawyer, Michigan at the Stubbs home. In December we did an early shearing of market lambs, adult rams, and early lambing ewes. We celebrated Christmas on the farm with all of our family.
Once again the holiday season flew by too quickly. The kids went back to school the first week in January and our family headed to the Michigan Shepherd's Weekend.
The Michigan Shepherd's Weekend is the Michigan Sheep Breeders Association's annual meeting and symposium. There were two fantastic keynote speakers this year, an excellent youth program, and many breakout sessions on Saturday afternoon.
Heather taught a session on lambing and dystocia this year, Mike acted as a room proctor and participated in MEAP sessions, and we all enjoyed the presentation by Cameron Kempf who received our Shetland Starter Flock last year.
At the Michigan Sheep Breeders Association banquet on Saturday night our family was surprised and honored to receive the Michigan Purebred Producer of the Year award for 2011. It was an emotional moment as the kids were brought into the banquet to join us in receiving the award. The MSBA is one of the largest and most active sheep associations in the nation and we are so proud to be an active part of this organization.
We are looking ahead to lambing- our Targhee ewes should begin lambing February 7th and a small group of Shetlands should start lambing on February 14th. The majority of the Shetland flock will lamb in early March, with a final group lambing in early April.
Our shearing day will be Sunday, February 26th this year. Everyone is welcome to attend, and we encourage spinners to come and buy their fleeces right off the hoof!
We now have wool socks for sale. The socks are made with our Shetland wool that was grown right here on Windswept Farms. These were knitted for us by another small business right here in Michigan.
100% Made in Michigan
WE NOW HAVE OUR ROVING PAGE UPDATED!!
