Stark Hollow Farm

Registered Icelandic Sheep in Vermont
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Our farm flock for breed stock, wool, meat, and dairy.
"The soil feeds the plants, the plants feed the animals, the animals manure the land, the manure feeds the soil, the soil feeds the plants."
~ John Seymour, The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency

Our registered Icelandic sheep are rotationally grazed on pasture in the warm growing seasons and over-wintered outdoors with local organic grass hay & natural legumes.

We believe the fresh air, the sun, the outdoor activity and exercise contribute to our sheep being healthier and stronger. All this results in very happy critters and eventually translates into more and better wool, leaner and tastier meat, and flavorful dairy products.

On pasture, the flock is provided with a portable shed for shade and protection from driving rain, although they do not like to use it much (they prefer natural cover from trees if nearby). Outdoors in the snow season, the sheep have free access to a winter housing (i.e. the round house). Only during lambing, and if necessary, will we bring the flock into the barn just for a short time.

We are growing our flock of Icelandic sheep in support of upcoming product offerings that will include age-old and artisan specialties.

 

Ursus
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Twin, DOB  4.19.10
 

Ursus is Stark Hollow Farm's new young resident ram. He was purchased for his strong AI genetics and his beautiful moorit fleece. He is 1/4 Bambi, 1/8 Kari, 1/8 Rector, 1/16 Serkur for a total of 9/16 AI genetics. He is a proven yearling ram out of a moorit badgerface sire and a moorit ewe. Sire and dam both have a beautiful fleece, and very nice conformation. He has excellent horn conformation. He still has a lot of filling out to do, but is an all around fine animal. His fall 2010 lamb fleece won Best of Show award at the VT Sheep and Wool Festival. We are very excite to see what he will do for the flock in the upcoming breeding season! 

Mara
NFS

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Twin, DOB 5.3.04
 

Mara: 2, 2, 2, 1, 3, 1 one of our foundation ewes, is a proven ewe with beautiful fleece. She is a vigilant ewe with strong mothering instincts and is a good milk producer.

Poppy
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.12.07

Poppy: 2,2,2 is a solid black, inquisitive ewe. She is an excellent mother, milky with a strong maternal instinct. She carries the spotted gene and this year twin ewe lambs, one black mouflon and one gorgeous black spotted mouflon.

Darleen
NFS

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Single, DOB 4.20.07

Darleen: 1,2,1 is a moorit badgerface ewe who is soft of temperament and a hardy mother. Her sire is a moorit badgerface and her dam is a moorit. This year she had a huge black mouflon ewe lamb.

Mocha
NFS
 

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Single, DOB 5.1.07

Mocha: 2,2,2 is a moorit badgerface ewe from Woolambia Farm. Her sire is DWY PaleFace Ram and her mother is Dixie. She has had three sets of twins. This year, she produced large twin black badgerface mouflon ram lambs. Her fleece is our most requested for its beautiful, lustrous, soft feel.

Polly
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.18.07

Polly: 2,2,2 a tall, sturdy, muscular Tongue River AI ewe.  Her sire is Harley, a spotted moorit ram with a gentle disposition and fantastic fleece. She has birthed three sets of twins. Her lambs are always chunky and tall with great fleeces.

Ugali
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.10.08

Ugali : 1,2,2 a black ewe out of a black badgerface sire and white ewe. Both parents carry moorit and sire also threw gray and spotted. A lovely deep black fleece with silvering on this girl. We know she carries gray and moorit and possibly badger and we discovered this season she carries the spotting gene when she birthed a gorgeous black spotted mouflon ram lamb who is shaping up to be a real winner. She also has a chunky black mouflon ram lamb.

Ada
NFS

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Single, DOB 4.15.09

Ada: -,2 a gorgeous, black-grey ewe lamb out of Ugali. She is tall and vigorous with fantastic fleece. One of our highest quality ewes, she birthed two beautiful black mouflon ram lambs. These animals would make a nice addition to anyone's flock.

Blink
NFS

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Twin, DOB 3.23.10

Blink: -, a tall, muscular ewe lamb out of Polly. She carries the spotting gene as evidenced by a "blaze" on her forehead, which was more evident as a lamb. She is 1/8 Tongue River AI. She'll be kept on Stark Hollow Farm for breeding in fall of 2011.

Beven
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.5.10

Beven: -, a huge, muscular spotted ewe lamb out of Poppy. Gorgeous soft fleece and a spirited yet friendly disposition. She has grown quickly and, though born later, is larger than most of her flock mates. She'll be kept on Stark Hollow Farm for breeding in fall of 2011.

Benna
NFS

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Twin, DOB 3.30.10

Benna: -, a tall, feisty ewe lamb out of Darla. She is white lamb who carries the spotting gene as evidenced by a black spot on her leg. She has superb fleece and has filled beautifully and is one of the largest ewe lambs of this year's crop. She'll be kept on Stark Hollow Farm for breeding in fall of 2011.

Bevera
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.4.10

Bevera: -, once the smallest ewe lamb of the crop, she has caught up to her flockmates. She is a beautiful black badgerface ewe lamb out of Mocha. She has the softest wool and a very friendly disposition. She'll be kept on Stark Hollow Farm for breeding in fall of 2011.

Brem
NFS

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Triplet, DOB 4.10.10

Brem: -, a beautiful spotted ewe lamb out of one of our best foundation ewes, Mara. She has deep black fleece with an interesting spotting pattern which is shown here as a forehead "blaze" with "sideburns" down both sides of her neck. She'll be kept on Stark Hollow Farm for breeding in fall of 2011.

Cider

NFS
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DOB 5.3.09

Cider: -,2 is a well built yearling out of Polly and Orn. She is strong and feisty and this year, as a first time mother, she easily birthed two gorgeous white ewe lambs. She has turned out to be a friendly and very good mother.

Blueberry

NFS
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DOB 5.1.09

Blueberry: -,2 is a well built ewe out of Darlene & Orn. She has gorgeous silver "flashing" and this year, as a first time mother, she birthed two beautiful black mouflon ewe lambs. 

Maple

NFS

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DOB 4.30.09

Maple: -,2 is a well built ewe out of Mocha & Orn. She is a sturdy black badger face who threw two gorgeous black mouflon badger-faced lambs in her first breeding cycle.
 

Cream

NFS

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DOB 4.30.09

Cream: -,2 is a solid ewe out of Mocha & Orn. She is a great mother, with lots of milk. She had vigorous twin ram lambs this year in her first breeding cycle. She got her mothers fabulous fleece.
 

Cape
NFS

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Twin, DOB 3.26.11

Cape: - is a tall, robust ewe lamb out of Polly & Ember. She has the brightest, whitest, softest fleece. 

Chicory
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.13.11

Chicory: - is a cute little ewe lamb out of Cider & Ember. She has interesting Phaeo spotting and is friendly lamb with soft fleece.

Chamonix
NFS

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Twin, DOB 4.14.11

Chamonix: - is a gorgeous black spotted mouflon ewe out of Poppy & Ember. She is frisky and curious. Her spotting pattern looks like a saddle! 

Codina (little tail)
NFS

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Single, DOB 3.23.11

Codina: - meaning "little tail" in Italian, she was born tail first. She is a beautiful black mouflon ewe out of Mara & Ember. She is the largest ewe lamb of this years crop and is simply a robust, muscular lamb. She will carry moorit and possibly spotting.

Cricket
NFS

Twin, DOB 3/30/11

Cricket is the other twin black mouflon ewe lamb out of Blueberry and Ember. She may also carry moorit, badger-face, and/or the spotting gene.

 

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WHY WE CHOSE SHEEP:

  • Sheep are smaller than cows; they eat less, they take up less space, and can provide the same as a cow (i.e. meat and milk) plus wool!
  • Sheep are easy to handle being a relatively small domesticated animal.
  • Sheep don't need much for winter housing... their thick wool provides insulation from cold temperatures, rain, and snow.
  • Sheep can turn poor land into lush pastures in a relative small amount of time -- no erosion and no seeding or amendments  needed!

WHY WE CHOSE THE ICELANDIC BREED:

  • Icelandic sheep are known as a tri-purpose breed - wool, meat, and dairy.
  • Their wool is dual coated and comes naturally in several colors & patterns.
  • Their meat is lean and mildly flavored.
  • Their milk is high in proteins and known for farmstead dairy products. 
  • Originating from Iceland, they are used to the cold and snow that typifies a Vermont winter, and the mountainous terrain in which we live.
  • They can be polled or horned and their tails are naturally short (i.e. no docking).

"There is a deep satisfaction in scattering clean yellow straw knee deep for the animals to sleep on and then feeding them in the still of a wintry eve."
~ Gene Lodgsdon, The Contrary Farmer

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 Stark Hollow Farm  ~  Huntington, VT  ~ 
802-434-3953, 802-734-0180 (cell)
Registered Icelandic Sheep in Vermont