Soay Sheep Breeders Cooperative

Jen Bailey

567 Skelley Road
Yoncalla, Oregon 97499

541-849-3636

jen@skylondaranch.com

www.skylondaranch.com

Skylonda Ranch

Soay sheep are the heart and soul of Skylonda. I fell in love with Soays at first sight in the fall of 2000, instinctively knowing they would become an integral part of my new life on the ranch. My flock fulfills several practical and personal goals:

Happiness – Shepherding is a deep source of contentment for me. Hanging out with my Soay flock creates serenity and inspiration. I love watching the sheep just being themselves, grazing, exploring, resting. The lambs' antics each spring are irresistibly precious. I've raised other breeds of livestock over the years (Icelandic sheep, colored angora goats, livestock guardian dogs, llamas, alpacas, angora rabbits), but nothing matches the sheer joy given to me by my Soays.

Land Stewardship – With 105 acres of forest and pasture, it's a constant challenge to keep the grass, weeds, blackberries and poison oak under control. Thanks to temporary fencing and my livestock guardian dogs, I target specific areas for the sheep to restore and maintain. Soays are an excellent alternative or addition to chemical and mechanical approaches. The sheep are easy keepers, and their small size enables me to take care of them by myself.

Heritage Genetics – Preserving and promoting heritage breeds of livestock is of critical importance in the modern world of agribusiness. My breeding program focuses on the following:

• British Soay registered as Flock USA0002 with the Rare Breed Survival Trust in the United Kingdom, whose lineage is directly traced back to sheep born on the island of Hirta off the coast of Scotland. I coordinate my RBST breeding decisions and acquisitions with fellow breeders, focused on preserving the full diversity of the 1990 importation to North America.
  
• American Soay descended from the original flocks of Dene Lewis on the west coast and Robert Johnson on the east coast.
  
• Soay sheep representing the full phenotypic diversity of the sheep found on Soay and Hirta: horned and polled, self-colored and mouflon patterns, dark and light phase coloration, and spotting.

Fiber – I collect Soay fleece for myself and fellow fiber afficiendos.

Meat – While it may seem shocking to eat these beautiful critters, grass-fed lamb tastes great and is a healthy source of animal protein. Give it a try!

Beautiful healthy animals – A colorful flock

Community – Raising Soay sheep has provided me with new friendships and intellectual challenges. I especially enjoy selecting starter flocks for new shepherds, often accompanied by their own guardian dog. Visit Skylonda in person or on the web.

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