For the people who asked for edible soybeans ----- they're coming.
Breaking ground today.

Catgrass and Wheat Grass

Our own cat enjoying an organic tray of wheat grass!!  We still produce wheat grass, cat grass and sprouts on special order!  We are not the cheapest, but we know we are a truly organic producer. in the area.   If organic is important to you, check the certification or growing practices of your supplier.  We hope you find they are too!!  

Standerd Bronze Turkey's

we saved one hen and one tom after the winter holidays, and they made it through the winter.  She has been laying an egg a day, so we have 14 in the incubator, and she is still laying and setting now on more. 

Tom here doesn't have much to do most day's with only one hen, so he displays for the sheep and goats to keep in practice.

The turkey's are Standard Bronze.  The Broad Breasted Bronze we all drew and colored in grade school was a selection from the Standard Bronze as seen here.  And the "White" bird we all know at Thanksgiving was a sport that was chosen from  the Broad Breasted Bronze.  These birds can reproduce without human intervention, but the Broad Breasted and the White both need human help.

Bee update

Checked the rest of the hives tonight.  Lost two hives very recently.  No dead bees outside, or in the brood cells, so I think the queen died over the winter, and the hive just died out.  So we have 4 deep supers to spin out in the morning, (probably 40 pounds) and then let the good hives clean up.  If they were diseased, we would burn the equipment instead.

Checked the bees again today.   Heavy pollen flow going so this hive will be growing stronger everyday.  Pollen is coming from the Pussy Willows in the marsh, and other trees.  Can only get better for them as I found a Dandelion today which should start a heavy nectar flow too.

WHICH MEANS   HONEY!!! 


Nice to have such good willing workers.  Unlike most hives where the bees are one color, notice these vary from blond bees to almost all black.

Today at the Jefferson Public Library there will a program on "The Three Sisters".    Black Sheep Enterprises has done a "Three Sisters" plot for six years. Besides Les having such a great time telling this story and watching families come at planting time and returning throughout the year or just in the fall we have recorded yield increases over repeated years on the same ground.  Les and I will be there to learn more and hope to see others there too.  You may also enjoy following our plot
 again this year here in Jefferson.  The program runs from 2-3 PM at the Jefferson Public Library.  To learn more go to www.jefferson.lib.wi.us

New 4 horned ram!!!

Raising 4 horned Jacobs has a challenge in getting the perfect horns for your breeding stock.  We thought we had a great set on a young ram last year.  However his horns are so big that the bases are growing together.
Talk about headaches!!!

This year our male lamb is from a different female.  I think the pair got it right this time!!  Even with big horn bases, he should have a beautiful set, and his color markings are excellent as well.

I'd love to use him in our flock, but he is to closely related to the whole flock.  He is old enough to wean, and needs a new home!

Shetand lambs

Introducing our other Shetland lambs!  Both are females, so from our 2 ewes, we have an all black male and 3 ewes to help build this breed in our flock.  Call and set a time to come visit the spring additions to our farm!!!
We have goats kids, other lambs, and over 100 baby chicks, some for sale!!!   Check out a local CSA membership too!

Meet our new addtions

Meet our black lambs for 2013!!!

As many of you know, it has been a tough two years with drought, family demands and medical needs, and limited capital for operations.  However, we love farming and the challenges it presents, so we are back for 2013!!

We named our operations many years ago, "BllackSheep Enterprises" with Pat and I being black sheep of our families because we grow using organic methods for, vegetables, fruit, food grade grains, and livestock.  We also have a pair of black lambs this spring.  Both full blood Shetlands, the male of these twins definitely has the greying gene, but the female may not.  This means she may "stay" black.  (Picture is when the first born was about 15 minutes old.)

So - changes for the year-
Pat has cut back to only the farm to give it the attention it deserves.
We will be doing a CSA for 10 to 12 subscribers.  Details coming!
We will have/do have free range chicken eggs for sale.
We are starting to get Duck eggs for sale to specialty bakers..
We plan on having Turkeys for Thanksgiving and Geese for Christmas.
Watch for all the benefits from being in our CSA.