Why Shetland Sheep?
We knew we wanted a four-legged grazer of some sort. We had been thinking Goats, but then while I was doing
the research we came across a piece that suggested for Goats it wouldn’t be too extreme to suggest your fencing
needed to be water proof! While we have fencing it probably isn't quite up to that standard. So we were thinking
about starting with Sheep and then take our time 'upgrading' the fencing to allow us to have goats in the future.
Then I came across a site about Shetland Sheep and the decision was made.
They are the smallest breed available in North America, so you don’t need any special handling equipment.
It also means that we have more options with our small acreage. As an 'unimproved' breed they are much hardier
than the typical commercial breeds, they are easy lambers and good mothers. They are a thrifty breed, and will
thrive on pasture in the summer and hay in the winter, so feed costs wont be prohibitive. Shetland fleece is very
fine and come in lovely natural colours.
Sheep Related Sayings
- Black sheep of the family
- A worthless or disgraced member of a family.
- Counting sheep
- A distraction technique used to combat insomnia.
- A wolf in sheep's clothing
- Someone who hides malicious intent under the guise of kindliness.
- As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb
- If the penalty is the same in either case, you might as well steal a full-grown sheep as the smaller lamb.
- Sheep dipped
- Used in intelligence circles, as a way of saying someone has been given an alternate identity.
- Separate the sheep from the goats
- Separate the good from the bad.
- Don't put the fox to guard the chicken house; Don't set a wolf to watch the sheep
- Don't assign a job to someone who will then be in a position to exploit it for his own ends.
For more on sayings about sheep and their origins why not check out the Phrase Finder.
Sheep Related Quotes
"Like being savaged by a dead sheep" ~ Dennis Healey (on being criticized by the mild mannered Tory minister Geoffrey Howe in the UK House of Commons in June 1978)
