Our Practices

Kind to the Animals

Colorado State University Professor Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert on humane livestock handling, is our role model as we work with our animals, so we look for ways to reduce fear and perform necessary tasks as calmly as possible.

Our sheep walk through our handling system weekly, so they are well acclimated to it. Lambs share a fence line with their mothers during weaning to keep stress levels low during the difficult transition.

Kind to the Earth

We are also committed to preserving our land, a mix of oak woodlands and native grass pastures. We rotate our sheep through four paddocks each month, “resting” each paddock for 21 days.

We limit the size of our flock to prevent overgrazing and erosion. Increasingly, our small band of “Kats” will improve the pastures by leaving deposits that stabilize the soil and allow it to hold water better. Grass with deeper roots will grow, moving carbon from the air to the soil in a small step toward curbing climate change.

In addition, waste collected from the sheep’s protected overnight pens is being composted and spread on the pasture.