As a vineyard or orchard owner, I am sure you have thought of, perhaps even researched, ways to reduce costs. Well how about reducing costs, needing less people-power, becoming more organic, more environmentally-friendly, impressing visitors, potentially increasing profit? My simple answer to you is - miniature Babydoll sheep.
A vineyard in California is having great success with their flock in the vineyard. There is even a vineyard here in Ontario who employs a small flock of sheep in his vineyard, at Featherstone Estate Winery in the Niagara region. These are his sheep pictured above, in his vineyard. Some even suggest that having the Babydoll sheep may be a real treat compared to the grumpy groundskeeper who has been paid for years to maintain the orchards! With a suggested ratio of 5 Babydoll sheep per 1 acre of land, you would be looking at a bit of an initial investment, with fencing, shelter, and winter feed to factor in for start-up costs. Though after that, you will see your expenses drop, as you no longer pay for hired help, no longer need to cultivate between rows, and will see a reduction in equipment maintenance. You could see your production increase due to reduced mildew and disease problems on your vines, among other things.
I truly believe this is the way for Ontario vineyards and orchards to go. In fact, I think it would be wonderful if all fruit growers, worldwide, became aware of the benefits of becoming more organic with Babydoll sheep on the land. Our air would be cleaner, our fruit plants healthier, and there would be a little bit less fuel on someone's hands! Read on through the article below, originally published in 1994, to realize that my little sheep could mean big opportunity for you. I feel so strongly this is the optimum choice for all vineyards and orchards, that I invested in a flock of over 30 Babydoll sheep, will have over 40 lambs annually (ready to work and eat, eat, and selectively eat) and I have never owned any type of livestock before in my life. I'll teach you, walk you thru, and invite you to come work with me for the day. If I can do it, I know you can too!
In July 2010, I started my own vineyard. No, I am not talking about being the next competitor to any wine maker, though I planted 6 grape vines, so I could run my own "vineyard trials" here at our little farm. I will be running our lowest wire at approximately 36" from the ground. While I am not too concerned with training the grapes "just-so" to produce the best crop of grapes, the 2 grape trellis with 3 grape vines growing up each trellis will eventually provide some more shade out in the paddock. As well, I can relay to you, the grape-grower, things I have experienced first hand with the Babydoll sheep and grape vines. I feel much more comfortable speaking of things I know, than things I have read! Here are some things I learnt on Day One of planting the grape vines:
- sheep DO eat young, green (as in young and tender, not necessarily the colour) grape vines - it is not that they don't like the taste of grape vine so don't eat it - cause they do eat green vine
- sheep DO NOT eat woody, established grape vine - I pulled some out of our bush, and though they deleafed the vine, they left the old, woody vine completely untouched
- sheep will ONLY eat up as high as they can position their heads - that is why miniature Babydoll sheep are ideal for deleafing and maintaining the ground around the vine - 'cause they are short and don't stand on their back feet to "catch" food as goats do
- your vineyard floor will need vegetation on it - I'm quite sure a hungry sheep of any size will resort to out-of-character measures if there is a lack of fresh green food to eat
- once your grapes start to mature, before they turn from sour to sweet, that would be a great time to get the sheep into their "summer pasture" - my sheep eat grapes, not because that is unusual, but just because they are sheep