Whistlefish Farm

What made you interested in raising sheep?

In the huge variety of farm animals, we have found that these sheep are by far the most peaceful. Cows, goats, horses, pigs- can all be loud, and destructive. Sheep are calm, peaceful.

For millennia the special bond between Shephard & sheep has, through protection, dependence & peaceful coexistence blessed both shepherd & sheep with joy & satisfaction.

To step into those old and well worn shoes of the shephard has blessed us similarly.

Why did you choose the Harlequin breed?

We feel privileged to be among the few who have discovered the sweet & gentle disposition of the Harlequin sheep. Their patterns, size & affectionate dispositions drew us to this breed.

Tell Us About Your Flock

We have 16 adult harlequin ewes & 9 adult babydoll ewes ranging from 2 years old to 9 years old. For our rams, we have an A generation harlequin ram along with a spotted babydoll & a spotted carrier babydoll ram. We are interested in diversifying the genetics of the miniature harlequins with the babydolls as well as to decrease the size.

What's the most rewarding aspect of
raising Harlequins?

Hands down, their personalities. Once we have earned their trust, they give the incredible gift of an affectionate relationship to their shepherd.

How Do You Market Your Lambs?

We have social media pages on Facebook, IG & TikTok. Primarily lamb sales come from previous buyers, word of mouth & our FB presence.

Tell Us About Your Farm

Whistlefish Farm sits on about 50 acres divided into 5 pastures. Our farm is mountainous with several views of Watauga Lake in East Tennessee.

We have two large barns & a large run in shelter along with multiple smaller run ins. On occasion we have hired local FFA high school students but predominately the farm is run by my husband & me.

We both recently retired from demanding professions & have found a kind of calling in the strenuous & never ending work of farm life.

We also raise miniature cattle, mostly Scottish Highlands along with miniature horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys & geese.

We have five livestock guardian dogs without whom this life would not be possible. We also have a one year old border collie that is our constant companion & budding herder.

What's the craziest thing that a new owner or
potential buyer has ever done/asked?

If I knit a sweater from the wool of a harlequin will the sweater be spotted?!?! We made that up, we really haven’t had any crazy requests.

We’ve enjoyed helping farms branch into sheep & learn all that’s necessary to be thoughtful shepherds.

What have you learned about having livestock that surprised you?

For me, the personal importance of earning the trust of these inherit prey animals is such a gift.

The diversity of each sheep’s personality has pleasantly surprised us. We know who will come first for head scratches and those that need evidence of treats before approaching.

We know which ram is ALWAYS ready for breeding season!

What’s one thing you'd want a new shepherd to know when they start out?

Sheep are prey animals and as such it is a true gift to earn their trust. Also, being a prey animal, sheep will hide illness so a shepherd needs to know each sheep & be vigilant with reacting to any change in behavior that may indicate the sheep is not well.

What has raising sheep taught you?

Coming from fast pace professions they have taught us the value of slowing down. Settling into a rhythm more tied to nature & pastoral passions than the daily grind. Often finding little miracles in the mundane daily farm chores.

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Whistlefish farm on FB

Harlequin Sheep Society & Registry

Breeder Spotlight

October 2023