Two Rock Ranch

We started on a small dusty 5 acre farm in Petaluma, California. One day our roommate at the time, Nia, said that George Lucas had 5 pet Barbados sheep that he wanted give to a good home. Since we had some spare space and some weeds we thought that they would be a great addition! A few weeks later we were asked if we wanted a "couple" more. A "couple" turned out to be 55 and we were suddenly shepherds. We quickly sought out sheep mentors and began birthing out lambs.  I realized that I had an intense love of sheep (just not Barbados!)

and... the rest is history!

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We moved to New York in 2013 with our sheep to begin farming on a more serious level. We had initially purchased stock from a large sheep farm in Oregon. A month before we moved we purchased additional stock from California and then we heavily invested in top Registered Purebred White Dorper Breeding Stock from all over the US.  Currently, our farm is the only Registered White Dorper Breeders in New York. We take great pride in the fact that we brought home First Place in Fall Ewe Lambs at the Big E in 2019. Our first show experience ever... beating out some of the top breeders in the US! In 2021 we had the honour of winning The Eastern States Expo 2021 GRAND CHAMPION DORPER/WHITE DORPER EWE!

Showing our Registered Stock proves to us that we are on the right path

as an independent sheep expert evaluates them.

 

We now use Flock54℠ , a targeted genotyping panel, that allows us to test our flock’s DNA for animal parentage and traits associated with disease (Like Scrapie, OPP resistance, Callipyge (double muscling), Dermatosparaxis), fertility, production and meat quality. All of our lambs are microchipped and electronically weighed for average daily gain numbers. Hard data helps guide our breeding and culling decisions. Although we can provide this data, nothing takes the place of a well-structured ewe or ram that moves well and doesn't break down after a few years of production. We believe that the shepherd has a moral obligation to the breed to preserve and continue the hard work of generations past. To that end, we make all decisions thoughtfully and with purpose. We believe in preserving the South African traits that have made this the top meat breed in the world and have attended breeding classes taught by South Africans and are working towards International Judging certification.

 

All sheep are sold vaccinated for CD&T and CL. We perform these vaccines yearly on all of our animals. We also provide a vet check with every sheep sale. While we certainly do not sell the "cheapest" sheep on the East Coast (our pricing is in line with national pricing), we believe that we sell the best breeding stock on the East Coast and that equates to profitability for a shepherd starting in or adding to their own White Dorpers. We mentor each person buying our stock (and even those who don't buy from us!). We are happy to pass on our knowledge as others continue to do for us and have done for generations in the sheep world!!

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Our 56 acre farm in the Helderberg mountains is over 3 hours away from our beloved ocean,

but provides a more beautiful, grass-filled setting in which to raise our sheep. 

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Our lush pastures and our Artesian spring provide the perfect nutrients for all of our livestock and a calm, stress-free environment to grow and thrive! Our pastures are now home to over 300 White Dorper sheep and our ewes raise over 200 lambs per year!

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In line with our values, we partner with the Natural Resources Conservation Services and also Albany County Soil and Water to conserve our property. This included installing an elaborate rotational grazing system, a new 25 gpm well, auto-watering systems in each pasture, and placing some of our acreage into permanent conservation to provide nesting grounds and a safe habitat for birds and other wildlife. In addition to conserving our property, our farm also utilises beneficial insects to reduce fly populations and frost seed to ensure pasture  production for rotational grazing to reduce parasite loads.  (No animal is parasite resistant, but parasites can easily become drug-resistant!!)

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We are participants in NYSSGHAP (New York State Sheep/ Goat Health Assurance Program) which looks to increase the herd's/flock’s health, productivity, assure food safety, public health, and consumer confidence in animal agriculture, and promote environmental stewardship. We also practice proper SCRAPIE prevention through DNA tracking and tagging. We have multiple dedicated farm vets on call 24/7 and have a yearly inspection by our NYS Vet.

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Our farm is also part of the Agricultural Environmental Management in order to protect and enhance our farm's environment while maintaining the viability of agriculture in New York State.

 

This finally brings us to our New York Grown and Certified Status and we are proud that we are the first sheep farm in New York State to be Grown and Certified!

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We were proud and honored to be selected to host host Cornell Cooperative Extension's "Family Farm Day"  in September 2019 featuring many educational hands-on events for over 1,100 people in attendance... some traveled as far as New York City and Vermont!

 

We are also proud to be in New York and to raise premium lamb and eggs!