As our last two lambs head to Georgia, we’re reflecting on an unforgettable season at Valais Blacknose of Lovers Lane. With over 20 healthy lambs placed across the country, including our first mating pair and our special Spitti ewe, Oreo, we are deeply grateful for the wonderful families and farms joining our journey. Read the full story behind the incredible people welcoming our Fullblood Valais Blacknose sheep.

Fred and I spent 30 years in the show ring showing sheep, hogs, steers, horses and rabbits. Now we raise fullblood Valais Blacknose sheep in Northeast Ohio and our focus has shifted from winning ribbons to earning a grade from a Swiss trained judge. Here is why that change matters and what we have learned along the way.

Valais Blacknose sheep are one of the rarest and most sought after breeds in the United States. Registration and DNA verification are the foundation of building this breed with integrity. Fred and I share what we have learned and introduce you to the four active registries supporting Valais Blacknose sheep in America today.

And after 50 years of working with livestock, Fred considers this breed the most demanding he's ever worked with. He also considers them the most remarkable. That's why we're still here.

Fred has spent more than 50 years raising and evaluating livestock. Some people have a gift for music, athletics, art. Fred can look at a young animal and know what it's going to become, and he knows how to feed and manage it so it gets there. We don't take that for granted. Every lamb born here benefits from that eye, and every buyer who purchases from us gets that knowledge behind the animal they're taking home.

It started with a photo taken by a breeder in New Zealand of a sheep unlike anything we had ever seen. That photo led us to build a fullblood Valais Blacknose program from the ground up in Northeast Ohio. Here's what we've learned since.