The Rarest Valais Blacknose Spitti We Ever Bred and How She Found Her Forever Home
Fred and I feel so fortunate to be raising fullblood Valais Blacknose sheep in the US, every animal that leaves this farm carries a piece of us with it and represents our program. That is just the truth of what we do. So when it came time to place Oreo, we debated on the best way to find the perfect home.
Oreo Is a Valais Blacknose Spitti and That Is No Small Thing
For those new to the breed, a spitti is one of the rarest outcomes in Fullblood Valais Blacknose breeding. She carries the recessive gene from both her dam and her sire, resulting in a striking coat of dominant black and smaller white patches rather than the traditional solid white fleece of a standard Valais Blacknose. In accordance
with Swiss Standards, spitti rams are turned into wethers, therefore making Fullblood Valais Blacknose spittis even more rare. Oreo has the classic black face, the black legs, everything that defines the breed, but her body tells a completely different story. We've spent years building a genetics program here in Northeast Ohio that we are incredibly proud of, and Oreo is one of the results we did not take lightly. A spitti of her quality does not come along every day. Anyone serious about this breed understands exactly what that means.
We Did Not Name a Price and We Did Not Put Her in an Auction
We decided to open a private offer and asked interested buyers to tell us a little about themselves, their farms, and their families. We received several strong offers, and each of them would have given Oreo a wonderful home One offer came in higher than the all rest.
We did not take it.
We allowed the people making offers to tell us why they wanted Oreo, they asked questions, we answered question. The offer that stood out was when they mentioned two young boys and a farm life they were building for their children. That was it. That was the moment. Fred and I know the value of animals to the development of children. Not just that, but we also have lived long enough to realize that todays children are the future growth of this breed. Oreo was going to grow up alongside two young boys who would love her to pieces.
Down to Earth From the Very First Message
The arrangements came together smoothly. Communication with the buyer, Max and then his wife, Lexi, was warm, genuine, and completely down to earth from start to finish. We are very private people and we respect the privacy of every buyer we work with. Lexi graciously gave us permission to share the photos you see here, and we are grateful for that.
It was not until my granddaughter glanced at the paperwork while I was moving it around on my desk that she did a double take and told me who we had been talking to. Max Thieriot. Star of Fire Country, and a man who grew up farming and now runs his own vineyard. We had absolutely no idea during any of our conversations. He and Lexi were just kind, genuine people who wanted to give a remarkable animal a remarkable home. That is exactly who they turned out to be.
And Then We Watched Fire Country
After Oreo left for her new home, my granddaughter convinced Fred and me to tune into Fire Country on CBS. We had no idea what we were getting into. We are hooked. Knowing that Max grew up with that deep farming and land connection made perfect sense to us the moment we learned who he was, and Lexi is as nice as it gets. We knew we made the right decision. Fire Country is heading into Season 5 premiering October 9, 2026 and we highly recommend it. It's obvious that a part of the shows success is because of the leading actor and director, Max. We may be just a little biased but we think you will love it too.
The Reason We Do This
Knowing that Oreo is out there on a real working farm, loved by two little boys, cared for by people who understand and respect the land, that is the entire reason we do this. Fred puts everything he has into raising these animals right, and moments like this remind us both that it is worth every single bit of it.
We are just two people on a small farm in Northeast Ohio who fell in love with this breed. We did not set out to place a sheep with a celebrity. We set out to place Oreo in the right home. Those two things just happened to be the same place.
Learn about the family, the vineyard and watch "Fire Country" below.
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See the vineyard:
Watch the show here:
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