The Rural Voice, 2001-08, Page 28Organic Farmers
The
Canadian Organic
Seed Alliance
can offer you for your fall planting:
Oilradish Seed
Rye Seed
Triticale Seed
Winter Wheat
Spelt Seed
All seeds grown organically
Guaranteed purity and germination
Seed contracts available
for organic producers
4,t°
ONS,
Oct..
For more information
call COSA at:
519-364-1525
or 519-395-3126
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& Money
Let our "LI'L SHAKER"
Portable Seed Cleaner
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Wheat, Beans, etc.
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Formerly Cook s Portable Seea Cleanmg
Owen Sound
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Sheep, Lambs & Goats - Call Bob Bennett or Jeff Morrison
Visit our website at: www.ontariostockyards.on.ca E -Mail: osiweb@bconnex.net
Rose Haven Farm is moving to Pictont!
SHEEP REDUCTION NECESSARY
Yearling & 2 -year-old commercial ewes.
Arcott x Ile de France ewe lambs. Romney yearling ram. Border
Cheviot ram lambs. 3/4 Texel triplet ram Iamb. Some sheep
equipment. Sheep available in Dornoch, Grey County.
Viewing and purchase dates: Aug. 11, Aug. 15-17, Sept. 19-21.
CaII (613) 476-7109 for best selection and information
Shipping available to Eastern Ontario
24 THE RURAL VOICE
The Boettchers have made a move
in the opposite direction to some
sheep producers, moving away from
an intensive spring and fall lambing
schedule to the old-fashioned once -a -
year lambing in the spring. The
lambing is actually split in two spring
seasons: one for purebreds earlier in
the spring and another, after the
planting season from mid-April to
mid-May, with replacements and
ewes that were missed the first time
around, often cross -bred with
Suffolks.
Lambing is done in the barn.
"With this highly prolific
breed I prefer them inside
where I can watch them better,"
Boettcher explains. The Rideau sheep
are a new Canadian breed developed
with a high milking ability to be able
to support multiple births. "If they
can't support quadruplets I'll give
them another chance but if they can't
supporttriplets, they have to go," he
says.
"I put the Iambs in little claiming
pens for three days if they're twins or
triplets until they're bonded. Then I
get a pen of 10 or 15 together for
another three days, then load them on
a trailer and drive them to the back
40 (a pasture farthest from the
house)." He uses a portable coral
system if he needs to sort sheep or
work with smaller groups in the
pasture, or wean lambs, but usually
he keeps it simple by keeping all the
sheep in one flock.
Though they qualify as organic,
Boettcher sells his Iambs into the
conventional market because returns
have been so good (though he sells
some to customers who want organic
lamb). His pasture -fed lambs,
marketed after the normal pasture
season, have been able to compete
well with grain -fed lambs, bringing
good prices.
"To me the sheep are one piece of
the puzzle for the whole farm,"
Boettcher says. "I can live with $70
(he got $120 last year). I like to
budget $100." •
The basis of the operation is to try
to be as self-sufficient as possible,
importing little onto the farm. He
keeps his own seed, feeds his own
crops. That's part of the biodynamic
system of farming which also makes
use of a system of advantageous
planting dates and other strategic