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LET’S JUST SUPPOSE a new industry wanted to locate in Rappahannock County. This industry could provide an additional gross income of $500,000; employ only local people, have little impact on the environment, reduce tie number of stray dogs, and perhaps enhance our rural way of life. This industry could provide supplemental income and part time employment for teen-, agers, retirees, housewives and farmers and also provide a partial solution as to what to do with the 10-25 acre farmettes.
All we have to do is to revitalize an old industry that has been here all along-the sheep industry. Today we have fewer than 1000 ewes in the county; fewer sheep than pleasure horses and ponies. We could increse this number to 10,000, have little effect on present cow number, and improve the health of our total county agriculture economy.
While feeder cattle prices have been scraping rock bottom, market lamb prices have been strong (an age old rule of thumb is 1000 pound cow equals on animal unit and 5-7 ewes equal the same animal unit). Last year it would have taken an above average cow to return a gross income of $150. Five below average ewes would have grossed $250.
Mr. W. H. Trimpi of Rockbridge County, with 132 ewes, sold 212 lambs, 1,104 pounds of wool for $11,542.91 for an average return of $86.00 per ewe.
I AM SURE THAT I KNOW all the arguments there are for not raising sheep. But please explain why a little county like Highland with colder winters and shorter summers can support 6,000 beef cows and 17,000 ewes? Wouldn’t it seem that a county like Rappahannock could support 10,000?
If just 20 or even 15 people were sincerely interested, I would be happy to work with them in planning a series of 10 to 12 (2 hour) monthly meetings including talks, demonstrations and farm. tours to train beginners or present flock owners in year round sheep production.
Rappahannock - Madison Area Fruit School—Graves Mountain Lodge, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, February 18.
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