Located in the heart of British Columbia's Cariboo region, Whispering Pines Farm started out in the 1980s with backgrounding calves for the feedlots in Alberta. Border Collies and horses were the mainstay of how we kept tabs on 300+ head of cattle scattered across the ranges and pastures.

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With stock dogs came sheep for training purposes and naturally this led to 4-H sheep for the kids. A small Registered Suffolk sheep flock grew into a larger flock of hair sheep. Back in the 1990s, hair sheep were uncommon and everyone referred to them as Barbados. Looking back, the little white hair sheep we kept were more likely of St Croix breeding.

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The farm has slowly evolved from cattle to raising stock dogs for ranchers and sheep to train and trial with. Due to time constraints of working off the farm and the lack of a profitable wool market, the hodge-podge flock of hair and wool sheep has slowly evolved into a growing flock of hair sheep. 

 

We have not regretted the choice of going exclusively to hair sheep. Our American Blackbellies and AB crosses are low maintenance and prolific, easy breeders. Sometimes referred to as 'edible weed-wackers', they have made life simpler. And unlike wool sheep, they don't become dog-broke as quickly.

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If you are interested knowing more about hair sheep, and American Blackbelly sheep in particular, check out the links below