What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? Much of my graduate work in the early 1980’s focused on artificial insemination of sheep. It was a new and emerging technology at that time. If you weren’t raising sheep, what would you be doing with that time? I would likely be spending more time on my lifestyle blog that I started as a retirement project. You can find me on Facebook at The Green and White Farmhouse. Please share a favorite lamb recipe. If you do not have a recipe, what is your favorite lamb dish? Greek Lamb Meatballs with Creamy Yogurt Sauce Meatballs 1 pound ground lamb
If you weren’t raising sheep, what would you be doing with that time? I always say that doing chores and working with the sheep are my fitness program so I’m afraid that without them, I’d have to join a gym. I’ll take the barn any day! Please share a favorite lamb recipe. If you do not have a recipe, what is your favorite lamb dish? With lamb, I like to keep it simple and start with lamb that has been processed at about 6 months of age. (in our case that’s about 150 lbs.). My favorite is lolli-chops (individually cut single ribs from a rack of lamb) I season lolli-chops with garlic salt and pepper and let come to room temperature. Then I heat olive oil in a skillet and sear each side of the chop for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat and let the chops come to an internal temperature of 135 degrees. Sometimes I use a broiler instead of a skillet, and add a topping of seasoned parmesan cheese after I turn the chop over. If I might add some suggestions for those readers who are processing their lambs for the meat market: Ask your processer if they will use ground lamb for some value-added products. We found that making it into brats, breakfast sausage, and summer sausages worked out amazingly well! Rather that getting those big leg roasts have them cut into 1 lb. packages of kebob meat and consider having is packaged in a marinade. It’s much easier to sell a 1 lb. package of meat that an 8 lb. roast. Dennis Sorensen, Illinois (District 3) How long have you had Suffolk sheep? I experimented with a couple of other breeds of sheep prior to settling on Suffolks around the age of 12. If my math is correct, I’ve been raising Suffolks for approximately 57 years. Approximately how many total ewes do you have? I typically run around 30 ewes which is about the limit for my facilities. What Suffolk breeders had the biggest impact on you and why? I was very fortunate to have several Suffolk breeders very near where I grew up and eventually moved to. At that time, most were using Rosenboom breeding which is why the beginnings of my flock had the same influence. Rollie was one of the most recognized Suffolk breeders in the country and it was his enthusiasm and ability to promote the breed that impacted so many of us to raise and show Suffolks. What advice would you give a new Suffolk breeder or junior member? If sheep are a new endeavor, inexperienced members would be wise to seek the mentorship of an experienced producer. Even when the distance is great, a mentor/ breeder alliance can help ensure success for the inexperienced producer.
Approximately how many total ewes do you have (includes other breeds)? Our current flock has 63 Suffolk ewes. A few of them are in the final stages of the percentage program, but all are registered. Over the years we have had as many as 230 ewes in the flock, but at this stage of our lives, our business model has changed from production for direct meat marketing to focusing on selling breeding and show stock. And our numbers go down as our age goes up. What Suffolk breeders had the biggest impact on you (not your flock, but you), and why? Our flock took a dramatic change in the late 1990s when our youngest son purchased a couple of meat type Suffolk rams from Tom Slack. We adapted to a more moderate-sized sheep, with superior carcass quality. The Slack genetics influenced our ewe base through several more sires. The style of lambs we produced with this transition were ideal for operating a direct-to-consumer meat business for the next several years. Though we recently retired the meat business, that style of muscular, structurally correct, productive Suffolk sheep allows us to sell breeding and show stock today with confidence. What advice would you give a new Suffolk breeder or junior member? We advise new Suffolk breeders, young or old, to start with good ones. Look for a strong production history in the pedigree. Learn how to feed them throughout their stages of production. Know what vaccinations they have had and what they will need in the future. Have a functional facility for handling the sheep and for lambing time. And build a relationship with the breeder so you can ask questions along the way. What do you enjoy most about being a director? Being a director for the USSA has given me a better appreciation for our membership. While I had known a group of breeders from participating in shows, it seems to me that the majority of our members are just interested in raising good Suffolk sheep. I’ve learned that there are vast differences from coast to coast and border to border in the challenges and opportunities that Suffolk breeders deal with. That has given me a greater vision and appreciation for our breed nationwide, not just the niche of the breed in my backyard. I enjoy working with other directors who can put personal agendas aside and are willing to work together to advance the future of the Suffolk breed and its place in the sheep industry. We have some great people in this breed association! What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I have enjoyed farming alongside my husband for 47 years. I take an active role in the field work, and love being the primary combine driver during harvest. I am on staff at my church and spend hours each week playing piano/ keyboard.
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1/4 cup finely diced onion ½ teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley Creamy Yogurt Sauce 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder 3/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
Make the sauce first so flavors can blend while you are preparing the meatballs. Blend all sauce ingredients together and place in the refrigerator to chill. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Crumble ground lamb into a large mixing bowl. Stir in yogurt, then add the remaining ingredients to combine. I use a 1 ½” cookie scoop leveled to portion out the mixture, then roll each portion into a ball. This will give you meatballs about 1” in diameter. Place the meatballs on a non-stick foil or parchment lined sheet pan. Place in a 425-degree oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until 160 degrees internal temperature. Turn the broiler on and broil for a few more minutes to get some additional brown color. Remove from the oven and serve with Creamy Yogurt Sauce. Diane Russell, Indiana (District 2) How long have you had Suffolk sheep? At age 3 I was given a couple of orphaned ewe lambs. We kept and bred those – and after a few years we started adding Suffolk influence to my small flock. It eventually became a Suffolk flock which we’ve maintained for over 50 years.
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