POTTER HOLLOW SHEEP

Potter Hollow is home to a flock of grassfed purebred horned Icelandic sheep. They keep our fields open and cycle nutrients. As shepherds, we give the flock access to nutritious feed and protection from predators. Together with our sheep, we take care of the land that sustains us and our neighbors.

We sell live animals, direct-to-consumer meat, and raw wool. 

Icelandics are medium-sized, multi-purpose, primitive sheep. Their dual-coated fleece comes in a wide variety of colors. The breed is one of the oldest and purest, descended from animals the Vikings brought when they colonized Iceland in the ninth century. Having developed long before the specialized exploitation of industrial agriculture, Icelandic sheep retain some adaptive traits that have been lost in more modern breeds. They are hardy, thrifty, and vigorous, with excellent mothering instincts. Well-bred Icelandic sheep can thrive with little human input apart from good pasture management.

From spring to fall, our sheep graze pastures that are free of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Using temporary fencing to make small grazing paddocks, we move the flock to fresh pasture every few days and rest grazed areas for at least two months. Frequent moves and long recovery periods provide high-quality feed for the sheep, which in turn provides high-quality food and fiber for humans. Managed grazing also maintains meadow habitat for a diverse community of other lifeforms, including wild animals, plants, and soil organisms. 

In winter, our sheep live outside with access to shelter, and eat local hay. Composted manure and old hay from the flock's winter quarters is natural fertilizer for our garden.