When we went to Martin and Joy Dally’s Shepherd’s Lane Farm in Oregon last month for a Laproscopic A.I. Sheeping Bonanza last month, the one thing we didn’t think we’d come home thinking about was…cheese. Not that we’re complaining, of course. The people we met there were enough to keep us busy interviewing for days, and we’re going back for the lambing part, so we obviously didn’t get enough.
Dr. Joe Klopfenstein, DVM, DABVP, sat down to talk with us in a bustling pasture with dogs and kids and sheep and peacocks all around, to talk about why he was there on the farm, what his students are learning, and what things other than wool and lamb chops that sheep are good at producing. He has promised to take us on a tour when we return to this beautiful state, as he said that Oregon is not just well-known as the home of microbrews and wine, but also of sheep, in all their producing glory. Since different varieties of sheep lead to different varieties of wool -- and now, of cheese (Pecorino, anyone?) – that works in our favor. Once you can figure out how to milk them, that is. Dr. Joe has promised to explain that one as well.
Links:
https://vetmed.oregonstate.edu/people/joe-klopfenstein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sheep_milk_cheeses
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecorino_Romano
https://www.cypressgrovecheese.com/cheese/soft-ripened-cheeses/humboldt-fog/
https://www.shepherdslane.com/