By Elizabeth McCann
Would you like to win a free sheep? My name is Elizabeth. I am 10 years old, and I would like to tell you about my experience with the Youth Conservation Program (YCP) for Heritage Breed Sheep, and how I won my sheep!
The mission of the YCP is to preserve and save rare and heritage breeds of sheep to continue genetic diversity. Every year, this program offers an essay contest, and children can complete for free heritage breed ewes.
In March, I wrote an essay about heritage breeds of sheep, and sent this in to the YCP contest. To my surprise, I won a Karakul ewe lamb! My sister won my ewe’s mother, and brother.
We enjoyed making the trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival to pickup our new sheep! I named my sheep Tandy, and really enjoyed meeting the donor. My donor’s name is Mrs. Ramona Butt, and now we have quite a friendship and write a lot of letters to her!
On the last day of Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, I said goodbye to Mrs. Butt and left. Through the next few days, I visited Tandy in the stall and fed her green and treats! She tamed up to me quickly.
I have learned how outstandingly sweet, gentle, and productive heritage sheep can be, and I think it is our duty as humans to protect these loyal, productive, and beautiful animals. Commercial sheep just aren’t able to survive and thrive on their own as well as heritage breeds. They often require more intervention, wormers, feed, and usually aren’t as smart or healthy.
As years have gone by and times have changed, we haven’t appreciated these animals who fed and clothed our ancestors and kept thriving through all the years. Thus, we have lost many of their important genetics and traits that make sheep self-sufficient and hardy. I am motivated to keep these sheep thriving for many more years.
If you enter into the Youth Conservation Program, you can help too! Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a lovely new wooly friend! There are many different heritage breeds to chose from.
If you don’t win, do not be discouraged, because my sister did not win her first year, but did win the second year and learned a lot because of this.
If anyone is interested in rare and wonderful Karakuls, we now have them here at our farm! You can visit our farm page on Facebook to learn more about our adventures. Just look up WoodSong Farm. This website gives information on what is required for the essay contest: youthconservationistprogram.blogspot.com/p/blog- page.html
Essays must be submitted by April 1. I hope you win!
