Firefly Hollow Farm

03/04/2026

Does it feel like it’s always something else? Always a hustle to keep the flock healthy? If so, I can’t repeat MINERALS enough times. I also can’t tell you enough how much ‘bang for your buck’ mineral testing, alongside a bolus, will provide.

In the long run, they both save flocks money. In a field that already has tight margins, & plenty of heartache when things go wrong, getting minerals right is a game changer.

These slides are from a blog post on the Sheep Bolus website. I go into extra detail on the benefits etc.

This is the time of year to get liver tests done if you process for the upcoming holidays. It’s also the time to get boluses for pregnant ewes & prepare for lamb boluses that will be needed over Soring/Summer.

Have you done any type of mineral testing on your flock, feed, or forage? Whether yes, or no, leave a comment to explain why. Thanks!

02/26/2026

Cont from yesterday’s post: NDF is the total insoluble structural components of plant cell walls—specifically cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin- the fibrous, less digestible parts of plants. Hay with lower NDF levels is higher quality, with higher digestibility.

1st cuttings often has higher NDF because it grows during cooler, slower-growing spring months, leading to more mature, stemmy plants.

2nd & 3rd cuttings are usually faster-growing, softer, and more nutrient-dense, making them ideal for high-energy needs.

Keep in mind that while later cuts are generally lower in NDF- maturity at harvest, weather conditions, and w**d content can affect the final nutritional values (testing is the only sure way to know) but it’s a good rule of thumb to seek 2nd/3rd cuttings due to higher digestibility and better palatability.

We are 100% grass fed, but if you’re not then supplementing hay with grain, or concentrate feed, is another way for ewes to eat enough protein. This can become crucial as abdominal space diminishes - another good reason to avoid hay with excessive NDF because it works as ‘filler’.

Alfalfa hay is another option, but keep in mind it is excellent as a protein & energy source, yet the ewes may be unable to consume enough to meet their nutritional requirements. This is again due to the decrease in abdominal space & the stemy bulk of some alfalfa hay. I will also note that as a shepherdess of horned sheep, I’m very careful with alfalfa consumption in the last month. It’s been my experience that the extra protein leads to oversized horn buds - a dystocia risk. If I feel my ewes need more than good grass hay, I will never feed more than 50/50 grass/alfalfa.

Getting your hands on your ewes to gauge body condition scores & feeding to their needs will save you a lot of trouble at lambing. Skinny ewes will deliver weak lambs & provide subpar colostrum. Overfed ewes will struggle at delivery due to excessive fat around the pelvis & imbalanced hormones.

Determining the right balance is the key to a happy flock & successful shepherdess!

02/25/2026

It’s been a long month with a lot of unexpected travel. Not my preference in the last trimester, especially with weeks of sub-zero temps, but it placed focus on nutrition. Things I’ve done out of habit I had to write down so others could help me. I thought it might be helpful to share, but it’ll need a couple parts.

These are half of my ewes a few weeks ago when I came home exhausted & left a gate not fully latched. The cheeky, chunky things were waiting for me down the drive when I came back from getting groceries. Thankfully they didn’t even make me get out of the car! I love these girls! ♥️

Ewes require good nutrition to support the last stages of gestation, and to prepare for lactation.

In the last 40 days this becomes crucial! Up until then, fetal development stays on course without extra calories, but this period is key to strong lambs & safe deliveries. Trying to find the balance can be daunting. Too few calories & you risk ketosis & weak lambs, too many & you risk dystocia.

In the last 4-6 weeks, fetal development is secondary, as fetal growth takes center stage. 70% of growth happens in the last 4-6 weeks! The fetus is growing at a tremendous rate & ewes need plenty of energy/calories to support the rapid growth. This is especially true when the ewe is pregnant with multiples.

As a rule of thumb, adults need 2-3% of their body weight in roughage a day. I calculate 5 lbs a day for a 150 lb ewe. This allows for some waste. During winter, for most of us, this means hay.

This can get tricky. An important lesson: all hay is not created equal. Not only does type play a role, but age of the hay & what cutting also plays crucial roles in proper ewe support. Avoid old hay. Hay that wasn’t cut during the last growing season will have no vitamin E & will no longer contain the required nutrition.

As for cuttings- 1st cutting hay is good for maintenance animals, but it does not provide the energy required for pregnant ewes. 2nd & 3rd cutting grass hay is a much better option for late-gestation ewes. It contains less NDF (neutral detergent fiber) and more protein.

More on NDF, grain, alfalfa & BCS in the next post!

02/22/2026

Under 9 minutes & well worth watching! Whether you’re a large or small producer of US raised lamb, we’re all in this together. We grow in strength by helping to educate on & promote the sheep industry. Don’t hesitate to share with others, no matter the size of your flock, or what part of the country you’re shepherding in! 🐑

ALB Showcases New Film Celebrating Our Stories, Our Stewardship, and Our Future

At the 2025 American Sheep Industry Association’s Annual Convention in Reno last week, the American Lamb Board (ALB) debuted a new 8:30-minute film that puts you—America’s sheep producers—at the center of the story.

This new video, now hosted on ALB’s YouTube channel, showcases the diversity, resilience, and craftsmanship behind American Lamb, from the wide‑open west to innovative farm distilleries and leading restaurant kitchens. ALB will promote the film through media outreach and select film festivals to reach new audiences and grow demand for the lamb you raise.

“American sheep producers are doing incredible work every day—caring for their flocks, improving their land, and delivering a world‑class product,” said David Fisher, chairman of the American Lamb Board. “This film is about putting those stories on screen so consumers can see the craft, commitment, and community behind American Lamb. We want producers to feel proud of what they do, and we want consumers to understand that when they choose American Lamb, they are supporting families and farms in every region of this country.”

A Story Rooted in the Land and in Family
The film opens out west with multi-generational producer Peter John Camino and his family in Buffalo, Wyoming. Their story will feel familiar to many of you. As Peter says in the video, “Working with my family is great. I was taught how to work sheep. I turn around, and I’m teaching my sons and my grandkids how to work sheep.”

Their operation reflects what so many American sheep producers live every day: a way of life rooted in heritage, land stewardship, and a commitment to raising sheep with care and respect.

For producers like the Camino family, sheep are not just livestock—they are part of the family, and a foundation for passing on values of hard work, responsibility, and connection to the next generation.

Regenerative Partnerships: Sheep as a Tool for Healing the Land
The film then travels across the country to highlight how sheep are playing a powerful role in regenerative agriculture. At Maker’s Mark, a working farm distillery, 450 Katahdin sheep are a key part of a holistic, land‑first approach.

Through rotational grazing, sheep graze down cover crops, returning nutrients like nitrogen to the soil to build soil health and microbiome activity while supporting biodiversity.

Producer–partners at Maker’s Mark describe their philosophy simply: if they are not good stewards of the land today, they will not be making whiskey 200 years from now. Sheep are central to that long‑term vision.

For U.S. sheep producers, this segment underscores the message that sheep are one of the most versatile tools available for improving rangeland, pasture, and crop systems while also adding value through high‑quality lamb.

From Pasture to Plate: Chefs Championing American Lamb
The film then follows American Lamb from the pasture into the kitchen, showing how chefs bring their work to consumers’ plates.

At Maydan in Washington, D.C., Chef Rose Previte uses American Lamb to honor her Lebanese‑American heritage and the long tradition of lamb as a centerpiece for gatherings and celebrations. She shares how lamb was always the “special occasion food” in her family—from backyard barbecues to birthdays and holidays. At her restaurant, a signature lamb shoulder cooked low and slow, then finished over live fire, brings that heritage to life.

Chef Previte also highlights an important opportunity for producers and the entire supply chain: expanding the conversation beyond just the rack of lamb. Many consumers only recognize one or two premium cuts, but by showcasing a wider range of cuts, chefs can introduce guests to new flavors and more affordable options.

Your work matters to chefs, to diners, and to communities—and this film helps make that connection visible.

A Unified Message
Throughout the film, one theme ties every story together: American Lamb is about more than just great flavor. It is about the land, the people, and the care behind every bite.

From multi‑generation ranches in the west, to regenerative grazing systems in Kentucky, to live‑fire kitchens in Washington, D.C., the film shows how:

Sheep connect families and generations on farms and ranches across the country.

Sheep improve land health through carefully managed grazing.

American Lamb brings people together around the table, whether at home or in restaurants.

Each plate of American Lamb becomes a conversation between the land, the maker, and the moment—an opportunity to share the story of U.S. sheep producers with every consumer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBq3R7DeM1E

02/08/2026

Shearing Day Prep List 🐑

01/26/2026

This is me bundled up, before finding myself standing in -28 windchill, filling the water trough, thinking of a couple things shared in this community.

“I believe convenience has made us tired, broke, and disconnected…”

As someone who spent years with too much commuting & hurry, this hit home. Convenience props up the hurry, but at what cost? At the expense of what skills?

Where’s the grit in convenience? A pearl isn’t formed without grit.

shared a memory of her 5 daughters, age 6-16, helping a ewe deliver triplets on a cold night alone. Farm kids have grit, but feeling capable isn’t just good for kids, it’s something we all crave.

This is me, after peeling off my layers on that bitter cold day, after feeding the whole farm, wrestling with the electrical breakers to get the water heaters back on board, jumping the ATV to move the hay, & needing a pick axe far too many times- I was beat, my hair frozen solid, but with a smile because nothing stokes the fire of competency like cold weather! It’s hard, easy tasks become nearly impossible, & it can break me at times, but it leaves a gift behind; a reminder of my own capability.

We need a balance of modern convenience & resourcefulness. I’m not advocating for one over the other, but a balance is needed. Knowing where even a little bit of our food is raised- is a good start- that fosters community & a sense of self-reliance outside the framework of packaged convenience.

I wonder how in only a century, we’ve separated the vast majority of the population from producing their own food, & from the skills needed to do so? Producing & raising food is a sacred action. I never want to forget that, or that I’m capable of doing it. The alternative promises convenience, but as noted above, is it delivering the contentment & freedom it promises? Or leaving us tired, broke & disconnected? I think if we can break down each of those & trace them to a source- that’s a start ♥️ I spent a little time doing just that while watching cold hose water billow like steam.

01/21/2026

It’s well known that those big beautiful dogs you see in pictures of farms & ranches, dotting pastures & scaling mountainsides, are one of the most challenging aspects of raising livestock. Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) have lived & worked alongside humans for thousands of years, but don’t expect the customary master-canine relationship that most modern, domestic dogs offer.

Funny as it sounds, I refer to my LGDs as colleagues. We have a shared objective: keep the sheep safe. In this pursuit they work long hours under challenging conditions. They are loyal & faithful to a fault, but this can quickly shift to stubborn & belligerent if they feel the shepherd’s approach is wrong, or they decide they don’t wish to play along. This can be challenging. They can outweigh their humans.

LGDs have a wide variance of recall & many will blithely continue in the direction they’re headed with zero observance of commands. This can be an annoyance in wide open terrain, or terrifying if it’s near busy roads. I’ve worked really hard to teach mine to respect my recall. I tried many approaches, beguiling to stern, but it wasn’t achieved through repetition, or me being the authoritative ‘boss’. That would have pushed my LGD away. If he senses he’s being pushed, he can grow very stubborn.

So instead when I noticed that he appeared to like to walk on a leash because he was walking me… I went with it. I encouraged it, called him from across a field, & verbally supported the idea that he was calling the shots, & returning me to my job instead of vice versa. It may sound crazy, but it worked. We seldom have stand offs & his recall is strong.

This last time Quixote was ‘returning’ me to the pasture, I thought how effective this approach is in all areas of life: relationships, parenting, work.

How many times do we fall prey to having ‘to win the battle’, or ‘be in charge’, when in reality, shifting our perceptions to empower someone else, to allow more participation & input, with less pride & authority, can change the narrative & prioritize progress?