LIMERICK — First came the Icelandic sheep, and then the Icelandic sheep dogs. There are a handful of Icelandic chickens, some Pygora goats ”“ which are a cross between pygmy and angora goats ”“ and one llama, towering above them all.
All of the animals were on display Sunday for Open Farm Day at Frelsi Farm on Watson Hill Road, where Elaine Clark and Dave Patterson farm upwards of 80 sheep, a handful of goats and a flock of chickens. They sell wool, yarn and horns, as well as lamb and chicken from 12 rock-strewn pastured acres on their 70-acre parcel.
They came to the property in 1980, and most of it then was woodlot. In fact, most still is, except for the 12 acres of pasture, dotted with rocks left ages ago, from when glaciers passed through.
Frelsi Farm is one of upwards of a dozen farms in York County that opened its gates on Sunday for Open Farm Day, when Maine’s family farms are celebrated.
The first thing to be noticed after the small trek up the winding driveway to Frelsi Farm are the dogs, all wiggly and all barking ”“ and 11 dogs barking produces quite a racket. But it’s not an “I’m going to bite you” bark; it’s a “Hi, how are ya?” bark. The dogs wiggled their way up the path beside visitors, most looking for a pat, past the big barn where most of the sheep were spending part of the summer morning.
Why sheep, or more specifically, why Icelandic sheep?
“I didn’t think I wanted sheep until I saw a picture of a white ewe in the old ”˜Raising Sheep the Modern Way’ magazine,” said Clark. “There was something about her ”¦”
So Clark met the woman who first brought Icelandic sheep to the United States, and later, the woman who brought them first to North America ”“ and the rest is history.
Clark and Patterson are now in their 18th year of farming sheep, and of course, with sheep come sheep dogs. Besides 11 adult dogs, which are part of the farm, there are six puppies for sale.
“We both have day jobs so we can afford to have a sheep farm,” said Patterson, he as a machinist and she as a registered nurse.
Why 11 dogs? Well, it just sort of happened, Patterson said. You get one, and then that one needs company and so on.
The llama stood stock-still inside the barn among the sheep, as if watching for predators. There were a few chickens there, but most stayed out of sight in a small field above the vegetable garden, ringed with flowers and herbs like dill and basil.
Clark had a table with examples of wool in all stages, from freshly shorn and washed wool to skeins she’s spun and dyed herself. They were readying the grill for lamb burgers and other farm-produced treats.
Two visitors, Todd and Marcia Yocum, hail from Indiana and came to Maine on vacation. The two are llama farmers, keeping a herd of 20 llamas for the local 4-H program, which Marcia directs. They heard about Open Farm Day and decided to investigate.
“I raised sheep when I was little,” said Marcia Yocum as she eagerly snapped photos of the Icelandic sheep.
Todd Yocum smiled at the thought that as farmers themselves, they were visiting farms while on vacation.
“We came to Maine to eat lobster and go kayaking,” said Yocum, and they will, but on Sunday, they were on the farm ”“ and planned to visit five more before the day was done.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, Ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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