Sheep have been part of the experience at Blackberry Farm for the past several years but have been raised in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains since the turn of the last century. One old timer in West Millers Cove tells tale of the days before World War I when sheep were run from down in the cove to the balds, or non-wooded fields, high up in the mountains such as Gregory’s Bald, the path for which runs through the aptly named Sheep Pen Gap.
There are many classifications of sheep. At Blackberry Farm, two breeds were selected to create a cross ideally suited to this place. The flock is made up of predominately East Friesians, a breed that hails from northern Germany and Holland. They are renowned for their milk production and provide lamb and wool as well. The high volume of milk produced from East Friesians requires more forage than the other breed, the Suffolk sheep, which provide meat. The intention of crossing these two breeds then is to create a flock of sheep that efficiently produce the most milk possible from the pasture available here while maintaining optimum health within the flock.
