Live, Laugh, Lamb
The lambing has begun at Wooly Bully Sheep Ranch. That’s fancy farm lingo for lambs being born. Lots of lambs. Right now, this shear paradise in West End has about 50 lambs hopping around, but by the end of the season, they’ll have around 80. These lambs are being raised as non-GMO meat for true farm to table. Farmers Robert Spivey, Sue Stovall and Pete Muhly all tend to the farm together. They have kept the operation fairly small until this year, but now they’re ready to ram(p) it up.
Robert laughs that he retired only to pick up a 24/7 gig as a farmer. “It’s a lifestyle, not a job,” says Sue. Sue formerly ran Paradox Farm Creamery with products made from goats, and after closing that operation shifted her focus to sheep with the Wooly Bully gang. Pete has shifted from management consulting to farming, taking his business knowledge into the operation with him.
Until what Robert calls “the one bad day,” the animals roam open pastures. Thanks to livestock guardian dogs, the only critters that wander into their fences are peacocks and goats that also live on the property.
Sheep are flock animals so they enjoy the companionship of other sheepies. They usually come into the world as singles or pairs, with triplets being a rare but the ranch has already had one set this year.
“At the end of the day it’s that satisfaction that you’ve done something of purpose and you feel really connected to nature,” says Sue. “It’s fulfilling, you know you’ve taken care of these animals and then they’re going to take care of and sustain us,” adds Robert. Wooly Bully sells to restaurants like Ashten’s as well as farmers markets and some restaurants in the Triangle and Fayetteville.
Within the year, Wooly Bully Sheep Ranch is set to become one of the five largest sheep operations in the state. Robert is currently working with Three Rivers Land Trust to ensure his land remains protected from development, a place he’s spent countless hours clearing by hand. Robert hopes more small farms realize the importance of working together, especially with the rising costs for small farmers. “If you don’t work together, you die together,” he says.
Purchase Wooly Bully lamb at the James Creek Cider House farmers market in April or directly from the ranch via email. For more photos, follow the farm on Facebook.
