Originally from Oklahoma, I met my husband, Daniel—a proud Michigan native—while working. For 27 wonderful years, we built a life together as he served in the United States Marine Corps. It was an honor to be part of a military family, but like all great chapters, that one eventually came to a close. In 2016, we began exploring what our next adventure might look like.
Having grown up on a small farm raising show sheep, I always had a passion for agriculture. Daniel, whose grandparents had a small dairy farm, has always loved animals. With that shared background, we decided to pursue sheep farming—but with a twist.
In 2018, we began researching profitable, sustainable ways to raise sheep, eventually discovering solar grazing. In 2019, we joined the American Solar Grazing Association and chose Old English Southdowns—commonly known as Babydolls—as our main breed. By 2020, we purchased our first pair of sheep, and I began refreshing my knowledge while helping Daniel learn how to care for them. Though he was still serving in the Marine Corps, we knew a move was unlikely, and we began working with neighbors to learn about rotational grazing and fencing techniques.
In February 2022, we relocated to Wisconsin—sheep and all, now up to seven—and fully embraced our new path. In 2023, we secured our first grazing contract with Appleton International Airport, helping manage invasive Phragmites at their Casaloma Conservancy. We’ve returned to graze Casaloma every year since.
That same year, we began selling our Babydoll sheep locally, along with market lambs. In 2024, both Daniel and I joined the Town of Center Fire Department as volunteer firefighters, giving back to the community that welcomed us so warmly.
Today, we work with counties, municipalities, and private landowners to graze everything from overgrown yards to invasive plant species in hard-to-reach areas. Our journey has been anything but traditional—but it’s been deeply rewarding.