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eserving her age breeds on a sustainable farm

By A lene Benham Phot s by Dawn Marie Lamoureux-Crocker

Dawn Marie Lamoureux-Crocker wears many hats, from sheep farmer to soap maker, market gardener to educator, and she hopes to
weave all of these activities into a cohesive whole at Starboard Farm, located near Jasper Beach.

The farm is the only registered breeder of Olde English Babydoll sheep in Washington County and one of two in Maine. Ancestors of
today’s larger Southdowns, miniature Babydolls originated in the 1700s, but were almost extinct by the late 1980s, because they pro-
duce very little meat. Between 1986 and 1991, 350 sheep with original bloodlines were located and a registry was established with
genetic and conformation requirements.
“They’re wonderful little weeders,” Dawn said. “They love all the weeds any other sheep would turn up their nose at” without harm-
ing other vegetation, and they improve property and soil integrity through grazing and fertilizing. They can eliminate invasive weeds
“within a week or so,” and have even been used to clear powerline corridors. Their compact size – similar to a Labrador retriever –
makes them popular with 4H members.
With a master’s degree in Environmental Science focusing on the environmental impact and management of farming practices, Dawn’s
dream is to build a permaculture homestead she can retire on. For a small acreage, “Babydolls really fit the bill.” She began with two
sheep; today there are two rams and nine ewes, the maximum capacity for the six acres. Five to eight lambs are born each year, generally
sold to hand-spinners and people interested in specialty wool or preservation of the breed. Last year for the first time some were sold
as 4H show sheep to a buyer who drove all the way from Pennsylvania.

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