GMD visits Brittingham Farms, meets Charlie the sheep
MILLSBORO, Del. – Over at Brittingham Farms in Millsboro, a sheep named Charlie recently got some special attention after being featured in the Christmas edition of Victoria magazine. Although Charlie got much of the spotlight, we’re also shedding some light on his owner’s passion for preserving his unique heritage breed on their lavender and lambs farm.
The Leicester Longwool heritage breed sheep was originally brought to America by George Washington. “He wrote about them often in their journals and kept them at Mt. Vernon but he loved this curly thick very durable warm wool,” says Laura Brittingham, one of the farm owners. “Very docile, very gentle, sweet as they can be, and we just love increasing the numbers for the livestock conservancy.”
These sheep, however, are now considered a threatened species, but the Brittinghams are part of the efforts to change that becoming one of only a hundred breeders still in the country to have them. “Our flock specifically is mainly used for wool and we have yarn here in the store and we have dryer balls we tell their story and preserve their heritage that way.”
Brittingham Farms has been owned by the same family for four generations, inching closer to the Century Farm award. Sheep, lamb, and lavender; it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort to maintain the wildlife, the plants, and the farm. “We just really wanted to preserve the farmland and be good stewards of the land, and just keep it current, so that we can instill the love of farming in our children so they want to take it over and not sell and develop it,” says Brittingham.
The Brittinghams are the first generation to open the farm to the public. While originally a corn-soybean and briefly a poultry farm, Brittingham says they wanted to get creative to stay viable. “We did open the store and the farm to the public to allow families who aren’t used to farm life to get an opportunity to come and sit on the front porch and look at the lavender field and experience what it means to live on a working farm.”
We’re told, this decision has changed the trajectory of the farm while also staying true to their roots. “Both for my husband and I, farming is just in our blood,” says Brittingham. “We’re still honoring all the hard work and dedication that went into it generations ago too. You’re working towards something that is not really for you, it’s for your kids and your grandkids, that’s the most satisfying part of it.”
As for Charlie, the two-year-old sheep is enjoying the spotlight all while being a wooly ambassador for his breed, and a staple for this family farm. “So we were very excited that he got some national coverage in the last issue of Victoria magazine so it was an honor.” Brittingham adds, “It makes you feel good when you wake up in the morning knowing that you’re preserving something for the next generation.”
To learn more about the farm, visit their website or check them out on Instagram and Facebook.
