Category: Uncategorized

Arriola Sunshine Farm Recognized by Holistic Management International

We have been practicing Holistic Management® since the early 1990’s and are a designated learning site for Holistic Management International.

In 2024 we were recognized by Holistic Management International as an outstanding demonstration site. With careful management of grazing use of animal impact we have increased soil organic matter from 1.7% to 4% and higher and thus our productivity has more than doubled over the last 25 years from about 2 tons per acre to over 4 tons per acre.  Our pastures are a well balanced salad bowl mix of orchard grass, brome grass, alfalfa and a variety of herbs.  Soil respiration and biology are high.  Contact us for more information. 

Arriola Sunshine Farm Holistic Management Demonstration Site
Arriola Sunshine Farm an Outstanding Holistic Management International Demonstration Site

 

 

 

 

Increase in Productivity at Arriola Sunshine Farm – not that these figures are approximate.

 

Dung beetles in day old manure – a sign of soil health.

Navajo-Churro Lambs Available Fall 2024

Navajo Churro Lambs
Navajo Churro Lambs
Navajo Churro Lambs

We are currently offering our  2024 lambs for sale.  We have both breeding quality and butcher lambs available. Please contact using our form, the pop up this page, or message us on Instagram and Facebook  if you are interested in reserving and purchasing our lambs.

This marks our 20th year breeding Navajo-Churro Sheep.  Our entire flock is registered with Navajo Churro Sheep Association and most of our sheep have long pedigrees reaching as far back as the first sheep registered in 1980’s.

Navajo Churro Lambs grazing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newborn Warming Up in the Sun on a Frosty Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ArS Chloe with lambs

 

 

 

 

 


Nap Time – ArS Smokey Blues lambs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Raise Champion Navajo-Churro Sheep & Wool

We have been breeding and conserving Navajo-Churro Sheep since 2004.  These sheep are considered critically endangered by The Livestock Conservancy.  We work hard to instill as sense of stewardship for this amazing breed in the people we provide breeding quality sheep to.  Contact for more information.

JJ's Best Boy (Mr. BB)

JJ’s Best Boy (Mr. BB) Reserve grand champion Ram

Best of Show Navajo Churro Wool
JJ’s Best Boy (Mr. BB) also took Best of Show on his wool in 2019 at Sheep is Life Celebration.

 

ArS Pretty Girl, First Place Yearling ewe N-CSA 2018
ArS Shiela took Best of Show at the 2018 N-CSA Wool Show
ArS JJ Iberoson took Grand Champion Ram at N-CSA 2018 Wool Show.

 

ArS Moon Lady took Reserve Grand Champion at the 2018 N-CSA Wool Show
JJ Best of Show - Navajo Churro
Miss JJ won 2012 NCSA Best of Show

 

ArS Snowy Girl took Best of Show at the 2016 N-CSA Annual Sheep Show

 

 

Attend the Navajo-Churro Sheep Assoc. Annual Celebration

September 20-23rd 2018
Cortez Colorado

Enjoy learning about fiber arts & crafts, watch Navajo-Churro sheep and wool shows, visit vendors booths, hearing speakers, and great food and more.  Contact us to request program and travel details. 
Click here to contact us for program and travel details ‎

Thursday September 20th
10 am to 5 pm: Participate in our all day “Spin-Off” featuring fiber arts and crafts including weaving, felting, spinning, dying, carding and other aspects of wool. Bring your own project or learn from hands-on demonstrations provided by Dine Be Iina, Navajo Lifeways and other fiber arts enthusiasts. Learn about Navajo and Hispanic perspectives and history relation to sheep.

7 pm to 9 pm: Learn about Navajo-Churro Sheep. Dr. Lyle McNeal, Carnegie Professor, Livestock & Range Specialist at College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences, Utah State University. As founder of the Navajo Sheep Project he will speak about the significance of Navajo-Churro Sheep as a land race and his 40 years of experience in helping save this breed from extinction.

Friday September 21st – Daytime
9:00 am Doors open. Vendors and information booths open all day. 9:30am Understanding the N-CSA Database & Registry

10:30 am “Weavings of the Four Corners: From Cotton to Wool.” Travel through time with Navajo fiber artist Zefren Anderson of Zefren M-Weavings, as he explores the history of fiber use in our region.

1:00 pm Juried Navajo-Churro Fleece Show and Clinic. First, second and third place awards for each class , plus champion ram and ewe and best of show awards. E-mail for details.

3:00 pm   Mini-workshops, demonstrations, and round-table discussions. Shop vendors booths &the N-CSA Silent Auction.

Evening Dinner and Keynote Speaker Friday September 21st

5:30 pm enjoy dinner featuring Navajo-Churro Lamb. YOU MUST RSVP. Cost is $15 per plate for adults, $8.00 for children. Pay at door.  Contact us to RSVP.

7:00 pm KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. Alison Martin PhD, Executive Director of the Livestock Breeds Conservancy, will discuss the work of her organization and significance conserving endangered livestock breeds.
Anyone interested in heritage horses, poultry, rabbits, sheep, goats, cattle & pigs will enjoy this presentation. 

Saturday September 22nd
7:30 am Membership breakfast and meeting. RSVP for breakfast ($5)

9:00 am   Vendors and information booths open all day. 9:30am

9:00 am Dr. Allison Alison Martin, Executive Director of Livestock Breeds Conservancy will present on Genetics and Breeding Practices for livestock conservation with focus on sheep.

12: 00 – 3:00 pm   Enjoy watching our Juried Navajo-Churro Sheep Show. First, second and third place awards for each class , plus champion ram and ewe and best of show awards. E-mail for details.

3:00 pm   The N-CSA general silent auction ends. You must be present.3:30 pm   Sheep Registration Clinic. Breeders will have sheep inspected. Everyone will learn about breed characteristics and qualities.

5:00 pm Closing comments. Vendors booths close.

Sunday Sept. 23rd—Enjoy an Open Gate farm tour.
Learn about Holistic Management Grazing planning, irrigation mgt., soil health, grass fed beef and lamb production, and more. Contact us to register. Fee of $25 includes lunch.‎

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

No “Snow Days” for Sheep Producers

Feeding Sheep in Snow

Ranching is a 24/7 job.   Most family farmers and ranchers are dependent on their own labor and that usually means there are no “snow days”.   Livestock must always be tended to no matter what else is happening.  The vast majority of Americans are 3 or more generations removed from the rigors of farm life.  Yet they are dependent on farmers and ranchers to supply safe, healthy, affordable food.  Here we are feeding the sheep, on time, in a mid February blizzard.

Our next lamb crop is due in April.  Feeding our Navajo-Churro ewes on time and with the correct amounts  is essential to healthy lamb development. Especially in the third trimester where most of the growth happens and thus the greatest demand on the ewe’s resources.

 

Grass Fed Navajo-Churro Lamb in Durango CO

Lamb Chops

We are currently taking orders for our 2018 grass fed lambs.  We have a processing date is March 28th at Sunnyside Meats in Durango Colorado.  WE DO NOT SHIP MEAT.  

We will reserve your lamb on a first come, first serve basis.  Please let us know if you are interested in reserving a lamb by using our contact form.  We look forward to hearing from you soon. As of January 26, 2018 we have 4 lambs left. 

We sell by live weight. Live weights this year will range from 90 to 120 pounds. We will send you a final invoice one week prior to processing.  Unless otherwise arranged you will be responsible for paying processing fees to Sunnyside Meats and picking your meat up in Durango CO.

We are pleased to be working with consumers who are interested in supporting local agriculture and local heritage breeds. Our animals are grass fed and have access to pasture. They are not fed any grain, antibiotics or hormones in their diet. Our sheep are treated humanely and receive appropriate medical care when needed. In 2017 we helped get 5 new producers started with our breeding stock.  This includes donating breeding stock to Navajo youth.