For the past ten years, LoveTree Farmstead has been developing a cross breeding program aimed at creating a hardy dairy sheep for northern Wisconsin. We firmly believe that the only way a dairy sheepfarmer will economically survive the harsh climate of this region, is to raise a tough, naturally hardy sheep that can thrive on a grass based program while producing high butterfat milk . This region has a very tight window of opportunity for raising grain crops, but grasses grow here abundantly and easily...a perfect match for dairy sheep production. Dairy sheep operations that are managed in a predator friendly manner, such as here at LoveTree, dovetail beautifully with the preservation of our north woods and local environment.

The Trade Lake Sheep have been selected over the past decade for their unique hardiness and their ability to produce the highest quality milk without any grain supplementation. Their "grass conversion" ability is what enables us here at LoveTree Farmstead Cheese to bring you the pure and sweet flavors of the Trade Lake Valley flora through our cheeses.

We feel that in order to help save the small family farms of northern Wisconsin , our sheep breeding program should be extended to include "satellite" flocks in neighboring farms that also want to pursue the special "Trade Lake Sheep". Interested small farms are joining our breeding scheme and are also raising the "Trade Lake Sheep" as part of a co operative effort to establish this breed for our Northern Wisconsin region. These "sister farms" will then supply LoveTree with high quality sheep milk and cheeses that have also been produced in an environmentally friendly manner.

Our goal over the next ten years is to secure a sustainable dairy sheep industry for northern Wisconsin and in doing such, help to prevent the ongoing erosian of the small family farm and the north woods of Wisconsin.

We want to thank you for your interest in our efforts...and we will keep you posted on the progression of our "project"!

Dave and Mary