Ideas for Incorporating Sheep

Americans use an estimated 600 million gallons of gasoline each year for mowing their lawns. The emissions from running lawnmowers contribute to climate change, and they could be entirely avoided by switching to a “biological form” of lawn management. Imagine a machine that can harvest plant and grass growth, mix it in a fermentation chamber, and deposit it back on the yard in a form that increases the fertility and organic carbon content of the soil. This machine would be completely “solar-powered” and could reproduce itself without any external inputs. 

Instead of ending up in a landfill, at the end of its useful life, it could be turned into clothing and edible products, or sold for a profit. Is such a machine too good to be true?

In case you haven’t caught the sarcasm, sheep and other ruminants are the “machines” described above. Ruminants are mammals that can gather their nutrients from plant-based foods (mostly grasses). They have specialized stomachs that allow for fermentation to occur before digestion, thus allowing them to survive on plants that humans cannot use. While cows might be too large for homeowners with limited acreage to maintain, sheep are an excellent option for small-scale homesteads.

A small investment in sheep-proof fencing around your yard and a small shelter is all that is needed to raise sheep in a suburban setting. The savings from having to mow your lawn (especially if you contract this service) would quickly pay back the initial investment. Rotational grazing methods can allow you to turn your yard from an agrochemical-dependent, carbon-emitting monoculture into a thriving grassland that captures carbon creates pollinator habitat, and offers you a grilled rack of lamb a couple of times a year.

Purchasing a couple of bales of hay from a local farmer and some supplemental feed is all you need to “overwinter” a couple of sheep when snow is covering your lawn. Sheep are relatively quiet animals that will not bother your neighbors.

Raising the farm animals that we sang about during our childhood education is a fun and practical way to care for our soils while sustainably increasing our food autonomy.