NewsShady Hill Farms, Ltd. named the 2011 Polled Dorset Breeder Excellence winner
The Dorset Breeder Excellence program was established in 2008 by the CDC to recognize Dorset breeders who have excelled in their breeding programs, by producing sheep that meet their marketing needs, while also promoting and educating about the Dorset breed in the purebred sheep industry.
Ben Calkins, owner and operator of Shady Hill Farms, Ltd., started breeding Polled Dorsets in 1964 when he was given a ewe by his parents. She was bred by Milton D. Cole of South Wales, New York. That ewe, ‘Susan,’ was the start of Calkins’ lifelong love affair with Polled Dorset sheep. Today, he concentrates on productive, predictable and profitable sheep at his farm in Newbury, Ohio.
Over the years, Calkins has been involved in almost every aspect of the sheep industry. His Polled Dorset flock produced the Co-National Champion Futurity Ewe several years ago and, under the guidance of Craig and Kendra Fleck, produced sheep that won seven classes at NAILE that same year, including Junior Champion Ram with ‘Rolex.’
A lifetime of sheep farming is a lifetime of self discovery, which Calkins realizes requires a very hands on approach to sheep farming and the need to produce productive, predictable and profitable Polled Dorsets, not just show ring winners. Today, Shady Hill Farms, Ltd. produces both frame-type and wether-type Polled Dorsets, insisting on the productivity, predictability and profitability in all of his sheep.
Calkins acquired top sheep from many of the nation’s leading breeders, including Cole, Lauren F. Allen, Warren Brannon, Cornell University, Wade Brothers, Van Bair Farm, Penn State University, Riverwood Farms, Martin Bros., Rader’s White Oak Dorsets, Haven Point Dorsets and Bradford Farms. Following the acquisition of these outstanding genetics, the flock is was closed, sorted and culled heavily to maintain the highest quality standards continued today.
Calkins feels fortunate to have access to what he believes are the very best genetics available in both types of Polled Dorsets. ‘Ironic,’ the Reserve Champion Dorset Ram at the 2008 Midwest Stud Ram Sale, raised by Peters and owned with Jeremy Bradford, is the featured stud in the frame flock, backed up by Haven Point’s ‘RRebound’ and a homebred son of ‘Cash’ that is the most massive ram Shady Hill Farms, Ltd. has ever owned.
Half of the total wether-type flock features the Martin 0200 Prime Time ram and his double bred grandson, ‘Vance,’ owned with Chad Heisdorffer.
Along the way, Calkins has developed both a meat business and an heirloom quality, 100% virgin woolen blanket business, both operated as the Great American Lamb Company.
Calkins feels blessed to have grown up breeding Polled Dorsets and to have given his four children the same opportunity. He greatly appreciates his many sheep industry friends, which have been instrumental to his continuous role in the industry.
In recent years, Shady Hill Farms, Ltd. has retained their best lambs each year and sells the lambs they didn’t retain primarily through Great American Lamb Company. By Fall 2011, however, Ben intends to once again start sharing the Shady Hill Farms, Ltd. gene pool, primarily through private treaty sales.-------------------------------------------------
A Salute to PrimeTime
Was he the most influential/dominant Polled Dorset wether sire of all time? Time will tell. Click to view the success highlights of this proven sire.
Congratulations Haley Calkins!
A special congratulations to 14-year-old Haley Calkins who won the following prizes at the Geauga County Fair: Grand Champion Lamb, Junior Show; Grand Champion Lamb, Open Show; Grand Champion Pen of Two, Open Show; Grand Champion Ewe, Junior Show; Grand Champion Polled Dorset Ram and Ewe. Haley's Grand Champion Lamb sold to Preston for a record $2,900.