In April 2017, youth farmer Charles O’Boyle wrote and submitted an essay for the Youth Conservationist Program. This program awards Heritage Breeds Yearling Ewe Lambs to 4-H members throughout the country. The 4-H members selected to receive a yearling ewe lamb, write essays on what the heritage breeds mean and how they can help preserve those breeds of our fore-fathers for future generations. Charles was awarded in May, a Bluefaced Leicester Ewe lamb named Kimmie. He has showed her in the Allegany County Fair in 2017. As part of the project, he bred her this past fall. She had twin lambs born this February.
Charles is a 4-H member of Allegany County’s Mountain and Valley club, Livestock Judging member and Livestock Skill-a-thon participant. He has shown livestock at the Allegany County Fair for the last 5 years. He resides on a small family farmette outside Cumberland, MD. Charles is also a Boy Scout from Troop 9.
Kimmie is a Bluefaced Leicester who was donated by Meredith Myers Null from Mount Airy, MD. Bluefaced Leicesters are known for their wool quality. They are a longwool breed of sheep with a very distinct Roman nose. The skin for these are blue with white lustre wool. There are some that are a natural colored wool. They have no wool on their legs and head. These sheep came from Leicestershire hence giving them their name. Kimmie is a white colored lamb. She has given birth to a white colored and a natural colored lambs.
Charles plans to show Kimmie and her lambs (yet to be named) at the 2018 Allegany County Fair and at the 2018 Maryland State Fair. He is excited to be starting his Bluefaced Leicester herd. For more information on the Youth Conservationist Program contact Elaine Ashcraft at 740-622-1573 or Charles at afrye2016@yahoo.com. For more information on the Bluefaced Leicester Lambs you may contact either Charles or see the Bluefaced Leicester Union’s website http://www.bflsheep.com.