Visitors flock to North Star Sheep Farm by Leah Hoenen

Noah Hallward-Rough, 9, of Saco helps bottle feed a lamb at North Star Sheep Farm in Windham. On Saturday, March 30, farm owners Phil and Lisa Webster opened their doors to visitors, welcoming them to tour several barns and to take part in question-and-answer sessions, covering all aspects of raising sheep on both large and small scales. Many of the visitors who took advantage of the open house are participants in Emerging Maine Sheep Entrepreneurs program, an effort of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Sheep Breeders Association, offering 30 months of educational opportunities to those who want to become shepherds or expand their sheep-farming businesses. Farm visitors who own or plan to develop their own flocks took advantage of the time to tour North Star’s facilities and quiz the experts on good husbandry. Learn more about the Websters’ farm online at www.nsfarms.com. Cooperative Extension is online at extension.umaine.edu or umaine.edu/cumberland.