How it all began

The origin of Midwest Mini Sheep began with a clear goal that proved challenging to realize right away. From the very start, our heart was set on raising Ouessant sheep. Because these rare, tiny sheep were incredibly difficult to locate, we began our journey in 2023 with hair sheep instead, using that time to build our initial experience with livestock management.

Our direction shifted significantly when we discovered the Soay breed. Their compact size and unique, primitive appeal caught our attention, prompting a transition away from the original hair sheep and closer to our goal of raising smaller-stature livestock.

Even with the Soay established on the farm, we never lost sight of our original ambition. Sourcing the Ouessant proved to be a test of patience, taking well over a year of searching. When we finally secured our first Ouessant sheep, they exceeded all expectations, winning us over immediately with their charming personalities, tiny stature, and exceptional friendliness.

The foundation of our Ouessant flock came together rapidly during the summer of 2025 when we brought home seven seven-eighths fraction ewes. Shortly after their arrival, finding a ram shifted our plans into high gear. To optimize our genetic foundations, we traded two of our original seven-eighths ewes for two seven-eighths rams, and expanded our lines further by purchasing two additional seven-eighths ewes from Texas.

Securing those rams changed everything. We fell so deeply in love with the breed that we knew we wanted to go completely all-in. Our mission shifted from simply owning them to actively working to increase their population across the United States, making it easier for other farms to bring these amazing animals home without facing the grueling search we endured.

Driven by this new purpose, we immediately launched an intensive upbreeding program that very same season. We bred our new rams to our Soay ewes, but knowing we wanted to make a larger impact, we also purchased twenty-eight Shetland ewes to include in the breeding program simultaneously. What started as a search for an elusive breed has grown into a structured, passionate effort to preserve, protect, and expand the presence of high-quality miniature and heritage sheep in America.