Article that appeared in the june/july issue of the "City Center Scoop", a newsletter of the MOMS Food Co-op in Cambridge, Minnesota.
Ellen Bokde became a MOMS Food Co-op owner in 2007, shortly after moving to Stanchfield. A former Colorado resident, Ellen raises Icelandic and Black Welsch Mountain Sheep.
In the midst of a long drought, Ellen's well in Colorado ran dry and she decided to return to Minnesota. Her land in Colorado was too dry to raise grass, requiring her to purchase hay to feed her sheep all year long. Here in Minnesota, she can raise her own hay, and her sheep graze on grass during the spring and summer months. Moving in Janury was difficult. Her friends helped transport her sheep and dogs, but storms prevented the moving trucks from getting to her Colorado house to move her household goods for two months, so Ellen camped out in her new house until her furniture and belongings arrived.
Ellen's business is named El Pergamino, and she operates out of her Stanchfield farm. Ellen became interested in sheep when she worked at a yarn shop in Colorado. The yarn shop handled fleece, leading Ellen to attend the Taos Wool Festival, a well known gathering of folks who work with fiber, fleece, and sheep, as well as llamas, goats, etc. "After the festival, I started thinking it would be fun to keep a few Icelandic sheep, so I got a few wethers (neutrered rams)" commented Ellen, who now has a flock of sheep, with two Great Pyrenees dogs and two llamas to guard the flock. Although Ellen took lessons in spinning, she likes the animal end of business best. Her sheep produce fleeces (the sheared coat), and Ellen sells fleeces, roving (wool prepared for spinning, having been washed and carded) and yarns.
Icelandic sheep, known for their fiber with a range of colors, are a triple purpose breed, - good for meat, fiber and milk, although Ellen does not sell her animals for meat. Black Welsch Mountain sheep are a centuries old breed producing meat and fiber. With the spring lambing season, there were many twins lambs (lots of rams) and even a set of triplets.Ellen also keeps sled dogs, many of them rescue dogs. Some of the dogs have had abusive owners in hte past, and are a bit shy around newcomers. Her dogs have a well-kept compound with separate housing areas (most dogs share with one or two companions) and a big run, with their own special time to romp in the run without having to worry about challenges from the other dogs.
Ellen leaned about the MOMS Food Co-op from the local newspaper, and started shopping at the co-op. She wanted natural and organic food, and decided to becmoe an owner, believeing the whole co-op idea was a good thing. Ellen likes that the co-op is a nice place to shop, attractive, and very friendly. She hopes the co-op will again carry whole chickens, and Mosewood frozen dinners.