Our ANIMALS
The animals at Hestia Field are an integral part in all that we do.
Creating a self-sustaining ecosystem requires biodiversity – and our sheep, cows, and burros bring just that (along with a few other things!). By choosing animals that graze, Hestia Field is able to strengthen our pastures by ensuring that root systems stay in the ground to feed the soil microbes. Additionally, our animals choose to eat different things and in turn cycle different nutrients through their systems. As we utilize these nutrients in our compost, all parts of our land and soil are well-fed.
And now, meet the animals who call Hestia Field home!
The SHEEP
The sheep at Hestia Field are a familiar sight to many in our neighborhood.
Torbin, our Finnish Landrace, and Lily and Ivy, our Babydoll Southdowns, have had a presence at Hestia Field for almost ten years. We increased our flock in 2020 with the arrival of four CVM sheep from Texas: Clownie, Wheezie, Abby, and Swirl. After the lambing season in 2021, we were excited to welcome Esther and Clove to the mix. In 2022, we brought two handsome CVM rams, Julio and Edison, from Illinois to Colorado. Between these eleven sheep, there’s a lot of fluffiness and baa-ing to be had in our pastures.
The sheep are sheared yearly, and their wool is carded into roving or spun into yarn. We’re proud to offer Hestia Field roving and yarn that is soft, easily workable for fiber arts, and completely natural.
We’re proud to offer Hestia Field yarn and roving that is soft, easily workable for fiber arts
...and completely natural.
The Cows
It is not lost on us that the cows at Hestia Field are one of the most popular attractions.
With their prominent horns and shaggy coats, these Scottish Highlands cattle are sometimes mistaken by passerby for yaks. Freya and Goldie were brought from a farm in Buena Vista, CO, to our urban farm, which was quite a change in environment.
These two gals have distinct and undeniable personalities. Freya is a spicy, strong lady who’s always ready to stomp a hoof or toss a horn. Goldie, on the other hand, brings a gentle energy to the field. She captivated our hearts from the beginning and quietly takes in the world from behind her long bangs.
We are thankful for all that our cows bring to Hestia Field and are honored to share our home with them.
the Burros
In our search for a livestock guardian animal, we decided a donkey might be a good fit – they could develop some connection to the lambs and calves born in the Spring, as well as keep a watchful eye on a flock of chickens, easily preyed upon by coyotes and foxes. We adopted our first burro, Aunt Jane, through the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program. Aunt Jane, along with many other burros, was relocated from land in Arizona due to a critical lack of food and resources.
Used to the warm weather, she arrived at Hestia Field Farm minutes before we were buried under 18” of snow in March of 2021. To complicate matters, she was also very pregnant and very uninterested in the company of humans. We were told to wait until after she foaled, and her demeanor might shift after the new baby arrived. Days turned to weeks turned to months, and it was late July before we saw any sign of our newest burro companion. Unbeknownst to us, burros can delay birth until they feel ready – it took four months after we thought her baby was imminent for her to bring little Watch into our Circle.
Named after two characters in the Boxcar Children mystery book series, Aunt Jane and Watch bring joy and connection to Hestia Field. Their loud brays, soft eyes, and expressive ears have pulled us in – with our pockets full of carrots, we’re slowly working on handling and training these two. And while we’re building trust with Aunt Jane, it is suspected that she might run for the hills if confronted by a fox. Her role as a guardian animal for chickens, calves, and lambs may no longer be part of the plan, but we know that both she and Watch have other jobs to do here at Hestia Field Farm.