Flying Mule Farm

Flying Mule Farm is a diversified family farm that provides wholesome, sustainably produced food and fiber to our community. Working in partnership with our animals and with the natural world, we also support other farmers who share our vision of sustainable agriculture.

A partnership between the Macon Family and Roger Ingram, our small-scale commercial flock grazes on foothill rangelands and irrigated pastures near Auburn, California.   We focus on public and sheep producer education and the demonstration of grass-based production practices.  Specifically, we are committed to the following:

• Development of a genetic base designed to optimize a low-input grass-based production (with little or no supplemental feed inputs).
• Production of flavorful and tender grass-fed lamb.
• Production of a high-quality wool clip.
• Development of a grazing and nutrition management system that will result in a weaned lamb crop of 150+ percent.
• Development of a record-keeping and management system designed to optimize maternal characteristics (lambing ease, lamb vigor, mothering ability) in a pasture-based system.
• Demonstration of forage management, husbandry, business management and marketing systems for small-scale, direct-market sheep producers.
• Use and demonstration of low-stress stockmanship techniques and handling systems.
• Use and demonstration of guardian and stock dogs in a small-farm flock.
• Use and demonstration of water-efficient irrigation technology for foothill ranchers.
• Use and demonstration of nonlethal predator management systems.
• Public outreach on a variety of topics, including meat and fiber production, targeted grazing, stockmanship and predator control.
• Support for other local sheep producers.

Photo Credit: Sarah Lillegard