We don’t think Jerry Trupin, one of our stalwart Kendal residents, counts sheep when trying to get to sleep, however these particular animals seem to be on his mind. What many outsiders do not know is that Kendal adjoins the great Rockwood Hall Park. The managers don’t use pesticides to do away with the weeds. They use sheep! Thus, Jerry’s note to the KoH Resident website below.
“Susan Antenem, NYS Parks Dept Manager at Rockefeller Preserve, advises that the tunis sheep are gone from Rockwood Hall. They've been replaced by a flock that's a combination of Finn-Dorset and Shropshire breeds. Unlike the tunis which originally were bred in North Africa, the Finn-Dorset is a cross breed, half Finnsheep from Finland and half Dorsett from England. Dolly was a Finn Dorsett.
The Shropshire originated in, duh, England. (Think Shropshire Lad.)
Factoids: Dolly has four "siblings," Debbie, Denise, Dianna and Daisy. They're 9 years old, ending worries that cloning caused damage that shortened life. (Sheep have a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. Dolly lived only 6 and 1/2 years and showed evidence of arthritis at age 5. She also had shortened telomeres.)”
Your editor sheepishly admits that he did not know that. Thanks Jerry.