Pitt Island Wild Sheep originate from Saxony Merinos, sent to Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands in 1841 by Baron von Alsdorf. They have been thriving in this challenging environment, untouched by man, since then.
Pitt Island is as far away from crowded cities as you can get. It is the most Southern and Eastern inhabited island in the World.
Banks Peninsula is a very similar New Zealand mainland environment to Pitt Island.
STORY
Established in 2018, Wyld Lamb is a family owned brand, that values ethics, sustainability, taste and quality.
Roger Beattie was living on the Chatham Islands for 17 years and spent 18 months on Pitt Island, culling Pitt Island Wild Sheep (PIWS), and became enamoured by this wild and free breed of sheep as a consequence. When he returned to New Zealand, he bought 8 ewes and 2 rams with him and continued to purchase more and more PIWS when he could.
Roger and wife Nicki now have 2,500 PIWS on Banks Peninsula and continue to allow these wild sheep to breed through Natural Selection. Roger believes that no one can identify the best selection of sheep to breed from so he deselects the worst before the breeding season, leaving the mating choice to the sheep. Just like any wild animal.
Nicki was a medical doctor but became disillusioned by western medicine with its over use of antibiotics and trend towards protocol medical practices. The love of the outdoors along with the natural holistic approach to farming encouraged her to stop general medical practice. The need for farming for your health is a calling.
“Doctors and farmers should work together to achieve healthy customers and patients. ”
