The Old Chatham Sheepherding Company of Old Chatham, N.Y., has been certified by the American Humane Association’s farm animal-welfare program. American Humane Certified is the nation’s original farm animal welfare label.

Old Chatham is the long-time dream of Tom Clark, who won a county fair blue ribbon with three sheep when he was 11 years old. He went on to a business career, but always wanted to have his own sheep operation. Eventually, Clark, with his wife, Nancy, bought farmland in the mid-1990s.

Click To Enlarge

The Clarks originally intended the farm as a sheep’s meat operation, but a friend introduced the Clarks to East Friesian lambs, a northern European breed that produces milk products. Tom manages the business and Nancy is a licensed cheesemaker and develops new products.

“The love and dedication we give to our sheep and our farm is evident in the taste and quality of our products,” says Clark. “We are proud to be American Humane Certified.” Old Chatham’s farmstead cheeses, except Camembert, will carry the American Humane Certified label. The farm also produces yogurt.

Producers certified through the American Humane Certified program must ensure that their animals have ready access to fresh water, a nutritious diet and medical care. Producers also must provide their animals with a comfortable environment that limits stress and enables them to freely express their normal behaviors.

Sheep’s milk products are unique and limited. They have an excellent flavor and are higher in calcium, protein, vitamins and zinc than cow’s milk. They are more easily digested than cow’s milk and they are low in sugar. There are very few producers of sheep’s milk products in the U.S. Old Chatham is the largest sheep dairy farm in the U.S.

Old Chatham’s products are sold at Whole Foods and Wegmans Food Markets and are available in many specialty stores nationwide. They can be ordered directly from the farm’s website, www.blacksheepcheese.com, and found at the self-serve store at the farm Tours of the farm are available.