Tamarack Farm is located on a ridgetop in Corinth, Vermont. This land is a remnant of an old hill-farm and includes sunny south and west facing slopes with excellent forage growing potential. In addition to being productive, it's a beautiful place, providing inspiration for the work that needs to be done. Since the flock was moved to the land in 2009, projects have included clearing the old hedgerows, rebuilding abandoned stone walls, brush hogging slopes that have grown to shrubs and brush, building a barn, and installing fencing and watering systems. With good grazing and fertilizing, the fields are now productive and growing a nice mix of forage plants for the sheep to eat.
After raising a few pigs on a rented farm in 1920, Ben’s great grandfather Eddy Liddell and his wife Nealie jumped into farming by buying a small farm with a large tamarack swamp in Greenwich, NY. They began their farming life with two purebred Tunis lambs and soon added Ayrshire dairy cows. Through two succeeding generations the Tunis flock grew, won many awards at local fairs, and provided thousands of lambs for market.
Affectionately known as "the redheads" for their unique reddish-brown faces, the Tunis are a multi-purpose, medium-sized, cream colored sheep with pendulous ears and a calm way about them. Tunis is one of the oldest American livestock breeds, dating to the 1700s when a handful of sheep were introduced from Africa and were mixed with other breeds until a distinct new American breed was developed. Since the breed’s inception, the meat has been in high demand in the finer eating establishments of the eastern US, where its mild, sweet flavor and tenderness have always been appreciated.