URIAH A. KISER / Stafford County Sun
Published: March 19, 2008

The Adams' have been raising rare breeds of livestock on their Hartwood property in southern Stafford County for the past seven years. The most prominent breed they have is their Hog Island Sheep. The sheep, nearly 40 of them, are so rare that less than 200 exist across the country, according to Jeff Adams.

"This is not a meat breed or a wool breed. We raise them up to protect the species," said Jeff. "These sheep provide only Chevrolet-like meat, not Cadillac meat like some other Angus species provide. The same goes for their wool."

Hog Island, the place these sheep got their name, is located along Virginia's Eastern Shore near the mouth of the James River. The British established the unique breed of sheep 200 years ago, according to the Hog Island Sheep Association.

The animals, which were all removed from the island in the 1970s, were popular during the colonial period. Hog Island Sheep can still be found today at Mount Vernon, to illustrate the type of sheep George Washington had on his plantation, according to the sheep association's Web site.

The Adams say they have loaned two of their rams to Mount Vernon in an effort to diversify the sheep's breeding gene pool there. Diversity, they say, is the reason they raise the rare sheep.

"Everyone wants to be green and do something for the planet, so I though why not take it one step further and preserve a domestic breed-" said Virginia Adams.

Jeff Adams said they keep all of newborn ewes for breeding. As for the rams, only the strongest ones are kept to maintain the strong gene structure. With the final exception of the ones who are removed from the farm for scientific research, the rest of the males are sent to slaughter.

"Small pox, for example, was a real problem during George Washington's time, now diseases like small pox and polio have been for the most part wiped out, said Jeff Adams. "If we can take genetic samples of these sheep now, freeze them, and save them, we might be able to wipe out any diseases that may come along later to harm these sheep."

Adams said he is working with out-of-state agencies that will take semen samples from the rams, and cryogenically store them in the event the Hog Island Sheep develop a genetic defect. This process, he said, will be useful if it becomes necessary to repopulate the species in the future.

Business and science aside, the couple said that instead of buying a new sports car or sailing off to some far-away destination, their "mid-life crisis" is choosing to stay and live on a farm and "protect" these rare breeds of livestock.

In addition to the sheep, the couple also raises two other rare agricultural breeds. American Devon Cattle, originally brought over from England by the pilgrims during the 17th century, has seen a worldwide population decrease to only 600- 800 cattle in the species, according to Jeff Adams.

The Tamworth pig, another import from early 19th-century England, is another rare and endangered species of livestock the couple cares for on their Stafford County farm.

"I'm a city kid. I did not grow up on a farm, so I guess I'll keep doing this as long as I can, as long as I feel young, and these little sheep, they make you feel young," said Virginia Adams.

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