Sunovis Ranch

🐑 Calling all Indiana shepherds!

We’re happy to share information about The Indiana Flock Exchange, a new educational workshop series hosted by the Indiana Sheep Association and Purdue Extension.

The workshops will feature:
✅ FAMACHA training
✅ Sheep health updates
✅ Indiana Board of Animal Health presentations
✅ Experienced producer panels
✅ Dinner and networking with fellow shepherds

We’re always grateful for opportunities to learn from others and strengthen Indiana’s sheep community.

Take a look at the flyer for dates and locations—we hope to see many of our fellow shepherds there!

Lambing season has officially come to an end at Sunovis Ranch, and while we're a little sad to say goodbye to "peak cuteness" for another year, we're incredibly grateful for another healthy and successful season. 💚🐑

This year's lamb crop surprised us in a fun way: **22 ewe lambs and just 10 ram lambs**—meaning nearly **70% of our lambs were female!**

Was it luck? Maybe.

Or... could it have something to do with a change we made to our breeding schedule?

Paul has been digging into the numbers, comparing our flock records over the past four years with published research on sheep birth s*x ratios. We certainly aren't claiming we've solved the mystery, but it's been fascinating to watch the pattern emerge—and we'll definitely be paying close attention in the years ahead.

One of the things we love most about farming is that you're always learning. Every season teaches you something new.

And of course, every season also gives you adorable little faces like this one. ❤️

Check out this month's blog to read more about what we observed, why it matters, and what questions we're asking next: https://www.sunovisranch.com/2026/06/29/nearly-70-female-lambs-what-happened-when-we-moved-breeding-one-month-later/

Nearly 70% Female Lambs: What Happened When We Moved Breeding One Month Later? - Sunovis Ranch - Solar Grazing Experts There's a bittersweet feeling around the Ranch this time of year. Lambing season has officially come to an end, which means checking expectant ewes, welcoming new lambs into the world, and watching them take their first wobbly steps are behind us. It also means we've reached what we affectionately c...

What a wonderful day at Sunovis Ranch! 🌱🐑

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming an incredible group of young professionals from the Resilient Indiana: Technical Assistance for SWCDs (RITA) program for a full day of learning, discussion, and professional development.

We spent the day exploring sheep management, solar grazing, agrivoltaics, renewable energy, soil health, and conservation—but we also spent time talking about something equally important: leadership.

One of our goals was to help these future conservation professionals think not only about the technical side of their work, but also about the relationships, communication skills, and leadership they'll need throughout their careers.

We came away incredibly impressed.

This group was curious, engaged, thoughtful, and eager to learn. Knowing they'll soon be serving communities across Indiana leaves us feeling hopeful about the future of conservation.

Thank you, RITA, for spending the day with us! It was truly an honor to host you, and we hope it's the first of many visits to Sunovis Ranch!

🐑☀️🌿

Yesterday was a a truly exceptional day here at Sunovis Ranch! We LOVED getting to host the Resilient Indiana: Technical Assistance for SWCDs group for a great day of learning and professional development! We had such a great time! 🐑😀

This spring has been BUSY here at the Ranch! 🌱

Earlier this month, Dana Bowen Cummings and Paul Cummings had the opportunity to spend the day in beautiful Madison, Indiana, presenting about solar grazing through the R-STEP program—and what a wonderful experience it was. ☀️🐑

We are very grateful for the invitation, the warm welcome, and the opportunity to be part of such thoughtful conversations around agrivoltaics, agriculture, and rural communities.

One of our favorite parts of this work is getting to connect with people across the great Hoosier state. And truly—what a gorgeous setting for it all. We always enjoy any excuse to spend time in Madison! 😀

Thank you again for having us!

It’s lamb time here on the Ranch! 🐑🥰

We’re grateful to see agrivoltaics and solar grazing continuing to be part of important conversations across Indiana. ☀️🐑

Last week, Dana Bowen Cummings and Paul Cummings had the opportunity to participate in the IU Center for Rural Engagement Conference in beautiful French Lick, where discussions focused on how agriculture and renewable energy can work together—not against one another.

At Sunovis Ranch, we believe deeply in the potential of agrivoltaics to help support working lands, rural communities, and the future of agriculture in our state. It was encouraging to see so much thoughtful engagement around these topics and exciting to be included in the conversation.

Thank you to WFIU Public Radio for highlighting this growing work and to everyone helping move these conversations forward.

📰 Read the story here: https://www.ipm.org/news/2026-05-19/conference-highlights-ways-farmers-can-use-land-for-both-solar-and-agriculture

Conference highlights ways farmers can use land for both solar and agriculture Presenters showed how they manage vegetation and raise sheep around a solar development on their land.

Sunovis Ranch was very proud to be among the excellent line-up of speakers at this week’s conference!

🐑 May 16, 2026! 🐑

Today brought one of our favorite signs of spring at Sunovis Ranch… the first lambs of the season have arrived! 🐑🌱

One thing that surprises people sometimes is that we don’t lamb in the winter like many traditional sheep operations. For 4-H families, winter lambing often makes sense because lambs need time to grow before fair season rolls around.

At the Ranch, though, we have different goals. We choose to lamb in the spring so it lines up naturally with the return of fresh forage, greener pastures, and warmer weather for both the ewes and babies. It’s a slower, more natural rhythm—and one we’ve really come to appreciate. 🥰

There’s something pretty special about watching new life arrive out in the pasture on a spring day! 💚