Hampshire down

Today we visited La Constancia, a farm about 4 hours away from Buenos Aires. Roberto, the owner and operator gave us a nice tour of his small farm which mostly produces registered Hampshire sheep for shows and breeding stock. He is the third generation operating this farm; which was established by his great grand-father an Italian descendant in 1911. A few years later, in 1919 they built the clay house they still live in today.

After a short introduction to the farm, we were seated for a typical Argentinian meal of bread, salamis and cheese, salad, pork cooked on asado (what we were refer to BBQ but the taste of the wood used really comes through), and then dessert. The food and hospitality here in Argentina is incredible!

An example of the meats and cheese appetizer plate we were served 

Roberto has about 60 hectares of land which adds up to about 150 acres. On this limited land, about 15 hectares are devoted to pasture for the sheep and the rest is cropland. He mostly raises corn to feed his flock but he also raises some soybeans to keep a rotation. The pasture consists of alfalfa as well as some volunteer brome and other grasses. This is able to feed about 30 sheep per hectare of pastured land.

Some of the yearling hampshire rams grazing the alfalfa. 

Roberto´s sheep do very well in the 15 shows he attends throughout Argentina and he tries to send his best animals to the Paleramo Show, because that is the most prestigious show in the region. Roberto sells about 80% of his sheep privately right on his farm but he also sells some at shows, as they can bring a lot more money there. 

Submitted by Paul Sitter.