It’s not every day ‘ewe’ get a chance to be up close and personal with hundreds of adorable lambs.
But that’s exactly what happens on weekends at OVINO Farm and Dairy, located on 25 Sideroad just outside Acton. The large facility is providing tours at no cost on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Those who come by will get to visit the lambs in the nursery. After that, you can view (through large glass doors) a rotary milking parlour where up to 1,000 ewes can be milked per hour, and the milk processing facility where artisan cheese, yogurt and more are made on site.
“We don’t charge for the tours because we’re interested in educating people about sheep, sheep milk and sheep milk products,” said Jay Akras, OVINO’s business development manager. “We would rather make it accessible to everyone.”
Samples of sheep milk, yogurt and cheese are included on the tours, which Akras said he hopes to continue running throughout the summer.
The farm is a family affair, with Akras working alongside brother Frank, and their father serving as a partner in the business.
They got their sheep farm start in Campbellville eight years ago, going on to purchase and move to the 165-acre Acton property in 2018, where they spent years constructing a sizable red barn that has become a landmark of sorts at the edge of town.
The impressive structure is currently home to around 700 sheep, with room to grow up to approximately 1,700 in the future.
When the sheep are about seven months old, they're naturally bred and can give birth when they’re one year old.
“It’s pretty accelerated because sheep can only live for 12 to 15 years,” noted Akras.
Hay grown around the barn is harvested to feed the sheep, and their manure is used to fertilize the land.
Visitors will be interested to see that many processes in the barn are automated. Even the sheep feed is dispensed from a machine that travels on a track across the ceiling.
This year’s tour theme is ‘Discover Sheep Milk’ - something that holds extra meaning for the lactose-intolerant Akras brothers.
“I couldn’t consume any cow milk products, and that really bothered me,” said Akras, who noted he tried many alternatives, like goat milk and plant-based beverages.
“In the end I found sheep milk to be the best,” he said. “It’s the most nutritious naturally without being fortified. It’s very high in protein naturally. It also has a sweet, creamy flavour.”
Akras said he loves hearing stories from parents about how their children who can’t drink cow milk are enjoying the sheep milk alternative.
“It definitely fills a niche in the market,” he added.
OVINO’s milk is pasteurized and bottled on site. The milk is also used to produce kefir, yogurt and a variety of cheeses.
The farm’s products are sold locally at Acton No Frills. They’re also available at stores throughout the GTA and British Columbia.
Those who wish to take a tour are asked to register under the 'Events' tab on OVINO’s Facebook page.
For further details about the farm, visit https://www.ovino.ca/.
