Much Work, Much Heart: How Lambs Grow Up on a Farm - From Classroom to Pasture: A Shepherd's Life with 950 Ewes

Martina Jensen once worked as an early childhood educator but now spends her days as a full-time shepherd. Since 2022, she has cared for around 950 ewes on her family farm in Schleswig-Holstein. This region is known for its high sheep density, ranking as Germany's third-largest sheep area.

Lambing season keeps Jensen busy, with each ewe giving birth to roughly 1.8 lambs. Across Schleswig-Holstein, this results in around 320,000 lambs born within just a few weeks. She ensures no ewe nurses more than two lambs at once, so extras are either bottle-fed by hand or raised using an automated feeding machine.

Jensen believes every lamb deserves proper care and invests significant time in bottle-fed ones. She describes sheep as intelligent animals, capable of recognising their own kind and even forming bonds with humans. The finest ewe lambs are kept for breeding, while male lambs and other females are sold. Despite the eventual slaughter of her lambs, Jensen focuses on giving them a good life. She runs the farm alongside her family, with extra help from seasonal workers and her mother during the busiest periods.

Jensen's approach balances practical farming with a deep respect for her animals. Her farm contributes to Schleswig-Holstein's status as a key sheep-breeding region. The lambs raised here will either join the breeding flock or enter the market, ensuring the cycle continues each season.