Parry Bay Sheep Farm is a mixed farm that has been operating for more than 40 years in the Metchosin area. We also lease pasture land throughout the region, so our sheep can be seen grazing in the Highlands, on the Saanich Peninsula and in View Royal. We provide pasture-based lamb year round to many fine butcher shops and restaurants in Victoria.

We strive to farm in a sensible and sustainable way. We use manures as much as possible for nutrient on our fields, and rotate crops for maximum soil health. It has been great fun to continually experiment with different farming methods, including heritage grains, forage cover crops and no-till seeding.

Our hay is in much demand as feed for horses, and selling hay helps us make use of April and May’s excess growth of grass.

We chose sheep farming because we really like animals. Farm animals can have a great life if they are not confined closely and are given the opportunity to express themselves. In other words, if you let a pig be a pig and a sheep be a sheep and a chicken be a chicken they are happy. We pride ourselves on our humane treatment of our animals and the fact that they are naturally raised.

Our 300 ewes roam on pasture for ten months of the year, and are moved frequently to manage the grass growth. They are bred in the fall and come home to be fed hay and grain in early December. Around Christmas time they are moved into the barn and sheared, and stay there until after their lambs are up and vigorous, and then they are moved back onto pasture again towards the end of February. People come from far and wide to drive through Metchosin’s countryside in March to see the young lambs on the fields.

The farm has been an exciting, challenging adventure for our whole family, and has been embraced by the community as well. We thank you for supporting our dream and all the great things that a local farm can provide. We hope it will be a part of Metchosin for many years to come. Please ask for Parry Bay Lamb at your favourite butcher shop or restaurant. Local, humanely raised, pasture based. We encourrage you to follow Parry Bay Farm Market, too, on FaceBook for news about our Saturday on-farm market

About the Farmers

What do people do with university degrees in Bacteriology and Musicology? They farm, of course! John and Lorraine have been farming in Metchosin since the early 80’s. Their five children have grown up on the farm and have contributed greatly to its success, helping raise bottle lambs, hauling hay, building fences, driving trucks and tractors and doing the many other things farm kids do. John is a retired registered nurse and his off-farm interests include playing cricket with Cowichan XL Cricket Club and also with his former team mates from Albion Cricket Club. In addition to being a farmer, Lorraine teaches piano and African marimba and performs with Chikoro, a Victoria-based marimba band.