Farm Saves Rare Breeds From Extinction

Before the barn doors swung open at Kelmscott Farm, there were only four Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs in the United States.

Since then, the pigs and other rare livestock breeds have made a comeback, thanks to a place that combines conservation, genetics and Old MacDonald’s farm--with the emphasis on old.

Most of the 200 animals found at Kelmscott Farm are breeds that flourished centuries ago but became nearly extinct as farmers forsook them for breeds that produce more meat, milk, fiber or eggs at a faster rate.

Set on a hillside in rural midcoast Maine, Kelmscott Farm is far removed from the jungles or rain forests often associated with endangered species. And there is nothing exotic about lop-eared pigs slurping water from their troughs and scratching their pink and black-spotted flanks against their pens.

But owner Robyn Metcalfe says the swine, along with other barnyard breeds, deserve protection precisely because they are so commonplace.

“These are domesticated animals, we brought them into domestication, and we’re in charge of whether they survive,” she said.

Metcalfe and her husband, Robert, founder of 3Com Corp., purchased the 150-acre farm in 1993 and established the nonprofit Kelmscott Rare Breeds Foundation two years later.

Patterning their efforts on the rare breed parks in England in the 1970s, the Metcalfes began collecting rare breeds from all over the United States and the United Kingdom. After establishing a core of about 10 species, they opened the farm to schoolchildren year-round and to the general public for four days a week during the summer.

The couple and their staff of six try to strike a balance between providing a fun environment and getting their message across.

“In 1997, in order to educate, you have to entertain a little bit,” Robyn Metcalfe said. “But we don’t want to be Disneyland.”

Visitors to the farm are allowed to see the sights at their own pace. They can meander along with ducks and geese through the neat rows of apple trees in the farm’s orchard or head down the hill to the piggery.

Next to the Metcalfes’ home is a large cedar-shingled horse barn, home to Pete the Shire Horse and Teddy, a Dartmoor pony.

Five breeds of rare sheep, dwarf Nigerian goats and Kerry cattle can be found in the livestock barn and in the pasture. A poultry barn and a wool shed/gift shop/museum round out the tour.

The farm’s theme is heavy on history, but Metcalfe says the farm looks to the future as well.

Breeding rare livestock ensures that genetic lines do not become extinct, she said. Rare breeds contain the gene pool that modern breeds are derived from, making them important resources as farmers deal with changing soil conditions, pest invasions and new diseases.

“We have selected a very few breeds to provide us with our food supply,” she said. “If anything ever happened to any of them, you’d need to get back to these breeds. These animals are warehouses for genetic vitality.”

The Metcalfes hope that public funding will take some of the financial burden off them as the farm expands. Restoring rare breeds is not a moneymaker, Metcalfe said, but the family takes pride in knowing their efforts are helping.

The farm’s Cotswold sheep, for example, are among the 1,500 now found in the United States. More than 1,000 live in the United Kingdom, up from just a single flock in the 1960s.

“Extinction happens quickly and dramatically,” she said. “The whole point is to not get so close to the brink.”

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Rare Breeds

Examples of rare livestock breeds found at Kelmscott Farm:

Cotswold sheep: With a history reaching back 2,000 years, these long-wool sheep provided Roman soldiers in Britain with woolen uniforms. They arrived in the United States in the mid-1880s and are now considered rare worldwide.

Nigerian dwarf goats: Standing just 16-20 inches tall, these miniature dairy goats provide 1-1 1/2 quarts of milk daily. They arrived in the United States from West Africa in the early 1900s.

Shire horses: These mammoth horses descend from the medieval Great Horses of England, which carried knights and their hundreds of pounds of armor into battle. Only 250 exist in the United States, 7,000 worldwide.

Dartmoor ponies: They originated in the rocky moorlands of England in the 11th century. Only 200 remain in the United States and about 5,000 worldwide.

Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs: The oldest pedigree spotted pig in the world, these pigs are now considered critically rare. There are 50 adult breeding Old Spots pigs in the United States, up from four in 1996.

Source: Kelmscott Rare Breeds Foundation / Associated Press