How big is your farm?
Wellscroft Farm is roughly 300 acres of forests and pastures in Southwestern NH. We have about 200 Dorset-cross ewes and 50 Boer goats on our farm which we also pasture in fields throughout the town of Chesham. We have four Border Collies to help with the sheep and then there are always some chickens and ducks around. We also have guard llamas for the flocks. In the summer we usually raise a few pigs!

Where does the name Wellscroft come from?
The name Wellscroft was formed from two parts: 'Wells' and 'croft.' Wells is a family name that goes back many generations and 'croft' is an old Scottish word meaning 'a small farm.'

Can I come visit the farm?
We do allow the public to come see the farm, however we ask that you please call ahead so that we can be sure that someone will be available to assist you. The best thing to do is schedule a visit with us, we would be happy to show you around. NOTE: We do not usually put on dog demonstrations for visitors simply because we are usually busy during the day. However, occasionally we will put on demonstrations for school groups.

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Where can I see your dog demonstrations?
For a complete listing of where and when we will be doing dog demonstrations, please see the Demonstration Dates page.

Do you train other people's Border Collies?
At this time, we do not train other people's Border Collies. If you purchase a Border Collie pup from us, one training session with the dog is included as well as some advice about raising a young dog if you are inexperienced.

Do Border Collies make good pets?
By themselves, no. Border Collies are such work intensive animals that they ALWAYS need something to do. Having a Border Collie simply because it is smart or beautiful is the WRONG reason to get one! We strongly discourage people from getting a Border Collie as a pet because they are just not bred for that purpose. Anyone that has gotten a Border Collie as a pet will usually tell you that it turned into a disaster (chasing cars, herding children, etc...). So, if you are thinking about getting a Border Collie, make sure that you either have livestock of some kind or that you do agility or flyball.

I can't keep my Border Collie any longer, what should I do?
If you have found that owning a Border Collie is a bit more than you can handle, there are a few things you can try. There is a Border Collie rescue league that will sometimes take your dog for you and place it in a home. You may also be able to place it in a farm, trial, or agility situation.

My Border Collie is a lot of work, can you help?
It's like having another child around the house isn't it? Well, perhaps the best way to go about disciplining your dog is to treat it as you might a child. You need to first make sure that you have formed a trusting relationship with the dog before you start to discipline it. Also, because Border Collies are such strong willed dogs, you need to make sure that they understand that you are boss and that 'what you say, goes'! If you let a Border Collie get away with something once, then they will think they can always get away with it. We could go on for pages about how to get your dog in better control, but many others already have. That's why you might be interested in visiting our training page for list of books and resources on the breed and how to train them.

When should I start to work my Border Collie?
There's no exact time when you should start to work your Border Collie with livestock. However, there are some rules of thumb that might help you. One of the most important things to remember is not to put your dog in a working situation too early. Young dogs have not yet developed their 'eye' and therefore working situations could result in injury to the dog. It is possible that a dog can be ruined for life if put in with livestock before it is ready. For this reason, we recommend that you watch for when it begins to show signs of instinct. At that point it is generally safe to begin to introduce your dog to working 'dog broke' livestock. The time at which this happens varies for every dog, but on average occurs between six and twelve months of age.

What do you feed your dogs?
We feed our dogs a high energy kibble to support their very active lives. The food is generally free choice so they can eat whenever they are hungry. Occasionally if they're lucky, they might get some leftovers from our dinner.

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Can I get sheep from you?
We do sell market lambs for those interested. For more detailed information, see the Market Lambs page.

What type of sheep do you have?
Our sheep are a commercial dorset-cross. We have chosen this cross for out of season breeding, good milking, fast growing 'hot house' lambs, and good quality wool. Please note that one third of our ewes are colored which we have selected for their recessive black gene. We use naturally colored wool in our blankets.

I love lamb, can I purchase some from you?
Yes, we do sell freezer lamb, but limit it to those within a forty mile radius of Wellscroft Farm. We usually provide lamb twice a year. We sell either a whole or a half lamb only. For more information and a cut-up chart, please go to our Freezer Lamb page.

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