Animal Care Program
Hopewell Furnace’s Farm Animal Program has included draft horses, steers and sheep in recent years. Currently there are two Red Devon steers representing draft animals at the park. In the past there have been draft horses, which have been retired off premises due to age. Sheep have been another signature farm animal at Hopewell Furnace, representing fiber and meat sources for the residents of the village during its occupation when the furnace was in operation. The annual shearing of the winter fleece of Hopewell sheep has been commonly scheduled around Mother’s Day and has been a widely enjoyed event at the Park. The Park is rotating the sheep population and plans to have new young Leicester Longwool sheep at pasture in the Spring of 2026. In addition to the draft animals and sheep, the Park has recently added heritage breed chickens as another farm animal that provided past occupants of the village with food.
The animals are housed in pens (chickens) and graze in the pastures (steer and sheep). The barn serves as a place of shelter within the village and the sheep will often move on their own into the barnyard and open bay to feed and water, and find some shelter during hot or cold weather. A run in shed has been built in the pasture near the tenant houses to provide additional free access shelter for the animals. The configuration of the park’s pastures provides several fields for grazeing along the headwaters of the French Creek between the village and the state highway
The Park staff tend to the care of the animals and their physical habitat, including the pastures and structures. Although the steers and the sheep feed primarily on the forage from the pastures, supplemental feed and nutrients are provided to the sheep from time to time. Feed is also provided for the chickens. Seeding of white clover in the pastures will be performed to enhance nutritional value, providing nitrogen from legumes for the grazing animals. Erosion of a pathway between the eastern pasture and the barn will be repaired to allow for transit by the sheep and Park staff for access to the pastures.
The funds raised by the Friends of Hopewell Furnace will be go directly towards returning sheep to the park along with addressing needs identified for the continued management of the park’s farm program. Key expenditures will include:
- Relocation of sheep to Ross Farm (June 10 2025).
- Purchase and delivery of approx. 6 new Leicester Longwool sheep (Spring-Summer 2026).
- Purchase of clover seed for pasture enhancement.
- Repairs will be made to erosion in path between the east pasture and barn, including rental of equipment and purchase of supplies for work to be performed by Park staff.
- Purchase of materials as needed for rehabilitation of chicken coop, purchase of chickens and feed supplies.
- Payment for veternary checkups for animals as needed, wormer, shearing services and expenses.
Please consider a donation to the Friends Animal Care Fund. Designation of funds for the Animal Care Fund will be placed in a restricted fund used tor support of the purchase and care of animals including their veternary care, shearing, supplemental feeds and maintenance of their habitat as needs are identified by the Park staff.