Much Work, Much Heart: How Lambs Grow Up on a Farm - From classroom to pasture: A shepherd's life in modern farming

Martina Jensen swapped her career as an early childhood educator for life as a full-time shepherd in 2022. Today, she manages a flock of around 950 ewes on her family farm in Schleswig-Holstein. The operation relies on both modern technology and traditional hands-on care to raise healthy sheep.

The Jensen farm is a family-run business, with Martina working alongside her father and seasonal helpers. During lambing season, her mother also joins in, as each ewe gives birth to an average of 1.8 lambs. This time of year keeps the team busy, with careful attention given to both mothers and newborns.

Jensen prefers to let first-time mothers bond naturally with their lambs, intervening only when necessary. For lambs needing extra support—whether weak or motherless—she steps in with bottle-feeding. A modern feeding machine, equipped with tracking chips, ensures each lamb receives the right amount of milk.

Not all lambs stay on the farm. The best female lambs are kept for breeding to maintain the flock's quality, while all male lambs are sold. Jensen takes pride in giving every lamb a fair start, whether destined for breeding or market.

She also speaks highly of the animals' intelligence, noting how they form strong relationships with each other and with humans. Her approach blends practical farming with a deep respect for the sheep's well-being.

The Jensens' farm contributes to Schleswig-Holstein's sheep industry, where around 25,000 to 30,000 animals are sold for slaughter each year. Major buyers include slaughterhouses like Westfleisch in Verden and Tönnies in Rendsburg, as well as local processors in Nordfriesland and Dithmarschen. For Martina, the work is both a livelihood and a labour of care.