The Team
Meet the Minds Behind Pure Valais.
Pure Valais is among the first to import purebred embryos into North America. The subsequent embryo transfer resulted in the largest crop of purebred Valais Blacknose lambs in the country in 2021. This work continues with the largest purebred embryo implantation program in North America which took place in the fall of 2021. Spring 2022 has been exciting as more lambs have made their debut, doubling the numbers at Pure Valais!
Martin & Joy Dally
Super Sire Ltd & Shepherds Lane
Martin & Joy Dally of Super Sire Ltd and Shepherds Lane of Oregon have been importing ovine genetics for use throughout the US for decades and have built an awarding winning, USDA Export Certified flock of rare longwool sheep. Martin brings his lifetime career experience as an animal reproduction specialist and from a decades long career as manager of the Hopland Field Station at The University of California, Davis to Pure Valais.
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Founder
Martin’s family history is steeped in the California ranching tradition. The 2000 head of commercial sheep his family owned provided him with the knowledge base he built his career upon. He has been managing and showing sheep since his youth. For many years his passion was Merinos and the production of fine wool. He has served on various breed association boards over the years and at present serves on the ASI Genetics Committee. Although the face of the land is much changed in the Dixon area, portions of the home place are still retained within the Dally family as agricultural land.
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Founder
Joy also comes from a rich agricultural background, although with a much different perspective. Being raised on a hillside family farm in Western New York provided the basis for firm land values and animal husbandry skills that shape the ranching property that the Dallys have created at Shepherds Lane of Oregon. Her love of fiber and the sheep that produce it fuel the passion that is needed to create and maintain the flock they shepherd today.
Ken & Nan Leaman
Wild Rose Farm & Penn Cove Veterinary Clinic
Ken & Nan Leaman of Wild Rose Farm and Penn Cove Veterinary Clinic are a husband and wife team that have accumulated 40 years of veterinary experience and shepherding. Ken is a highly skilled veterinarian and Nan is renowned as a textile artist. Invaluable knowledge that serves Pure Valais.
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Founder
Ken has been practicing veterinary medicine for over 40 years — both large and small animals. Especially with his extensive large animal experience, he is essential with caring for the flock. Having ready access to medicines when they are needed, which is actually not that often, is priceless. He does the veterinary work and a lot of the behind the scenes day in and day out animal care and maintenance of the farm. Beyond being a veterinarian, however, is just being observant. One gets to be able to read them. What's normal - what’s abnormal. Especially enjoyable is lambing season and helping ewes and lambs thrive. Lambing, although involving long days and nights, never gets old.
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Founder
Nan is a fiber artist, dyer and designer who works with natural fibers including wool from the farm’s sheep. Starting out many years ago as a spinner and weaver, Nan currently produces unique, one of a kind, hand dyed wearables and art pieces using a variety of surface design techniques. When not in the studio and surrounding gardens, she is all in and passionate about these long wool breeds of sheep, their beauty, fiber and character. Studying their family lines to ensure genetic diversity and therefore hardiness gives her great satisfaction.