How Heritage Sheep Are Healing a Maine Farm

April 22, 2026

When Melissa Schneider left LA for rural Maine, she didn't plan on becoming a shepherdess. But at Casa Portal, she found a rare herd of Navajo-Churro sheep, a heritage breed with deep roots in Diné culture that nearly disappeared in the 1970s. Now, these resilient animals are at the heart of her regenerative farm, moving across depleted land and slowly bringing it back to life. Learn how this heritage breeds fits naturally into a regenerative system in this story about patience, observation, and learning to work with the land instead of against it.

Happy Grazing,

The Modern Farmer Team

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What do sheep, regeneration of Maine farmland, and centuries-old traditions have to do with one another? Quite a bit, when it comes to Melissa Schneider, shepherd and landowner of Casa Portal. Along with herding and sustainable land management, Melissa is one of many women farmers who are staking their place.