Greenup teen starts her own lamb farm

Lee Ward, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·2 min read
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Mar. 24—GREENUP — Working at McDonald's and on babysitting gigs are often providers of mad money for teens.

Not for Laynee Loan.

The 19-year-old used her pay from those jobs to start a business: LJ Show Lambs.

Her love of raising lambs dates to her childhood. She said her sister and brother showed lambs and when she got older, she wanted to do it, too. It grew into something she loves.

"One year me and Mom decided to take it a little more serious and be more competitive and I fell so in love with it," said Loan, daughter of Amanda Greene and J.B. Loan. "I decided to see what I can do with that."

Her first lambs were born on Jan. 24 — her own birthday. Now, she has 22 lambs and will sell them at her farm at 15407 Ky. 7 in Greenup. Cost depends on quality of the lamb, but prices will range from $400 to $600.

It's not a whim for the Morehead State University student. She won last year's Greenup County Fair, was grand champion at the Tollesboro Fair, and at the Kentucky State Fair last year, two lambs placed first in their class — one second and another one third. Her knowledge comes from Future Farmers of America in high school and showing lambs through 4-H. As an MSU student, she is still involved with her high school FFA group and belongs to the college version, the Collegiate Farm Bureau.

While Loan is in school, her mother works as a ranch hand, feeding and taking care of the flock.

"She's more than a ranch hand," Loan said. "She helps out a whole bunch, she feeds and takes care of them."

Other tasks involving lamb care include giving shots and understanding the genetics to figure out proper breeding matches.

Loan, who studies agriculture in college, said she plans to continue raising lambs, hoping to improve the quality of the animals over time. She's hoping to find a career in agriculture that will allow her to continue raising lambs while working a job, but she's not planning to expand into other kinds of livestock.

"I don't think I'd try to raise other animals," she said. "I'm pretty content with my lambs."

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com