Cloud Cap Valais
The Flock
Cloud Cap Valais is our flock of Valais Blacknose sheep — breeding stock and pasture companions raised with intentional care, handled daily, and bred for structural excellence and temperament.
Available Now
How Reservations WorkListings are powered by Northlight, our livestock platform — view all available animals there.
Our Philosophy
We focus on structure, fleece quality, and temperament. The Valais Blacknose is known as the "cutest sheep in the world" — but beyond their striking appearance, they must be structurally sound and vigorously healthy.
By rotating pastures on a hillside therapy farm and exposing our flock to regular handling, trailer travel, and diverse terrain, we raise sheep that are confident, friendly, and resilient.
The foundation of any superior breeding program rests on its genetics. This year we welcomed new stock carrying the lines of North Kilduff George and Deepdale Horatio, alongside genetics brand new to the U.S. from the renowned Gemstone Flock of Cornwall, England — the first animals Gemstone has exported to the States, much of their breeding tracing straight back to the original Swiss imports to the UK — bringing exceptional bloodlines, correct conformation, and the signature friendly temperament of the Valais breed.
Since 2021
The Breed-Up Journey
We began our breed-up program in 2021, starting from a foundation of carefully selected ewes and breeding steadily upward toward fullblood Valais Blacknose. Each generation moves closer to the breed's Swiss type — in fleece, in structure, and in that unmistakable face. Today our flock includes F2 and F3 animals, the living record of that patient, year-over-year progress.
Breeding up rewards patience, and nature keeps her own calendar. Two years running we had "ram years" — lamb crops weighted heavily toward boys. Every one a healthy, beautiful lamb, but with so few ewe lambs to retain, our breed-up timeline stretched a season or two longer. Shepherding has a way of teaching you to hold your plans loosely.
The Joys of Shepherding
For all its uncertainty, this is work we love. There are frosty mornings in the lambing pen, the weight of a newborn leaning into your hands, and the quiet satisfaction of watching a bloodline improve across generations. Slow, hands-on, and endlessly rewarding — it is the heart of life at Rancho Relaxo.
Lambing Season
Questions & Answers
About Our Flock
- Does Cloud Cap Valais sell Valais Blacknose breeding stock and lambs?
- Yes. Cloud Cap Valais offers Valais Blacknose breeding stock and lambs from its Oregon flock, placed by reservation. Each animal is selected for fleece, conformation, and temperament, and raised to the Swiss breed standard in the Hood River Valley.
- How do I reserve a Valais Blacknose from Cloud Cap Valais?
- Reservations are handled through a simple, personal process: reach out to discuss what you're looking for, confirm availability, and place a deposit to hold your animal. See the Reservations page for details on the current waitlist and how placements work.
- What is a breeding-up program for Valais Blacknose sheep?
- Breeding up steadily increases the percentage of Valais Blacknose genetics across generations by crossing to fullblood Valais Blacknose rams. It is how breeders outside Switzerland build true-to-type flocks, and it guides every pairing at Cloud Cap Valais.