The Langenderfer Family : Ewe, Me, and A Hundred More

“We started our little farm of sheep and goats in 2018, with nine animals. Now we have more than 100 animals,” says Paige Langenderfer. “We have goats, sheep, chickens, miniature donkeys, seven cats, and two Great Pyrenees guard dogs.”

As a farm kid and a 10-year member of 4H, Paige was well-versed in farm life. Though her husband, David, didn’t have as much experience caring for animals, he has embraced all that the farm has had to offer to his family. For the Langenderfers, farm life has become a passion and a way of life. 

“Starting a sheep and goat farm has been one of my favorite memories with Paige,” says David. “I've enjoyed learning a side of her that I hadn’t seen before and learning from her about something she’s passionate about.” 

David and Paige enjoy the task of teaching our kids about caring for another living thing as well.

“I couldn’t wait for my kids to do 4H as well because my lifelong best friends are girls I met in 4H!” Paige says excitedly. “So, when we bought the sheep and goats I knew we would have the girls show them some day. 2022 was the first year we took the sheep to shows. The girls were not old enough for 4H (it starts the summer after 3rd grade), so we did open shows. These shows are basically like dog shows for sheep. Amelia (now 7) was 4 and Quincy (now 8) was 6. They were the most adorable tiny showmen! It made my heart so happy to see them loving something that I loved as a child.”

Paige says that the best part of helping her two daughters show sheep is that it is a whole-family activity. “All four of us have to work hard to make it happen,” she says. 

“For example, baseball parents practice with their kids, but on game day they just have to sit in a chair and watch. With sheep shows, there is a ton of work to do on show days and it takes the entire family working together to get everything ready for the show. And, honestly, we all have to work 365 days a year together to be able to have animals to show! It is incredibly hard work. It is stressful. It takes all of our time and money. But, it has given us a purpose and a passion and a way to build memories and grow together as a family.

David and Paige stress how proud they are of Quincy and Amelia’s effort and courage in showing sheep. “They have shown sheep at the largest livestock shows in the country,” Paige says. “That takes courage! I don’t know if I would have been brave enough at their age to do that!”

In the off-season, the family enjoys offering “Cuddle Sessions,” where the public can come and hold and pet baby goats and sheep. They’ve taken their animals to schools, senior living facilities and more throughout the year so that people can interact with their animals. “I love sharing our animals and knowledge with the community! It is probably my favorite part about owning a farm,” says Paige. 

This year David and Paige also started what they call “Sheep Workshops,” where they teach kids enrolled in the 4H sheep project what they have learned showing sheep. “We help them learn what they need to know to show a sheep at the fair. It has been a great way to meet new families. My goal is to help the kids feel confident at the fair with their sheep and that they gain new friends and memories for a lifetime,” Paige says.

Though the farm is one of their biggest passions as a family, the Langenderfers find plenty of other ways to make memories together. 

“One of my favorite experiences with David was hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and camping and then hiking back up the next day,” Paige recalls. “The way down was so easy and fun, but the way up was the hardest thing I’ve ever done (besides labor without pain meds).”

During their hike in the Grand Canyon, Paige and David stopped to eat and saw a group of people frantically looking around. “They had lost their dad,” Paige says. “A few minutes later we saw a helicopter overhead. That was an eye opener to how hard the hike really was.”

Paige says this was her first glimpse into a real relationship with David. “I remember feeling embarrassed by how much I struggled on the hike up because David and I had just gotten engaged and I didn’t want him to think I was a wimp,” she laughs. “This was the first time we really had to overcome obstacles together and it really brought us closer together.”

These days, Paige and David enjoy traveling with their girls as well. “We love taking the girls to Disney World. We have been four times. We also like camping in our fifth wheel and going to sheep shows,” says Paige. 

This summer, the family will be going to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. “We’d love to see as many national parks as we can!” they say.

During the summer, the girls’ schedules expand to include softball. “They started in t-ball when they were 4 and David and I were the coaches,” says Paige. “Now they play softball at Dunn Stadium and David and I are their coaches again. They are not on a travel sports team. We say that showing sheep is their travel sport.”

Of course, David and Paige keep busy in their professional lives as well. 

“I got my Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and my Master’s degree from IUPUI in public relations management,” says Paige. “My first job after graduating from IU, was as a writer for The Republic Newspaper. I loved that job and will always appreciate the lessons I learned and the friends I made. It was a hard job and I am grateful it was hard because it taught me how to work hard. 

“From there I took a job as public relations coordinator at IUPUC and then at Columbus Regional Hospital. Since 2013, I have been a freelance writer and communications specialist. It has been an amazing opportunity to be able to work and be a mostly full-time mom.”

David got his Bachelor’s degree from IUPUI in mechanical engineering and his Master’s degree (MBA) from IUPUC. His first job out of college was as a mechanical engineer at Cummins. He still works there today after 19 years in his current role as Chief Technical Engineer in Research and Technology.

Paige also serves as the PTO President at WD Richards Elementary School and volunteers in the girls’ classrooms three days a week. “My mom was a teacher at Richards for decades, so the school has a very special place in my heart. I basically grew up there,” she says.

David is a member of the Bartholomew County Extension Board, a program that provides agriculture and wellness resources, education, and programming for youth and adults in Bartholomew County. The Bartholomew County Extension Board supports the work of 4H, a program that is clearly important to the Langenderfers.

Though the family’s farm is in Petersville at the home of Paige’s father, where she grew up, the Langenderfers love their home in McCullough’s Run. “Our street feels like a family,” says Paige. “We watch out for each other and help each other. It is quiet, safe, and conveniently located.”

After they married, Paige and David lived together in their original home in McCullough’s Run until 2015 when they bought a house one street over in the same neighborhood. “We wanted a slightly bigger house to grow our family in (I was pregnant with our first child when we moved), but we loved the neighborhood,” says Paige. “My mom actually saw the listing in the newspaper and cut it out and gave it to me and said we needed to move. She was right!”

Although they don’t live on the same property as their farm, the family still loves to be surrounded by the love of pets. “At our house, we have two dogs and five cats. It’s crazy because I never had an indoor cat in my life before these cats and now we have five,” says Paige with a laugh. 

“One of the best moments for building our relationship was during the most difficult time of my life,” Paige recalls. “My mom died in 2016, when I was eight weeks pregnant with Amelia and Quincy had just turned one. My mom was my very best friend and biggest supporter. I was completely broken and lost when she died,” she says.

“David quietly stood by me through all of my ups and downs of grief and trying to learn how to live without my mom. He has been incredibly patient and supportive. When she died I had to learn to rely solely on David,” says Paige gratefully. 

Though she never got the opportunity to see her granddaughters show sheep and participate in 4H, it’s safe to say Paige’s mother would be touched by how her love has been passed down to another generation. 

“When we were choosing names for the girls, we wanted to choose names of people they could strive to be like or look up to. People in history who were bold, brave, smart, fierce and kind!” says Paige. 

Their older daughter, Quincy, is named after John Quincy Adams, the 6th president of the United States. He spoke nine languages and was an ardent opponent of slavery. 

Their younger daughter, Amelia, is named after Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She was brave and passionately pursued adventure. 

“We didn’t choose Amelia’s name until after my mom died because we didn’t know her gender until 12 weeks after my mom died. We have since learned that a nickname for Amelia is ‘Milly,’ which was my mom’s first name.”

For some, farm life is only something seen on television, or an occasional visit to a pumpkin patch in October. For others, like the Langenderfers, it’s a way of life, a passion, and a joy that has been passed down through generations.  

You can find more information about the family’s farm or purchase meats, by visiting their website, paqdmeats.com.