Fermierul Nicu Crăciun a început să crească oi din rasa Assaf

Nicu Crăciun is one of the most well-known sheep breeders in the Moldavian region. The fourth generation in sheep farming, Crăciun and his family raise a herd of 1,200 Țurcane sheep and, more recently, 100 Assaf sheep. Nicu Crăciun chose this breed, appreciated for its milk quality, in order to increase the farm's production of artisanal cheeses. The Crăciun family farm has grown over time. As a young man, Nicu Crăciun received 30 of his own sheep from his father and from that point on he decided that he wanted to ensure his family's livelihood from animal husbandry. Even today, lambs give the farmer the most trouble. During the lambing season, the Crăciun family is mobilized non-stop at the animal shelter, and everyone's great satisfaction is seeing the new generation of sheep that come to rejuvenate the herd. The love for animals, for sheep, was instilled by Nicu Crăciun and his two sons. Even though the farmer often had to put the animals before his loved ones, his family understood his passion and especially his efforts to ensure a future for everyone through sheep farming. All milk production is processed on the farm. In the past, as president of the county sheep farmers' organization, Nicu Crăciun established a connection with a processor, only to eventually come to the conclusion that artisanal cheese is the most profitable, although it involves much more work. With a farm and a dairy built as he dreamed of since childhood, Nicu Crăciun declares himself a fulfilled man. At 56 years old, he and his family not only manage to have financial stability, but they are also involved in raising the value of Romanian breeds and restoring the unity and importance of the shepherd to its former glory.