Grace Nichols, President/founder
Grace is a rancher/farmer, turned entrepreneur, from Elizabeth, CO. She owns and operates Royalty’s Farm LLC, with her husband and four children. She raises working livestock guardian dogs, goats, poultry, barn cats, and pigs, and she maintains a grass/alfalfa hay crop. While full sustainability is still far ahead, it’s something in which Grace and her family strives.
A DC native, growing up between two worlds: the city and the country, Grace was enthralled with all of her animals, including a neighboring pig farm and plenty of grazing cattle. In 2001, Grace moved to Colorado to explore her creative side, and went on to earn a BFA from the University of Denver. She then moved on to working at a locally-renowned advertising agency, followed by a design career with the leading meal-delivery service.
When she’s not outside with her animals or playing with her kids, you can find Grace working diligently on canine genetics and growing her business. In the process, and as a past Vice President and Assistant Genetic Director of a local dog-breed registry, Grace took her passion for genetics and love of mixed breeds, and discovered a drive that has brought Grace full-circle, creating a new breed of livestock guardian dog together with a team of talented and driven women. Thus, the Grand Korumak® is born.
Amanda limback,
vice president
Amanda is a 5th generation livestock producer, with over 30 years of experience in the sheep industry. With her husband, Darren, and 3 children, she owns and operates Painted Horizon Acres where they currently raise Natural Colored show sheep, a commercial sheep flock, and livestock guardian dogs. Amanda grew up in a very rural area in Mid- Missouri where her family raised sheep, cattle, horses, and herding and livestock guardian dogs. She was raised showing livestock and was an active participant in 4-H and FFA.
Amanda received her Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture with an emphasis on Animal Science from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, and her Master's Degree in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. She began working for the US Dept of Agriculture her junior year of college, and has continued her career there for the last 14 years. Additionally, she farms and helps run their family welding business. She serves on many other committees including the Illinois Lamb and Wool Producers (Secretary/Treasurer), Illinois Lamb and Wool Marketing Board (Executive Secretary), and the Grundy County Vocational Center Agricultural Education Advisory Board.
In her spare time, Amanda can be found traveling the Midwest with her family competing at local, state, and national level livestock shows, and scouting new genetics for both the family's sheep and livestock guardian programs.
heather frazier,
TREASURER/secretary
Heather has lived in Southwestern Colorado since 2005... a far cry from her upbringing in Orange County California! (Fun fact, she went to high school in New Jersey... so she considers herself bi-coastal.) She graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Marketing. She currently works full-time as the Controller of a rural 500-employee hospital. Her husband and she started Pails and Provisions Farm in 2016 with two little boys. They believe in utilizing animals for their founding purpose. They love managing the land and incorporating it into their mission of providing food for the table and raising their children in a life that most folks dream about. They especially gravitate toward hardy animals that do well in their climate of snowy winters and gorgeous summers. They raise Brown Swiss dairy cows, Kune Kune pigs, hair sheep, goats, and free-range chickens. Considering their intent, it only seemed right to raise their own livestock guardian dogs. This led them to the Grand Korumak, a breed they both believe in and are dedicated to developing.
"Our dogs are assets of the farm. It is imperative that they keep the value of our stock safe. In turn, when you have something so special, you take great pride in reproducing it and ensuring its quality. These dogs are reliable employees of the farm and most importantly... family members." - Pails and Provisions Farm