Farm
Located in the mid-coast town of Woolwich Maine. We welcome you to our farm. Below you will find members of our flock of sheep a little background about each breed, and information about the fibers they produce.
Rodney
My first sheep and for whom our farm was named. Rodney came from Roque Island, Maine, not far from where I grew up. He was most likely Romney and North Country Cheviot, common breeds of Maine island sheep.
Our Romneys
Romney’s have always been my favorite sheep breed. They are large, hardy, beautiful creatures who produce a heavy, lustrous fleece. By itself or blended with other fiber, Romney fibers are versatile. Our Romneys have been chosen for their fleece qualities, but also for their size. None of them have been “bred up” for show and remain true to breed standards… short & stout.
The Romney fleece is unique among all breeds of sheep in the way it combines minimal cross fibers between the locks. It is also high yielding and easily spun. The Romney fleece is unique among all breeds of sheep in the way it combines Uniformity of crimp from the butt to the tip of a lock, typical of the breed. The fleece is lustrous; it hangs in separate locks, with Romney wool has the finest fiber diameter of all the long wool breeds; the spinning count may run from 50 to 44 (equivalent to about 29-36 microns). Ideally, the spinning count of the fleece is consistent over the entire body.
“It is the low grease content of Romney wool that makes it a very light shrinking fleece upon washing, and consequently high yielding. Since the value of a fleece depends on its clean wool content and not its grease weight, the Romney, whose fleece can boast a clean yield of over 70%, is one of the heaviest wool producers of all breeds.”
-from The American Romney Breeders Association
Our Corriedales
I became interested in Corriedales, when a Corriedale lamb became interested in me.:) I had intended to buy another Romney lamb, but this little Corriedale would not leave me alone as I tried to choose a new lamb. The owner showed me her fleece and I was sold. So Madeline came home with me that day, and 8 years later, I am still “wowed” when our shearer frees her from her 9 pounds of fine-crimped, snow-white fluff. Junior joined us last fall as another fleece producing wether. He is a gentle giant, already showing signs of his great fleece producing capabilities. Corriedales are a medium to large sized sheep. Their fiber is classed as high quality fine wool. It is one of the softest fleeces we produce here on our farm.
Our Border Leicesters
Border Leicester’s have always caught my eye. They are a long wool breed with a very long staple. If our Border Leicester fleeces are included in our mill spun yarns, because of their length,we must shear them twice a year. Most often I include them into my Romney/Mohair blend, but every so often I hold them back and have them turned into roving for my own hand spinning.
Babydoll Southdown
Our Angora Goats
Angora goats produce Mohair. They are typically sheared twice a year giving us the lovely addition of mohair for our yarns. Currently we own three white Angora Goats.
