| From Sheep to Yarn Follow Esther from shearing to yarn. |
Much love, time, and labor go into producing quality Vermont farm yarns. Using wool from our
own sheep, we offer you unique 100% wool yarns. Maintaining a small flock ensures that each
sheep is well cared for, thus producing soft, lustrous locks of wool. Follow our ewe, Esther,
through shearing to yarn.
own sheep, we offer you unique 100% wool yarns. Maintaining a small flock ensures that each
sheep is well cared for, thus producing soft, lustrous locks of wool. Follow our ewe, Esther,
through shearing to yarn.
| After growing her wool for 11 months, Esther's wool is approximately six to seven inches long. Through the summer, Esther is out on pasture where the rains keep her wool clean. During the winter months, Esther wears a coat to protect her wool from getting full of hay. In late March, the sheep are ready for shearing. The sheep shearer comes to the farm to carefully shear each sheep. When sheep are set on their rump, they become very relaxed and docile allowing the shearer to skillfully remove their fleece. When he is done, the fleece is all in one piece. |
| Then the fleece is taken to the skirting table. Here we remove any wool with vegetation matter in it or any manure tags. It is important to us that we use only the best wool for our yarns. |
| The Sheep Shearer by: Anna Goodling The sheep shearer opened the door of his dirty truck and limped across the snowy drive to the barn. He was a kind man and very ragged. He walked with a kind of stiffness, showing that he had shorn many sheep already. An old, holey, threadbare sweater was tied loosely around his waist. He carried a heavy metal box, which contained his tools. Anna stood watching as he advanced toward the barn door. |
Now the wool is put into clear plastic bags. Each bag is labeled with the name of the sheep and
the weight of the fleece. It is important to us to know whose fleeces we are combining when sending
them away for a yarn order. We want to create the softest yarns possible for our customers. Here
you see fleeces lined against the barn after they have been skirted.
the weight of the fleece. It is important to us to know whose fleeces we are combining when sending
them away for a yarn order. We want to create the softest yarns possible for our customers. Here
you see fleeces lined against the barn after they have been skirted.
| Doesn't Esther look humble in this picture? The sheep seem rather embarrassed after shearing. Our rams have trouble recognizing each other once they have been sheared! They must spend a week or two in a stall in the barn getting reacquainted before being turned back outside. They will butt heads relentlessly until they have reestablished who is the boss. |
| Here are some of Esther's beautiful locks of wool!! |
| Annual Expenditures Per Sheep Hay costs-----------------------------------$85.00 Shearing-------------------------------------$8.00 Wool Processing($22/#)------------$222.00 (washing, carding, spinning, skeining) Miscellaneous expenses---------------$15.00 (postage, labeling) Total Expenditures per year to keep one ewe and have her wool spun into yarn.----$330.00 (This does not reflect expenses for advertising, fencing , shelters or LABOR!!) |
Lastly, we decide which fleeces will be combined at the fiber mill for producing yarn. We
box those fleeces together and ship them with instructions for the mill. We currently use
Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan for our processing. This is one of the few mills
that is able to handle the long fiber length that our Romneys produce. They are also willing
to take in small quantities of wool at a time. Once at the mill, the fiber is washed and dried.
Then it is carded so that it can be spun into yarn. The mill winds the yarn into 4oz. skeins
and ships the finished yarn back to us. Next we must hand wash each skein again and label
them. Finally, we have a product to sell!! Thank you Esther for your beautiful yarn!
box those fleeces together and ship them with instructions for the mill. We currently use
Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan for our processing. This is one of the few mills
that is able to handle the long fiber length that our Romneys produce. They are also willing
to take in small quantities of wool at a time. Once at the mill, the fiber is washed and dried.
Then it is carded so that it can be spun into yarn. The mill winds the yarn into 4oz. skeins
and ships the finished yarn back to us. Next we must hand wash each skein again and label
them. Finally, we have a product to sell!! Thank you Esther for your beautiful yarn!
| Carding the fiber |
| Processing at Stonehedge Fiber Mill ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| Spinning the fiber into yarn |
| Plying the newly spun yarn |
| Skein winding machine |
| The finished product, Esther and Fedora's Wool. Thank you Stonehedge Fiber Mill for helping us produce a beautiful yarn using our own wool. |