The Sheep of Small Acre Farm

Our small herd of sheep provide the inspiration and fiber for all our hand spun yarn and felt.  Sheep are shy and suspicious by nature but the more time you spend with them, the friendlier they get.  Our herd represents a couple of breed varieties.  Bluefaced Leicester is the common theme.  It is the finest of the longwools, crimpy and soft, a favorite of spinners far and wide and a wonderful fiber for beginners as well as accomplished fiber artists.

 
 
Bela

Bela

Bela - Bluefaced Leicester/CVM cross lamb

Bela is shy and hangs in the back of the crowd, although I often find her climbing over the rest of the lambs to get to the best hay. She is sweet and loves to hunt for “pocket grain” when I am in the lamb pen. Bela’s name honors my partner’s father who we lost last year. It means “white” in Slovenian, his family language.

 
Crna

Crna

Crna - Bluefaced Leicester/CVM cross lamb

Crna is Bela’s twin. She is sweet, pushy and always jumping up on me like a dog. She is a part of the bottle lamb crew of 2019. I’ve spent lots of time with this bunch and they think I’m the best thing since sliced bread! Crna’s name means “black” in Slovenian. Her lamb fleece is iridescent black.

 
Daisy

Daisy

Daisy - Bluefaced Leicester

Daisy is the shyest of the 2019 bottle lamb crew, which is to say she’s the only one who doesn’t jump up on me to greet me. She is still very friendly and allows pats and scratches. Her upright ears show clearly that her Bluefaced Leicester heritage. Her fleece is tightly curled, just like BFL should be.

 
Fiona

Fiona

Fiona - BFL lamb

Fiona is the tiniest, sweetest thing! She is the first to greet me in the lamb pen and hangs around just for pets, even after the hay has been laid down. She is the bottom of the pecking order and maybe gets some teasing because she is the shepherdess’s favorite. Her lamb fleece is a spectacular ombré of blacks and greys.

 
 
Klaus

Klaus

Klaus - BFL/CVM x BFL cross wether

Klaus was Bandit's 2018 lamb.  Unfortunately Flora stole him and Bandit wouldn't take him back.  We raised him on a bottle with the goat kids and I'm pretty sure he thinks he's a goat too. Klaus’ fiber is long and lovely with an open crimp as a nod to his bit of CVM.

Marley

Marley

Marley - Purbred Wensleydale wether

Marley is one of our bachelor boys.  His sole purpose is to grow beautiful fiber and he excels at his job.  Marley's fiber grows in long shiny locks and is often reserved a year ahead of  shearing.  Marley is very friendly, easy to handle and has the deepest "baa" on the farm.

Reference sheep - Sheep who have left our herd but we still are still creating things from their fiber.

 
Will

Will

Will - Bluefaced Leicester cross wether

Will had a pretty rough start in life.  He was Flora's first lamb and he got stuck.  Our son pulled the lamb and saved both lamb and ewe.  Needless to say, Flora wanted nothing to do with whatever caused her that much pain.  Presto!  Our first bottle lamb.  Will was raised with a group of goat kids who chewed on his ears.  He looks like a teddy bear but he's pushy like a goat. 

Flora

Flora

Flora - BLF/Teeswater cross ewe

Flora is one or our foundational fine wooled sheep.  She is friendly and bossy and definitely the herd queen.  Flora had a rough first birthing experience and has been a questionable mother ever since.  She doesn't really mother up to her own lambs and she tries to steal everyone else's.  Most shepherdesses would have culled her by now but I love her fiber and her bossy, friendly way.