Wheely Wooly Farm: Theft

Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles

Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles! Our farm mission is to enjoy and promote the wonderful diversity of the Shetland breed by fully utilizing to the best of our ability all they have to offer historically. We believe the best preservation and management of this breed includes it's full spectrum of history. We encourage old and new shepherds alike to join in the fun by engaging in fiber arts, especially spinning and knitting, as this breed is so intimately linked with those aspects of the arts.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Theft

When I decided to take my little ram lamb to the sheep show last fall, so I'd have a second sheep to accompany my child's ewe for her youth showmanship class, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE I'd have to deal with as a result!! What a beehive!! After winning that show free and clear, the onslaught began. From name calling, to insulting other Northern European Short Tail breeds, to orchestrating coordinated slamming of my farm blog (and that I was "next" in line to be "steamrolled"), to lies about how the wool was historically used, to unacceptable intrepretations that "longish and wavy" means the opposite, to bragging about writing comments back to me on my blog that are oozing with sarcasm, to picking up (without my permission) and dropping my ram lamb back to the concrete after the show AND threats that things are going to get "real interesting" in Jefferson next year! Whew!! That is some beehive (and that's not mentioning it all)!!

I DID wonder why farm after farm was leaving the Shetland sheep events in Jefferson each year....dwindling attendance down to a mere few left. I DID wonder why so many people are breeding and raising Shetlands outside the American breed organization...with NO interest in being involved or being members. I DID wonder why the sheep of the few left in attendance looked SOOOOO different than all the other Shetland sheep and clearly, VISIBLY DON'T line up with the Breed Standard of 1927. I think I know why now!!

Then, for the first time in years, the Midwest Shetland Sheep Breeders (MSSBA) Show results of 2009 were NOT published in the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association (NASSA) Newsletter. That has not happened as far back as I could find. Do you suppose it is because a normal-looking Shetland sheep that matches the standard won Grand Champion Ram, and not one of those NOT normal-looking sheep??

Let's seeeee...NASSA literature is being "updated", the NASSA website is being "overhauled and updated" (remember, our breed has only been in the US since the 1980's and didn't have a breed organization until the 90's, AND wasn't online until later so everything WAS pretty well "updated" already), the NASSA Handbook FORMERLY distributed to all new NASSA members has been tossed away as not valid, board members refer new shepherds AWAY from NASSA literature to "information sites"...i.e. websites of their friends for breed information, proposals to travel as a group overseas the year the Doane's are planning the Annual General Meeting at their home in the U.S.A., and NEW photos of sheep everywhere coming from that little group who is making all these changes to replace the OLD photos, and many of the breeders who claim to have the "real" Shetland sheep but have no idea how to spin and/or knit Shetland fiber!! .... hummmm... sure smells fishy!!!

As if that wasn't enough, today's message regarding a two-day event in Jefferson this year was another surprise! That idea was mine, into which I poured hours of thought and design. I had no idea anyone was working on any planning of my event to make it a reality. My idea has been stolen!!!

My goal in designing that event can be read about in my blog entry back on January 29th. I designed the event to be a "Shetland Showcase". I had proposed my idea to NASSA back last fall. My dreams were to help bring back some sense of normalcy to the Midwest and to help temper this situation of this group of breeders who are literally bullying everyone away who don't support them in changing the Shetland breed into something they visualize, and that no one else has in this country, something that is NOT historically supported. My hope was to restore fun (although admittedly, we had a blast at the festival last year!!) I see I haven't been invited to the planning meetings to an event of my own design, that I laid out for Juliann Budde in a lengthy email last fall detail by detail!! I see my language was used to describe the event, but my name is nowhere to be found in acknowledgment. So guys...remember when you joked "I want to know it all!!" and "When is it my turn to know it all!!??" Well, if YOU know it all, why are you stealing my ideas and words?? Nice goin'.

3 comments:

AnonymousMarch 11, 2010 at 7:33 PM
You should be proud that you had a great idea that planted a seed to create something great. Why be childish and bitter??? It will only distance you MORE from others.
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AnonymousMarch 11, 2010 at 7:35 PM
Try to enjoy the good times and not take your self sooooooo seriously.
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AmyMarch 11, 2010 at 9:37 PM
Why are you anonymous? There are a few that I have distanced myself from...the ones who are promoting sheep NOT of the standard; sheep that produce fleeces that are NOT historically accurate. I have not visited their farms nor have I purchased their sheep, and I've avoided their flock prefixes in my bloodlines because they have lost my trust, and as an avid handspinner, I was not looking for their commercial type fleeces. If people want to breed for those types of sheep because they like the results, there is nothing wrong with that, I wish them well. The line is crossed, however, when those sheep are promoted as outstanding models of the Shetland breed, while sheep that manifest historically accurate traits are bashed.

However, I believe the greatest distance was created by the other breeders themselves, not me; and that this distance was lodged into place the moment a genuine Shetland ram won in the show. It may have worked before to treat genuine Shetland sheep owners poorly, but I find that embarrassing and unacceptable.

Also, "bitter" is not a word that accurately describes this situation. I feel honored to work on the protection of genuine Shetland diversity and all the rich, unduplicated textile history that goes along with this ancient breed. I hope to help restore the credibility and integrity that has been lost in our breed organization in recent years. That is why I spent hours pouring over and developing my Shetland Showcase ideas.

Speaking of my ideas, intellectual property rights and the permissive use of intellectual property rights is not in the "childish" department. It is my hope that those taking my Shetland Showcase ideas, renaming them, and moving forward in plans without involving me, the author, will rethink. Amy
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What is Shetland Fiber?

Wheely Wooly Farm strives to breed for wool as described on the historic 1927 Breed Standard, which was created and written in the Shetland Islands. Our breeding stock exhibits fleece just as the Standard demands of us: extra fine, soft texture, longish, wavy, and well closed. Our fleeces will have short, crimpy neck wool, longish and wavy midside wool, with little or no crimp in the even longer britch wool. This historic fleece type gives you a wide range of textile capabilities, of which is well documented, photographed, and archived in the Shetland Island Museum (see link below).

Shetland fiber does not carry much "grease", making it easy to wash. Because of it's soft texture and fineness, it does not felt easily, making it great for socks! Stockings (socks, sometimes covering up over the knee) in fact, were one of the primary famed textiles produced. Stockings were just one of many types of textiles that were subjected to inspections, receiving a stamp of approval before they could be sold. Shetland fleeces are desired by hand spinners for long, easy to spin, tiny fibers. The longish, wavy midside wool easily drafts out of your hand in a way you won't forget!

We do not breed for the modern milling goals which claim wavy means crimpy, or that longish means short, as written by an organization outside of the Shetland Islands in modern times. Read why in our June 30, 2011 blog entry.

We also do not micron test our fleeces. Micron testing has been a useful tool in most other sheep breeds, but most other breeds produce wool for carpet, industrial flame-proof clean up cloths, lining for firefighter gear, or insulation for highly flammable vehicles such as trains and airplanes. We feel mircon testing takes the emphasis off the handle of the fleece, which goes against making good selections for breeding in one of the world's premier hand spinning/hand knitting/garment breeds.

We are confident our careful breeding program, adherance to the historic 1927 Breed Standard guidelines, and our textile skills will provide you with the utmost quality of fine fleeces and yarns, so you can enjoy a truly Shetland experience!

"...your wool has made a great diaper cover for our 3 month old son. It's nice to know he is wearing a truly natural product! Big smile and Thank you!" Michelle

"I made mittens with Wheely Wooly Yarn, then put them in a silent auction. They sold for $250! Thanks for making such beautiful yarn!" Lisa

Angela wrote us:

"I could not stop myself enjoying your yarn and already finished my first project which will go to my friend...thank you"!

Bill stopped at our booth and said:

"My wife made the hat I wanted from your natural colors and I love it! Makes winter seem not so bad!

Our Farm

Our family farm is located on a hill in the lush prairie lands of east, central Wisconsin, where we enjoy four distinct seasons and a seemingly endless supply of summer grasses, except in drought! We are surrounded by old oak forests, bountiful spring woodland flowers, quiet roads, and clean quiet lakes with a popular river nearby for fishing. We started a flock of sheep several years ago, deciding to breed up our own lambs for flock growth. Heritage hens grace our chicken coop, providing us with fresh eggs and garden companionship. A raspberry patch planted near the coop gives us plentiful berries for the winter. The hens are superb weeders under the canes, which we much appreciate. Two horses graze down the extra grass ahead of the sheep, one being a very cute black and white pony. We also keep two dairy does for fresh milk and yogurt. Behind our historic 1800's white farmhouse we've planted a vegetable garden. Each year, we can't imagine winter without our tomatoes, peas, peppers, potatoes, onions, soup beans, pumpkins, zucchini, sunflowers, and cucumbers. Two geese have now been employed as weeders there, Pomander the Gander and Hyssop the Goose. A separate garden does it's best to contain exuberant mounds of herbs. Lavender also grows there. To the west are two standard apple trees, to the north a treasured pear tree and an even more treasured peach tree to the south! The barns are patrolled by two feline guards, who sleuth around corners and stake out holes. We treasure them! Each morning, we rise to the crows of our robust roosters. We'll never tire of that! Our work days are long here, with challenges popping up all the time, but it can all be solved in a hurry with a tall cold glass of water in the shade of our old-fashioned front porch!

How we manage our flock

Our flock of purebred Shetland sheep, one dairy ewe, and one wether who thinks he's a pet dog do not leave our farm except for educational purposes with youth groups in non-agricultural settings. Most of the flock has been carefully selected from small, private, non-traveling flocks over a period of years. We no longer take sheep to shows due to disease pressure, nor do we allow in transit sheep, loan out our animal transport vehicles, haul livestock, or allow animals to hold over at our farm. As a result, our flock has become soundly biosecure, with dramatically less exposure and risk for disease. All incoming additions are extensively quarantined and checked for disease. This assures our future lamb buyers of sound, healthy stock. I shear nearly all of our flock myself (another component to biosecurity) with hand blades when the rise is right (usually late May to early June), unless I'm excited for a particular fleece (which means re-shearing mid-summer). Neck wool is typically rooed, continuing throughout the fleece as the sheep is ready. Each sheep is named, halter trained, and tamed. Our rams are very personable, friendly, verbally interactive, respectful, and not afraid. We do not believe a terrified ram is healthy on any farm!! We never touch them on the top of their horns/heads, nor do we EVER use their horns as handlebars unless it's an absolute dire emergency. We keep extensive wool and health records. Fleeces on hoof are checked frequently so that we may keep a watchful eye on the health of our sheep, and what we're producing. The sheep are rotationally grazed April through October, then penned for winter. Each night, they are run into our large pole building for predator security. They also stay penned in the shed during wicked winter storms, or if the pastures are too wet in spring, never in mud. It's all a lot of work, but it's done so that we can assure our customers with the utmost biosecurity and quality in your purchases!

International Show Your Shawl Day
Show the world how beautiful your shawls
are by wearing them for the day! Have you knit

a beautiful shawl, but it's in storage somewhere

'cause you're afraid to wear it?

Has someone gifted a special shawl to you

for a special reason, but you're afraid to wear

it? Well girls! It's time to take them out, show

them off, talk about them, share them,

and put them to use!

Mark your calendars for the next date!

Coming October 14, 2017!!

We changed the date from September to October to coincide with our sale on beautiful Wheely Wooly Farm Wraps! We'll need them, for it'll be cold!