For the new shepherds looking to get away from the camp style short, bodybuilding sheep, check out two midwest breeders with outstanding flocks: Bluff Country Shetlands and Windswept Farm. Both of these farms have lots of pictures of what Shetland expression and wool should look like. They are absolutely dreamy sheep!! I would LOVE adding these sheep to my flock! Windswept has a horn guarantee, which is so great for new shepherds! Many farms in the midwest not only do not provide that, but will readily sell you fatal horns, and fatal horn bloodlines. Buyer beware!
In fact, on that topic, two rams at the WI Sheep and Wool Festival definitely disturbed me. One had fatal horns nearly to the skin, and was being sold "in transit" as a breeding ram. GULP!!! You wouldn't believe who that one belonged to!!!! The other ram was not being shown, and was "in transit" but called a "display" sheep. He had a nice, but too wide head, nice horns, absolutely queer fleece on him that looked more rambouillet-like yet super short, and huge bone. His leg bones were soooooo thick and heavy, his pasterns were breaking down. Clearly, he was in ongoing pain. He, too, was being sold as a "breeding" ram to a new farm with an "outstanding" fleece. I was shocked. No matter HOW much you like the fleece, you should never breed fatal horns or broken down bones.
Edit: Walking around the pens in Jefferson Friday night, I was even more confident that Wheely Wooly Lerwick is a fine ram lamb...so is Wheely Wooly Wink and Wheely Wooly Pumpkin. Last year's competition was easy. This year, people brought sheep that were a little better, but there was still much room for improvement...sheep way too small and way too large, for instance. However, if these two farms mentioned above would have been in a ram class, I'm not so confident anymore! I'd have true competition to worry about!
'Nother edit!!: Silly me! My ewe, Honey is descended from Bluff Country Patriot, MSSBA's Grand Champion Ram back a few years. Honey's got it! She has an excellent level top line, a bright expression, is the correct size, and has a LOVELY fleece that makes me melt! You can see Honey's fleece on my blog backaways...I have lovely pictures of her locks still on her, and of the amazing color dynamics you can get in Shetlands. She is a high quality ewe.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Check this out!
There it is folks! (Giggle, giggle). Yep. The camp (the term I use to collectively describe a very small group of people, for simplicity) put it in bright red letters for all to see! That's the Shetland Showcase I authored and designed and presented to Julianne Budde, former NASSA Board Member responsible for Education back in September of 2009, MSSBA member, and good friend of Chris Greene. The camp LOVED my idea, so much so, that they decided to steal it and use it without my permission (and renaming it Handy Shepherd), then MSSBA President Chris Greene wrote an email to me stating I was not welcome!!!! (giggle, giggle) Nice try!!
Well, I am aware of how things went. It was unfortunately not well attended....wonder why? In taking the temperature of the Shetland farms in my region, my idea was well received and generated a lot of excitement and interest. Some even started spinning skeins to enter and began knitted projects. I had advertised it heavily. I encouraged everyone to enter yarns and knitted items in the contests and to attend the seminars. But when the final hour came, not one decided to make the trip to Jefferson. :(( I got the same response from all of them....they don't like the camp!!!!!!! Ok, that frustrates me! I was really hoping that despite the camp's unpopularity, people would come anyway. So I've learned that many people love the sheep, and the Shetland Showcase, but no one wants to support the bad behaviors of the camp. I can clearly see the decline continuing within our breed if this continues. That worries me.
On Sunday, I strolled the barns during "the events". Boy. It was pretty much camp roll call. That was about it. I was disappointed that more people didn't come. I can design fun things and a good package of material...I AM a teacher after all! But I cannot change the climate of the people. Humm.....
One disappointment I had was that the contests were not distinctively one for Youth, and one for Adults, as I had designed. I think this distinction is important in pulling youth into our breed....a breed so fitting for families and kids!! Plus, there are a few kids every year that arrive just before the show starts, and leave promptly........not wanting to even look at the camp. I was hoping that by softening the activities with more fun, the tension would get better. Guess that did not work this year.
The other disappointment I had was a shepherd (camper) telling people how to handle breeched lambs in a "lambing demonstration". I think that even though we acquire experience with our own flocks, breech births are not overly common with Shetlands. I think the advise on how to handle breech births is best doled out by a qualified veterinarian. So I was worried about that, too. It had never occurred to me to design "lambing demonstrations" into Shetland Showcase, because I do not know of any vets who specialize in Shetland lambing, and it's just not an easy thing to make judgments on if it happens to your ewe.
(Hours later edit!!! It just dawned on me that there IS a vet that knows A LOT about Shetland sheep and lambing issues, in Michigan! I can't believe I forgot about that! You can find her by looking up Windswept Farm. She has LOVELY Shetland sheep, and she writes excellent articles about Shetland health for our breed association newsletter. Amy)
One other disappointment... the joking around of a sheep in the show ring who went down in fear. Funny?? No. Bad ambassadorship of the shepherd and the shepherd's friends. But that's what you can reliably expect from the camp!! If you are not willing to handle your sheep ahead of time, then don't bring them to the show and tell everyone they are wild. If they do go down, and sometimes they do, gently deal with it and move on. Bad ambassadorship. I guess I've raised the bar too high for this particular shepherd (giggle, giggle)! I'll never forget a longtime breeder who two or three years ago sat on the lower seat of the bleachers at the show, with her stunningly cute, longish and wavy coated lamb. It was on a halter and very comfortable with the circumstances for the breeder always prepares ahead of time,. This breeder sold a lot of future lambs that day!!!!!!! That little lamb endeared the WHOLE CROWD! We all tried not to covet. :)
On the good side, some great things came about as a result of the theft of Shetland Showcase! First, the judges of the skein and handknitted classes had a great opportunity, albeit hard one! And good things came to their lives as a result of my idea and design! And the people who won the classes had a good experience, so that is good too, even if they are campers! And I'm sure the people watching had a good experience having a little more of something Shetland sheepy to do! All in all, I think the link from sheep and fiber to spinning and textiles was successfully re-established! For that I'm very happy!!!!
So where do we go from here? Promote, promote, promote!!!! I'm going to really push for a division in the skein and handknitted contests for Youth and Adult categories. The camp obviously loves my ideas!! Most of them are older and either have no kids or grown and gone kids. I think they've forgotten the importance of pulling youth into our breed. Eliminating the youth sector was sort of a selfish move I thought, again, reliable camp behavior! I'm going to work hard to try and get more people there!! And I've bought myself a two year calendar to be SURE I don't double book myself on that weekend!! We'll probably be camping on the grounds next year, like we have before.
Lastly, I've had a question by a new shepherd on where you can see pictures of genuine Shetland sheep with drapey, silky fleeces with correct lock structure. If you look back on my blog, you'll see lots of photos like that. Also check out blogs from the east, west, and southwest United States regions. Their sheep look stunningly beautiful, as the camp sheep have not infiltrated their flocks yet. But don't just take MY word for it!!! Demand a copy of the NASSA Handbook!!! This handbook drives the camp nuts because it has real pictures of Shetlands in it, not pictures of camp-type sheep! They argue these photos are of "throwbacks" to "cull" (kill). These are photos of what the breed actually IS...beautiful long, wavy, drapey fleeces that practically hide the knees by 12 month clip time, fleeces that hide all torso definition. A 7 year old ewe named Bronwen (submitted by E. James) is a knockout, and so are Magnolia (2 year old ewe...a shaela) and the knockout ram Maestro, both submitted by Shannon Fletcher. Then, to make comparisons, check out any of the Shetland blogs from the midwest. You'll be shocked by the difference! Look at lock structure (short, compact, close to the body), length of fleece (no drape, every curve of body clearly visible at 12 month clip time), conformation (body builders...unusually large shoulders and rears, way-too-heavy bone, caved in toplines to accommodate extra heavy shoulders and rears), and expression (harsh, mean-looking, huge, broad, wrinkly noses, sometimes horns way off, dull eyes (sleepy, bored, not alert, not ready to react, continuous state of half-napping, not thinking), merino-wide heads). It's hard to believe the sheep are in the same breed. A good ram will have, among other things, a bright, soft look in his rounded eyes, of sweetness, youthfulness, attentiveness and intelligence...awake, aware, ready to spring to action. There should be no slanted eyes. It's really hard to explain, until you see it absent! Then it's easy to learn good Shetland ram expression! Blue, who is on the cover of one of the most recent NASSA News had great Shetland ram expression! There is a picture of his whole body in an earlier 90's NASSA News that shows his twinkly expression even clearer. I sure wish I could have seen him in real life.
Our 1927 Standard (NASSA Handbook, last page):
eyes: full, bright, and active look
carriage: alert and nimble, with a smart active gait
chest: medium width and deep
face: medium length of face from eyes to muzzle, nose prominent but not Roman, small mouth
Here's the thing: If people want to breed away from these words of the standard, you can do that! There is nothing wrong with that, and I believe you should breed for what you like most, for you will be looking at the sheep everyday, and utilizing the fleeces you raise. However, it's totally different when the words are given new meanings and the sheep are given new definitions, and then everyone is told to cull all their sheep and start with this new stuff! After many lengthy conversations with founding breeders and those who've had Shetlands a long time, I know what I want to do!
a) re-establish the link between the fiber raised and the genuine Shetland textiles
and b) continue spinning and knitting and marveling at the wonders of long, drapey, silky, super fine fleeces!!
:)
PS...it's cold and windy today, with rain. Too warm for heating the house, too cold for thin cotton summer socks. Wooly Shetland sock time!!!!!!!!! Now THAT's soooooo luxurious!!!!!!!!!! :) If you don't have a pair, hurry up and get someone to spin/knit a pair for you. Expect to pay a lot of money for them! Then, be prepared to never take them off in cold weather again! Be prepared to burn calories wiggling your toes so much to experience such warm softness!!! Sock time is here!!!!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Game Changer
This is an expression I've been hearing a lot lately. Maybe the term has been around a long time, but I'm not good at knowing those things, as I'm a little culturally deficient. I'd much rather be spending time outside on my farm than in the city learning new lingo. This fact about me often leads to good jokes and laughter within my family:)! Seems everyone has adopted "game changer" to describe the economy in our country, and how they are reacting to keep their lives together. On a recent interview, Sheryl Crow used it. Politicians use it in trying to wrangle legislation. Reporters use it when discussing all the new media outlets people are using. Well, I guess as a Shetland sheep enthusiast, I can use it, too! I feel like recent events have created a "game changer" within our breed. Our cheese has been moved.
The problem has actually been growing for a little while now. Here in the midwest, the sheep have changed at a pretty rapid rate. They range from super small, to nearly unrecognizably large. They have other sheep's fleeces on them, their bone ranges from normal to super thick, and their conformation has taken a serious dive. As breeders propagate these faults, new flock owners unsuspectingly propagate them too, not realizing they are carrying on the problems and creating futher deviation from the ideal Shetland.
Now along comes this new "document" called Appendix A. This is a game changer. I know, I know, I know the supporters of Appendix A like to call it a "guideline", but the fact remains, legally, it's become a game changer. This modern document does not fit the historic, genuine Shetland. I saw first hand, what the "new" Shetland is going to look like, under this new document, for these new Shetlands already exist. I'm confident I will never raise that Shetland, for they look sooooo different!! For starters, they are just not as pretty with their short, tight fleeces. I miss the drape that shows off the silky lustre and fine, wavy locks, glowing with outstanding color. Second, they look like the "Arnold's" (body builders) of the sheep world...you see every definition of their bodies...the super bulked up shoulders and super muscular rears that stick up quite high, and satallite dish backs. I'm not into that, and I think it looks less appealing. This body definition is still visible even when the fleece is ready to be sheared at 12 months. The old photos in the archives show level toplines, and drapey fleeces that hide body definition. I like that. Third, I want to raise fleece. Nice fleece. Long, silky, soft, bright fleece. So WHY would I start raising SHORT fleece that doesn't grow?? My long fleeces are very soft. I don't need short fiber length to get soft. So what's the advantage???? I see short fiber as a disadvantage! Short fiber is not any softer, or any more desirable to work with, in fact, short fiber is harder and more time consuming to spin. Harder to shear, too. It doesn't match the history of the ladies spinning on the Islands. They did not have large amounts of time to spin. They were raising families and caring for the animals and crofts, usually without their men, whom the Queen sent out to sea each summer.
Game changer. That's what we have in Appendix A. No thanks. I'll stick with my pretty, drapey fleeces that show off the uniqueness of the genuine Shetland. I WANT my sheep to be apart from modern commercial breeds, for the two types of sheep are VERY different in many visible, and invisible ways. To pull Shetlands more into the realm of modern commercial breeds by propagating shorter fleece and greater muscling is to deteriate the very characteristics that make Shetlands unique and special. Game changer.
So everyone knows now that Wheely Wooly Farm is sticking with the genuine Shetland sheep in fleece and body style. Everyone knows that we deem the 1927 Breed Standard to be a worthy and fascinating document in it's simplicity. Everyone knows that it is all that is needed to create the correct Shetland sheep. Everyone knows we have great respect for the people of the Shetland Islands, Col. Dailley, The Doanes, and the early breeders within our country who carefully made sure "shepherd descendents" like me could enjoy what they had the opportunity to enjoy. And everyone knows we are not afraid to bring integrity BACK to our breed organization.
So how do we handle our critics? First, if someone criticizes our farm, they are clearly not believing in the things mentioned in the above paragraph. I've heard the game changers say some pretty rotten things about the early breeders. I've heard them try to change the facts about Col. Dailley. And of course, they've tried to change the 1927 document by adding on a new piece. What have they said about our farm? Lots!!! (giggle, giggle!) You know you are effective when the game changers try to attack back!! My favorite yet is that our farm is a puppy mill of the sheep world! Obviously, the person spreading that around forgot to count how many lambs or sheep we've sold off our farm...NONE! :) (giggle, giggle!!) We have never offered a sheep for sale. Oops on their part! We are confident that our efforts to keep the truth accurate are working! The more complaining from the game changers we hear, the more we know we've been effective!
Remember about the sheep: To be pleased, look for no knees in the spring breeze!
We'll be keeping our fleeces historically correct in color, length, and staple dynamics. We strive to produce level toplines and bright, twinkly expressions. We avoid heavy bone and large, merino-type wide heads and heavy bodies. We desire long, drapey fleeces that hide body definition. We require historically accurate fleeces so that we can spin and knit up our Shetland fiber as historically accurate as my skills can pull off! No game changer here! So where does your farm place itself?
The problem has actually been growing for a little while now. Here in the midwest, the sheep have changed at a pretty rapid rate. They range from super small, to nearly unrecognizably large. They have other sheep's fleeces on them, their bone ranges from normal to super thick, and their conformation has taken a serious dive. As breeders propagate these faults, new flock owners unsuspectingly propagate them too, not realizing they are carrying on the problems and creating futher deviation from the ideal Shetland.
Now along comes this new "document" called Appendix A. This is a game changer. I know, I know, I know the supporters of Appendix A like to call it a "guideline", but the fact remains, legally, it's become a game changer. This modern document does not fit the historic, genuine Shetland. I saw first hand, what the "new" Shetland is going to look like, under this new document, for these new Shetlands already exist. I'm confident I will never raise that Shetland, for they look sooooo different!! For starters, they are just not as pretty with their short, tight fleeces. I miss the drape that shows off the silky lustre and fine, wavy locks, glowing with outstanding color. Second, they look like the "Arnold's" (body builders) of the sheep world...you see every definition of their bodies...the super bulked up shoulders and super muscular rears that stick up quite high, and satallite dish backs. I'm not into that, and I think it looks less appealing. This body definition is still visible even when the fleece is ready to be sheared at 12 months. The old photos in the archives show level toplines, and drapey fleeces that hide body definition. I like that. Third, I want to raise fleece. Nice fleece. Long, silky, soft, bright fleece. So WHY would I start raising SHORT fleece that doesn't grow?? My long fleeces are very soft. I don't need short fiber length to get soft. So what's the advantage???? I see short fiber as a disadvantage! Short fiber is not any softer, or any more desirable to work with, in fact, short fiber is harder and more time consuming to spin. Harder to shear, too. It doesn't match the history of the ladies spinning on the Islands. They did not have large amounts of time to spin. They were raising families and caring for the animals and crofts, usually without their men, whom the Queen sent out to sea each summer.
Game changer. That's what we have in Appendix A. No thanks. I'll stick with my pretty, drapey fleeces that show off the uniqueness of the genuine Shetland. I WANT my sheep to be apart from modern commercial breeds, for the two types of sheep are VERY different in many visible, and invisible ways. To pull Shetlands more into the realm of modern commercial breeds by propagating shorter fleece and greater muscling is to deteriate the very characteristics that make Shetlands unique and special. Game changer.
So everyone knows now that Wheely Wooly Farm is sticking with the genuine Shetland sheep in fleece and body style. Everyone knows that we deem the 1927 Breed Standard to be a worthy and fascinating document in it's simplicity. Everyone knows that it is all that is needed to create the correct Shetland sheep. Everyone knows we have great respect for the people of the Shetland Islands, Col. Dailley, The Doanes, and the early breeders within our country who carefully made sure "shepherd descendents" like me could enjoy what they had the opportunity to enjoy. And everyone knows we are not afraid to bring integrity BACK to our breed organization.
So how do we handle our critics? First, if someone criticizes our farm, they are clearly not believing in the things mentioned in the above paragraph. I've heard the game changers say some pretty rotten things about the early breeders. I've heard them try to change the facts about Col. Dailley. And of course, they've tried to change the 1927 document by adding on a new piece. What have they said about our farm? Lots!!! (giggle, giggle!) You know you are effective when the game changers try to attack back!! My favorite yet is that our farm is a puppy mill of the sheep world! Obviously, the person spreading that around forgot to count how many lambs or sheep we've sold off our farm...NONE! :) (giggle, giggle!!) We have never offered a sheep for sale. Oops on their part! We are confident that our efforts to keep the truth accurate are working! The more complaining from the game changers we hear, the more we know we've been effective!
Remember about the sheep: To be pleased, look for no knees in the spring breeze!
We'll be keeping our fleeces historically correct in color, length, and staple dynamics. We strive to produce level toplines and bright, twinkly expressions. We avoid heavy bone and large, merino-type wide heads and heavy bodies. We desire long, drapey fleeces that hide body definition. We require historically accurate fleeces so that we can spin and knit up our Shetland fiber as historically accurate as my skills can pull off! No game changer here! So where does your farm place itself?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Miniature Shetlands?
As I cruised around the Country Store at the festival last weekend, I often got distracted by something...usually yarn or fiber. Stopping to touch everything and marvel at the things sheep can produce, and the amazing things people do with raw materials, I often find myself in conversation with someone I've never met. Having a streak of my father in me, talking to strangers comes extremely easy, and it's certainly not hard with sheep people! Sheepy people tend to be very friendly and kind. So it's no surprise that I often end up talking to people who know nothing about Shetland sheep.
I had stopped to admire this lovely, lovely, lovely shawl with a ruffled edge that REALLY caught my attention, when quickly, I found myself talking to a "stranger". We laughed, shared, and giggled, even though neither of us had really met. When she asked me what kind of sheep I have, I told her Shetlands. I always love waiting for the response I get when I tell people I have Shetlands. Sometimes, I can visibly see respect drop with a thud (old farmers). Other times, people light up like a lightbulb (young city people). But usually, I get a washover of no recognition. This time, things lit up! This person I was talking to had heard there were "mini Shetlands" on the grounds this year! WHAT were THEY good for, she mused?? Mini Shetlands? Uh oh.
There is no such thing as miniature Shetlands. Yes, Shetlands are smaller than most breeds, but they are not miniature! Mature ewes need to be 75-100 pounds and rams up to 125 pounds. A good Shetland's back should be higher than an adult human's knees. A mature ewe can be picked up by a strong adult, but it should be a challenge. I can pick up my ewes on days I eat my vegetables. When I'm tired, I can't. (How's that for technical! :)
Turns out, I knew exactly what my new friend was talking about. On Friday night, I had the chance to look at a bunch of Shetland sheep that had arrived early. FUN!!!!! It is always fun to talk with Shetland Shepherds, and look at sheep! I have to admit I was stunned by the size differences in the whole group. I can see why it would be extremely confusing to someone who doesn't know the breed! On one end of the spectrum, there were mature ewes that had lambed that looked to be around 40 pounds, stood lower than my knees, and were the size of my current lamb crop...yes, mature ewes with a lamb. I immediately thought of the 1927 Breed Standard that lists undersized as a disqualification at the bottom of the document. Undersized Shetlands are to be disqualified. Clearly, this was an example of that, no matter how the fleece is. These animals should not be registered, nor promoted as breeding stock. Sadly, they are both. Sadly, there were many of them in pens at the festival, almost all from the same farm!
Then on the other end of the spectrum were sheep that were hardly recognizable! They were huge for Shetlands! I'm not sure what's going on there, either. While large sheep are not listed as a disqualification, I really am confused as to how such large sheep fit into the breed, technically. These large sheep's backs stood at my hip (I'm of average height). Confusion! In all the farms I've visited, I've not seen either end of this spectrum anywhere. Only here at the show do I see such extremes in size. Funnier still, both breeders insist their sheep are pure and correct, insist with passion!
Later, on the ride home, I was thinking about the size differences. So if a 40-ish pound mature ewe with a lamb at her side is "right", then what would be "undersized"? Those small sheep were shorter than my Shetland Sheep Dog! In the photos I've seen dating to the early 1900's, the dogs were smaller than the sheep, not the other way around!! The sheep laying over the laps of the women rooing them covered all of their laps, and lots of ground around them (not including the rooed fleece, which was typically piled up next to the person rooing). These tiny sheep couldn't do that, even with a small person! And having now visited numerous Shetland sheep farms, I have NOT seen such small sheep ANYWHERE, except amongst the small group of breeders touting them as correct. Lastly, if such tiny sheep were "correct", then why don't the early breeders/owners of Shetlands in our country agree that they are correct? One early breeder told me she thinks they are undernourished, for she has NEVER had sheep so small, and she is one of the first to have this breed in the US. I've now called many early breeders. None agree the breed is that small. So I believe, with validity, that my instincts are right. Something is wrong here, and those sheep should be politely placed last in the class. They are undersized, and to be disqualified from breeding and registering.
On Sunday, as we meandered around the curves and bends in the road that annoyed us on the way down, we talked about our own flock. We got into the sheep very slowly. We read, visited farms, and learned as much as we possibly could. We recognized early on the tension at our local show, and the arguing among groups. This seems to be Shetland history here in the midwest! But now past the beginnings of building a flock, we can look back with pride. We found the pitfalls, and avoided them! Whew!!! I'm sure that even the tiniest Shetland sheep would warm my heart over, and I know I'd feel sick to have fallen in love with and cared for sheep that were not right for the breed. It would make me feel sick to have to change what I initially invested in. It would have especially made me feel sick to know I trusted a breeding farm, only to find out later we were mislead for selfish reasons. We are both very thankful we took our time and got it right! Our sheep are not tiny, nor are they large. They are just right. They match what all the early breeders described. They match the size proportions I see in the photos taken nearly 100 years ago in the Shetland archives. For this, I am very thankful, and I'm confident when I sell my yarns that I'm selling genuine Shetland fiber.
It all left me pondering a huge question. The people who are left at our local show have the sheep that look the most off to me. The show is where I see the most variances. The show is the only place I see tiny sheep, or super huge sheep. The show is where I see super short, blocky fleeces. The show is where I see huge, huge bone. The show is where I see the worst conformation, and believe it or not, the most fatal horns. When I go out to little farms all around my region, I don't see these things. I see refined bone, drapey fine fleeces of outstanding softness and color, I see bright eyes twinkling back at me. I don't see tiny or huge. Hummmmmm..............the show is where I'm supposed to see the best, but instead, I'm seeing sheep that are all over the place in bone, fleece, size, expression, and conformation. I've come to learn that if you want to train your eye on what a good shetland is, go to the show! You'll see a lot of what a good shetland isn't!
So back to my new friend in the Country Store! I explained the Breed Standard, and what a good Shetland looks like. She didn't want miniature of anything, and mentioned miniature cows as an example. I assured her that while some people like the small sheep, that they are not normal for the breed. The beauty of it all is anyone can breed for what they really like, and if someone really likes such tiny sheep, and finds them worthy of feeding and shearing, so be it! That's ok! She promptly spoke of sticking to standards and how important that was to not lose what makes the breed correct. I agreed! My new friend was very wise!
(P.S. Awhile back, a friend had emailed me saying she'd seen a picture of a ram in the Wisconsin Shepherd magazine...the publication of the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Co-op...the organization that puts on the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Was that Wooly Bear (the ram we took to the show last year)? At first, I said no...couldn't be. Well, I picked up a copy of the Wisconsin Shepherd at the festival, opened it up and explosive laughter!!!!!!!! That's my ram!!!!!!!! His photo is being used to promote the festival, and is several inches across and tall!!!!!!!! Black sheep, blue sheep............yep! That's our purebred Shetland ram lamb, Wooly Bear (sire of all our lambs this year), resting in his pen on the festival grounds September 2009! Ok! That was FUN!!)
I had stopped to admire this lovely, lovely, lovely shawl with a ruffled edge that REALLY caught my attention, when quickly, I found myself talking to a "stranger". We laughed, shared, and giggled, even though neither of us had really met. When she asked me what kind of sheep I have, I told her Shetlands. I always love waiting for the response I get when I tell people I have Shetlands. Sometimes, I can visibly see respect drop with a thud (old farmers). Other times, people light up like a lightbulb (young city people). But usually, I get a washover of no recognition. This time, things lit up! This person I was talking to had heard there were "mini Shetlands" on the grounds this year! WHAT were THEY good for, she mused?? Mini Shetlands? Uh oh.
There is no such thing as miniature Shetlands. Yes, Shetlands are smaller than most breeds, but they are not miniature! Mature ewes need to be 75-100 pounds and rams up to 125 pounds. A good Shetland's back should be higher than an adult human's knees. A mature ewe can be picked up by a strong adult, but it should be a challenge. I can pick up my ewes on days I eat my vegetables. When I'm tired, I can't. (How's that for technical! :)
Turns out, I knew exactly what my new friend was talking about. On Friday night, I had the chance to look at a bunch of Shetland sheep that had arrived early. FUN!!!!! It is always fun to talk with Shetland Shepherds, and look at sheep! I have to admit I was stunned by the size differences in the whole group. I can see why it would be extremely confusing to someone who doesn't know the breed! On one end of the spectrum, there were mature ewes that had lambed that looked to be around 40 pounds, stood lower than my knees, and were the size of my current lamb crop...yes, mature ewes with a lamb. I immediately thought of the 1927 Breed Standard that lists undersized as a disqualification at the bottom of the document. Undersized Shetlands are to be disqualified. Clearly, this was an example of that, no matter how the fleece is. These animals should not be registered, nor promoted as breeding stock. Sadly, they are both. Sadly, there were many of them in pens at the festival, almost all from the same farm!
Then on the other end of the spectrum were sheep that were hardly recognizable! They were huge for Shetlands! I'm not sure what's going on there, either. While large sheep are not listed as a disqualification, I really am confused as to how such large sheep fit into the breed, technically. These large sheep's backs stood at my hip (I'm of average height). Confusion! In all the farms I've visited, I've not seen either end of this spectrum anywhere. Only here at the show do I see such extremes in size. Funnier still, both breeders insist their sheep are pure and correct, insist with passion!
Later, on the ride home, I was thinking about the size differences. So if a 40-ish pound mature ewe with a lamb at her side is "right", then what would be "undersized"? Those small sheep were shorter than my Shetland Sheep Dog! In the photos I've seen dating to the early 1900's, the dogs were smaller than the sheep, not the other way around!! The sheep laying over the laps of the women rooing them covered all of their laps, and lots of ground around them (not including the rooed fleece, which was typically piled up next to the person rooing). These tiny sheep couldn't do that, even with a small person! And having now visited numerous Shetland sheep farms, I have NOT seen such small sheep ANYWHERE, except amongst the small group of breeders touting them as correct. Lastly, if such tiny sheep were "correct", then why don't the early breeders/owners of Shetlands in our country agree that they are correct? One early breeder told me she thinks they are undernourished, for she has NEVER had sheep so small, and she is one of the first to have this breed in the US. I've now called many early breeders. None agree the breed is that small. So I believe, with validity, that my instincts are right. Something is wrong here, and those sheep should be politely placed last in the class. They are undersized, and to be disqualified from breeding and registering.
On Sunday, as we meandered around the curves and bends in the road that annoyed us on the way down, we talked about our own flock. We got into the sheep very slowly. We read, visited farms, and learned as much as we possibly could. We recognized early on the tension at our local show, and the arguing among groups. This seems to be Shetland history here in the midwest! But now past the beginnings of building a flock, we can look back with pride. We found the pitfalls, and avoided them! Whew!!! I'm sure that even the tiniest Shetland sheep would warm my heart over, and I know I'd feel sick to have fallen in love with and cared for sheep that were not right for the breed. It would make me feel sick to have to change what I initially invested in. It would have especially made me feel sick to know I trusted a breeding farm, only to find out later we were mislead for selfish reasons. We are both very thankful we took our time and got it right! Our sheep are not tiny, nor are they large. They are just right. They match what all the early breeders described. They match the size proportions I see in the photos taken nearly 100 years ago in the Shetland archives. For this, I am very thankful, and I'm confident when I sell my yarns that I'm selling genuine Shetland fiber.
It all left me pondering a huge question. The people who are left at our local show have the sheep that look the most off to me. The show is where I see the most variances. The show is the only place I see tiny sheep, or super huge sheep. The show is where I see super short, blocky fleeces. The show is where I see huge, huge bone. The show is where I see the worst conformation, and believe it or not, the most fatal horns. When I go out to little farms all around my region, I don't see these things. I see refined bone, drapey fine fleeces of outstanding softness and color, I see bright eyes twinkling back at me. I don't see tiny or huge. Hummmmmm..............the show is where I'm supposed to see the best, but instead, I'm seeing sheep that are all over the place in bone, fleece, size, expression, and conformation. I've come to learn that if you want to train your eye on what a good shetland is, go to the show! You'll see a lot of what a good shetland isn't!
So back to my new friend in the Country Store! I explained the Breed Standard, and what a good Shetland looks like. She didn't want miniature of anything, and mentioned miniature cows as an example. I assured her that while some people like the small sheep, that they are not normal for the breed. The beauty of it all is anyone can breed for what they really like, and if someone really likes such tiny sheep, and finds them worthy of feeding and shearing, so be it! That's ok! She promptly spoke of sticking to standards and how important that was to not lose what makes the breed correct. I agreed! My new friend was very wise!
(P.S. Awhile back, a friend had emailed me saying she'd seen a picture of a ram in the Wisconsin Shepherd magazine...the publication of the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Co-op...the organization that puts on the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Was that Wooly Bear (the ram we took to the show last year)? At first, I said no...couldn't be. Well, I picked up a copy of the Wisconsin Shepherd at the festival, opened it up and explosive laughter!!!!!!!! That's my ram!!!!!!!! His photo is being used to promote the festival, and is several inches across and tall!!!!!!!! Black sheep, blue sheep............yep! That's our purebred Shetland ram lamb, Wooly Bear (sire of all our lambs this year), resting in his pen on the festival grounds September 2009! Ok! That was FUN!!)
Monday, September 13, 2010
Shepherd's End of Year
I can hardly believe it, but the end of our flock year has come already! The time has come to prepare for winter, and decisions regarding who to breed has come, something we think endlessly about as we mull about what we want to do and all the possibilities. Meanwhile, we have lots to share regarding the busyness of the last few days!!
This weekend was the big event for us shepherds' here in the midwest, the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. As usual, the event was highly anticipated, and not disappointing in fun and camaraderie!! Last year, we set up a vending booth/farm display, and showed two Shetland sheep. FUN! Great fun! This year, as our business grows, we faced a big decision. Should we return to the festival and do what we did last year, or should we do our farm market that Saturday? The volume of people is definitely greater at the farm market, by manyfold. Thus, the decision was made, by accident, to be at the market. And of course, MSSBA President Chris Greene had made it explicitly clear that I was not welcome to attend the show, heaven forbid I bring my bright-eyed sheep! (Giggle, giggle!) Well, that didn't stop the fun! I was there anyway!
Friday morning, bleary-eyed from many hours of spinning, we headed out the door with our shopping list safely stashed in our pockets and the sheep safely out on fresh grass. The drive down always seems long. Every year, I can hardly wait to see all the spinning, yarn and knitting in the store there. I can't wait to see all the sheep, and all the Border Collies, hear all the baaing and Bordie Collie happy barks. I can't wait to talk to all the sheepy friends I've made over the years, and hear how their lives, farms, and flocks are progressing. So much to cram into such a short time!! Plus, new this year, was the dairy sheep!!! FUN!! We got to watch the sheep being milked, and taste excellent locally produced sheep cheese. I confess, I went back for more than one...two....three....samples.....! AND, we got to bring our Border Collie puppy, Swifty, along on Sunday!
So Friday morning, as we approached the grounds, we noticed a huge new highway project...mental note for next year! Leave extra time to figure out the new roads. As we pull into Jefferson, as usual, my stomach turns with excitement...I just can't wait to get there! After parking, we raced into the Country Store and made a bee line for the items we HAD to shop for...roving, a swift, new bobbins. I did pretty good, considering a bee line is hardly possible with all the distractions and so many friends to talk to! So when the critical shopping was done, it was back to a day of browsing and talking, many giggles and smiles, hugs, and fun! Every year, I make new friends, too! I am never disappointed in what sheep can do to a human's life! The warmth they give doesn't end at the skin!
Friday night, we left the festival quite late in darkness, bursting with the fun of the day. The drive home was good after a tall order of Culver's caffeine. By the half way point, we were singing harmony together and playing around with songs. The roads were clear and the evening beyond memorable. At home, the skies were warm and clear, with the big dipper hanging low over our silo, just as it always does in the early fall...reminding us the changes of season to come.
Saturday morning, we were up and out of the house by six. Rain was pouring down gently but steadily. Our farm market is never cancelled, and we had customers coming to pick up orders, so off in the dark we went, barely functioning in the low light and steam from the coffee cup! After we set up and quietly ate our "special day" donuts, we waited. Rain was dripping off our canopy and the street was dark. All around were these lovely bright bouquets of flowers with glads, sunflowers, mums, zinnias, and other outstanding colors. The Hmong family next to us always has the most outstanding vegetables and things I've never seen before. The smell of dill and sweet basil drifts so pleasantly on the air! A truly rich experience! Then, before my eyes was a customer! The market didn't open for 20 minutes yet, and there she was! Happy to see us, she made her selections (Iris, no surprise!), and was off as quick as she had come! We smiled. It was going to be a good day!
On Sunday, I had a commitment in the morning that I wasn't expecting the call for until next year. But a few weeks ago, some rearranging occurred, and the call came early. Sunday morning was a special moment that I really enjoyed. Then home quick to change, swoop up Swifty, and head back to the festival! The sun was warm, the air a mix of the heat of summer and the dim light of fall. Swifty met many look alikes, and learned that the dogs on the field hear whistles, and obey the commands as the shepherd gives them out.....:) He sat straight up, all eyes and ears, watching as things unfolded before him! Fun! We again filled the day with catching up, lots of laughter, hugs, and promises of visits. The festival never disappoints! I never cease to be amazed at how sheep bring people together. Goats, cows, dogs, horses....doesn't matter....they all bring people together to share life with. What a special thing that is!
The trip home on Sunday is always less urgent. As we meander around the curves and bends, we talk about sheep, farms, and our time on this earth. This year, we talked a lot about Shetland sheep and our progress. We are very proud to bring you the results of this extremely careful breeding! Our sheep are so carefully selected, based not on trends or fashions, but on genuine documented history. They have long, soft fleeces that create wonderful yarns that bring our customers back, and back, and back. Our yarns are going into a range of textiles that speaks volumes of the usefulness of the Shetland breed. Repeat customers, and a high range of usefulness of the wool is what kept the Shetlands so famous for so many centuries. No other breed that I am aware of can compete with that history, although I must admit the Icelandics have an amazing cultural/textile history that truly rivals the Shetlands in it's own right in terms of usefulness, cultural identity, and length of time this has been true.
As daylight faded Sunday evening, the air was warm and fresh. Everything was so green and the flowers so bright. The animals were all content and quiet, the crickets were slowly chirping. Then, as the big dipper started gently glowing over our silo, we heard something that stopped us in our tracks...geese. Calling out as they flew west, a flock of geese passed by, wings sounding swift and efficient in the dim light. We all looked at each other and smiled at the same time. Life is good! Sheep are good! Our farm is good! And the sheepy year is done. What a year it has been!
Stay tuned for more about what we saw at the festival, and Shetland sheep! Can't wait to share!
This weekend was the big event for us shepherds' here in the midwest, the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. As usual, the event was highly anticipated, and not disappointing in fun and camaraderie!! Last year, we set up a vending booth/farm display, and showed two Shetland sheep. FUN! Great fun! This year, as our business grows, we faced a big decision. Should we return to the festival and do what we did last year, or should we do our farm market that Saturday? The volume of people is definitely greater at the farm market, by manyfold. Thus, the decision was made, by accident, to be at the market. And of course, MSSBA President Chris Greene had made it explicitly clear that I was not welcome to attend the show, heaven forbid I bring my bright-eyed sheep! (Giggle, giggle!) Well, that didn't stop the fun! I was there anyway!
Friday morning, bleary-eyed from many hours of spinning, we headed out the door with our shopping list safely stashed in our pockets and the sheep safely out on fresh grass. The drive down always seems long. Every year, I can hardly wait to see all the spinning, yarn and knitting in the store there. I can't wait to see all the sheep, and all the Border Collies, hear all the baaing and Bordie Collie happy barks. I can't wait to talk to all the sheepy friends I've made over the years, and hear how their lives, farms, and flocks are progressing. So much to cram into such a short time!! Plus, new this year, was the dairy sheep!!! FUN!! We got to watch the sheep being milked, and taste excellent locally produced sheep cheese. I confess, I went back for more than one...two....three....samples.....! AND, we got to bring our Border Collie puppy, Swifty, along on Sunday!
So Friday morning, as we approached the grounds, we noticed a huge new highway project...mental note for next year! Leave extra time to figure out the new roads. As we pull into Jefferson, as usual, my stomach turns with excitement...I just can't wait to get there! After parking, we raced into the Country Store and made a bee line for the items we HAD to shop for...roving, a swift, new bobbins. I did pretty good, considering a bee line is hardly possible with all the distractions and so many friends to talk to! So when the critical shopping was done, it was back to a day of browsing and talking, many giggles and smiles, hugs, and fun! Every year, I make new friends, too! I am never disappointed in what sheep can do to a human's life! The warmth they give doesn't end at the skin!
Friday night, we left the festival quite late in darkness, bursting with the fun of the day. The drive home was good after a tall order of Culver's caffeine. By the half way point, we were singing harmony together and playing around with songs. The roads were clear and the evening beyond memorable. At home, the skies were warm and clear, with the big dipper hanging low over our silo, just as it always does in the early fall...reminding us the changes of season to come.
Saturday morning, we were up and out of the house by six. Rain was pouring down gently but steadily. Our farm market is never cancelled, and we had customers coming to pick up orders, so off in the dark we went, barely functioning in the low light and steam from the coffee cup! After we set up and quietly ate our "special day" donuts, we waited. Rain was dripping off our canopy and the street was dark. All around were these lovely bright bouquets of flowers with glads, sunflowers, mums, zinnias, and other outstanding colors. The Hmong family next to us always has the most outstanding vegetables and things I've never seen before. The smell of dill and sweet basil drifts so pleasantly on the air! A truly rich experience! Then, before my eyes was a customer! The market didn't open for 20 minutes yet, and there she was! Happy to see us, she made her selections (Iris, no surprise!), and was off as quick as she had come! We smiled. It was going to be a good day!
On Sunday, I had a commitment in the morning that I wasn't expecting the call for until next year. But a few weeks ago, some rearranging occurred, and the call came early. Sunday morning was a special moment that I really enjoyed. Then home quick to change, swoop up Swifty, and head back to the festival! The sun was warm, the air a mix of the heat of summer and the dim light of fall. Swifty met many look alikes, and learned that the dogs on the field hear whistles, and obey the commands as the shepherd gives them out.....:) He sat straight up, all eyes and ears, watching as things unfolded before him! Fun! We again filled the day with catching up, lots of laughter, hugs, and promises of visits. The festival never disappoints! I never cease to be amazed at how sheep bring people together. Goats, cows, dogs, horses....doesn't matter....they all bring people together to share life with. What a special thing that is!
The trip home on Sunday is always less urgent. As we meander around the curves and bends, we talk about sheep, farms, and our time on this earth. This year, we talked a lot about Shetland sheep and our progress. We are very proud to bring you the results of this extremely careful breeding! Our sheep are so carefully selected, based not on trends or fashions, but on genuine documented history. They have long, soft fleeces that create wonderful yarns that bring our customers back, and back, and back. Our yarns are going into a range of textiles that speaks volumes of the usefulness of the Shetland breed. Repeat customers, and a high range of usefulness of the wool is what kept the Shetlands so famous for so many centuries. No other breed that I am aware of can compete with that history, although I must admit the Icelandics have an amazing cultural/textile history that truly rivals the Shetlands in it's own right in terms of usefulness, cultural identity, and length of time this has been true.
As daylight faded Sunday evening, the air was warm and fresh. Everything was so green and the flowers so bright. The animals were all content and quiet, the crickets were slowly chirping. Then, as the big dipper started gently glowing over our silo, we heard something that stopped us in our tracks...geese. Calling out as they flew west, a flock of geese passed by, wings sounding swift and efficient in the dim light. We all looked at each other and smiled at the same time. Life is good! Sheep are good! Our farm is good! And the sheepy year is done. What a year it has been!
Stay tuned for more about what we saw at the festival, and Shetland sheep! Can't wait to share!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Not now Swifty!
This puppy just turned five months old! Five months!! And look what he figured out today! This is one I'll have to not encourage, or I'll never get to spin again (giggle, giggle). Looks like I might be needing a single treadle wheel in the future....:)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Zoom!
Whew! Summer has been flying by at an alarming pace! We have been very busy here at Wheely Wooly Farm! It all started with float building, hay, strawberries, getting the garden in, lambs, shearing, pasture rotations, Farm Fun Days, and end of school stuff. All that progressed into family gatherings, parades, farm markets, travel days off and trips, tours of farms, fun times with friends, weeding, weeding, weeding (well, not really :) then full blast into our fair, more hay, start up of school, more farm markets, more trips, weaning, fencing, putting up tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, and boatloads of peaches from our little peach tree, pears, and now apples. I still have dried beans to harvest, onions to pull, more tomatoes and peppers to bring in, oodles of raspberries to pluck from canes every day, and more pears to pick (and eggs to gather, coops to clean, water buckets to scrub and fill, fences to move, hooves to trim, bridle paths to neaten up, flymasks to scrub, nettle to pull, grass to mow, rocks to move, gardens to clean up, herbs to harvest, cobwebs to sweep in the barn, roses to sniff, and oh yeah...a great little puppy to train!!). Life here is NOT boring!!
Shetland Felted purse with crocheted flowers
The purse above is one I made awhile back from a lovely Shetland ewe I do not own. The design is one I created, based on my own needs in a purse. Then I crocheted some pretty flowers (also of my own design), and laid them on to see how they look. It's a keeper! So next, I have to sew the flowers on...in all my free time! I'll probably have it done by tomorrow.
Did I mention I spin non-stop?
Pumpkin's Scrapbook-picture pending!
Wheely Wooly Gracelyn
Gracie is generating lots of excitement around here, as we drool over her wool. I've already had trouble sleeping, as I begin imagining what I'll use the lovely wool for (should I sell it, or should I make myself ...fill in the blank)! Boy, these sheep sure do grow on ya! (That's Pumpkin peeking over Gracie's back.)
And he certainly has an affinity for staring down anything he wants (top photo). It is emotional for me, for it is like having a little of Shimmer back for just a moment. In the bottom photo, he is demonstrating the infamous 'Border Collie Lean'...puppy style. He has remarkable springs in those strong hind legs that can burst into action in a blink! His ears are always on...but hearing is a tad selective at this point...you know...like the brushing teeth or combing hair! He's on a great puppy chow now and his muscles are responding much to my amazement! This photo was taken a few weeks ago. Today, you can see the muscles developing around his shoulders and rear legs. Border Collie in training!! I'm lovin' every second of it!
What's in store for tomorrow? COOL AIR! Can't wait!!
Shetland Felted purse with crocheted flowersThe purse above is one I made awhile back from a lovely Shetland ewe I do not own. The design is one I created, based on my own needs in a purse. Then I crocheted some pretty flowers (also of my own design), and laid them on to see how they look. It's a keeper! So next, I have to sew the flowers on...in all my free time! I'll probably have it done by tomorrow.
Did I mention I spin non-stop?Yarn has been coming off my wheel at a nice clip. Notorious for overloading my bobbins, this bobbin will get more yarn before I wind off. Yes, I've had to superglue the ends back on all of my bobbins :). On nice days, I spin outside. On humid days, I spin under the fan. When I'm tired, I spin in front of the TV...doesn't matter...I spin wherever. When I'm not spinning or checking something off my friendly list above, I'm knitting, or trying to knit, or thinking of knitting....
Pumpkin's Scrapbook-picture pending!
Lil' Pumpkin went to the fair this year...well sort of. His little exhibitor is not allowed to take animal exhibits to the fair until next year. So he went in the next best way, on paper. The judge loved it, and learned about great little sheep at the same time...had never heard of Shetlands! The bows on the side are tied with Gwendolyn's yarn, which is a similiar moorit color (at the time) as Pumpkin is now. Included in the scrapbook is a lock of wool. Judging by the condition of it when fair week was over, a lot of people must have experienced the beauty of Shetland wool!
Wheely Wooly GracelynGracie is generating lots of excitement around here, as we drool over her wool. I've already had trouble sleeping, as I begin imagining what I'll use the lovely wool for (should I sell it, or should I make myself ...fill in the blank)! Boy, these sheep sure do grow on ya! (That's Pumpkin peeking over Gracie's back.)
Swifty has been an absolute delight! He's five months old now, and progressing in his training right on track! He is free to run around the farm, even without constant supervision, as he has proven very trustworthy. He loves his farm!! When I weed the garden, he snitches the clumps and clods of overgrown weed with roots, and takes off for the nearest shade tree. I frequently have to clean up from there, for he creates piles of weeds under that tree! Silly puppy!! When I take him for rides into the city, he barks at dumpsters and fire hydrants...all the big spooky stuff. He's also discovered the sheep water tank...on a hot summer day (tank-diving). I wondered how long it'd take him to find that one! The other day, he ducked under the horse fence in the upper pasture (horses were out grazing in back) when his back touched the fence and gave him the surprise he'll never forget! He yelped like a tornado siren non-stop all the way up to the house, scaring the daylights out of us, getting shocked again on the way out of the pasture, too!! I ran to catch him and found him panting by the back door, pleading to go inside but smiling and wagging his tail. So fragile, these puppy days!
And he certainly has an affinity for staring down anything he wants (top photo). It is emotional for me, for it is like having a little of Shimmer back for just a moment. In the bottom photo, he is demonstrating the infamous 'Border Collie Lean'...puppy style. He has remarkable springs in those strong hind legs that can burst into action in a blink! His ears are always on...but hearing is a tad selective at this point...you know...like the brushing teeth or combing hair! He's on a great puppy chow now and his muscles are responding much to my amazement! This photo was taken a few weeks ago. Today, you can see the muscles developing around his shoulders and rear legs. Border Collie in training!! I'm lovin' every second of it! What's in store for tomorrow? COOL AIR! Can't wait!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)