Merino sheep

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Merino sheep
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 17 10:13 pm Post subject: Merino sheep
If, hypothetically speaking, I were looking for some Merino sheep, where might I find some? Perfunctory googling suggests New Zealand. Or Vermont. Not exactly practical. I don't think I've ever seen any, even at yarn shows (I can't be sure. I've always been far more interested in the end product)

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 17 12:21 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure that I should be doing this but:

Est A Laine Merino - an attractive, strong, large framed sheep with very fine wool. The head is long, white in colour with long ears. The sheep is naturally polled. The neck is clean with no folds or dewlap. Average mature ewe weighs 90-11kg, rams 130kg.
The wool is classified as Grade 1 and 2 by the British Wool Marketing Board, and has a Bradford Count of 80�a to 64�s.
Society contact: 01953 607860

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 17 3:27 pm Post subject:
Falkland Islands. Also, try asking John Arbon, re French merino d'Arles www.jarbon.com/ or Laxtons re Falkland merino www.laxtons.com/ Ask the National Sheep Association if they know of any UK flocks, https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/ or try the Wool Board https://www.britishwool.org.uk/

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 17 5:54 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

I'm not sure that I should be doing this but:

It's fine. Really. I am allowed to have as many animals as I like. I said so. I am dithering a little because a) sheep are nothing but trouble looking for new ways to die and b) I don't like prepping wool. I don't really like wool, except Merino wool. But I have found a local mill, where you can send them off full of yuk and get back yarn, in small amounts. Given the amount I spend on the stuff, it's only sensible.

Also, I don't like mowing grass much.

Thank you both.

clydesdaleclopper

Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Posts: 100
Location: N E Scotland

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 17 10:06 pm Post subject:
Why don't you try Bowmonts - the Scottish Merino

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 17 8:14 am Post subject:
I've never come across Bowmonts. Do you know where I could buy some yarn before I invest in a whole sheep?

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 17 10:48 pm Post subject:
Watching with interest ...

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 17 7:20 am Post subject:
Mill details, please!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 17 2:11 pm Post subject:

frewen wrote:

Watching with interest ...

For the sheep or the end products?

Chez, it's https://griffithsfarming.com/index.html prices don't look too bad. Better than spending days up to my elbows in sheep crud anyway. I think they will blend as well. It's fairly local to us, and they have their own Merinos I'm gong up to see them at a show at the end of this month.

I found it by working backwards, in the end. I looked for British Merino yarn, and saw who had flocks. I'm not sure if there are any for sale, though.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 17 9:18 pm Post subject:
Both of course!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46344
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 17 1:15 pm Post subject:
yarn is unlikely to decide to headbutt you over a gate or drown itself in a drain

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 17 3:57 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

yarn is unlikely to decide to headbutt you over a gate or drown itself in a drain

In that case, there will be roast lamb as well. I'm not putting up with any of that sheep nonsense. They just a need firm handling and to know who's boss, and they will stop looking for new diseases to get and creative ways to die. It's just attention seeking. Fly strike is a sign of needing more discipline.

I suspect, given the prices I have just paid for my special-treat-birthday yarn, that sheep are cheaper. There is possibly a reason for this.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 17 6:06 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

I've never come across Bowmonts. Do you know where I could buy some yarn before I invest in a whole sheep?

Bowmont Braf surfaced briefly a few years back and had good write ups, the chap who was behind that should still be out there, he was very active at Wonderswol etc.

also this, any use? : https://www.bowmontuk.com/

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 17 10:03 am Post subject:
They don't seem to sell to the general public. However, it did lead me to a farm that breeds Bowmonts. In the next village. Only they've presold all their fleece. I'm going over next week to look at some.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46344
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 17 4:58 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

dpack wrote:

yarn is unlikely to decide to headbutt you over a gate or drown itself in a drain

the reasons are many and much like the price of fish reflects the value put on men's lives the price of yarn .....

charming in a photo or on a plate , up close and personal i prefer poison arrow frogs and big bitey centipedes. it does go both ways , sheep i do not know hate me and seek to distress or destroy me as i type.

ps many historical examples suggests i'm not paranoid about them, some folk get on well with them but i recon there are better ways to suffer

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