Shetland Sheep and Wool Products
The Tale of the "Colonel", A shetland sheep history
Shetland wool is world renown. Folks have passed Shetland sweaters down from generation to generation. Shetland wool is very soft and fine, (23 to 31 Microns), with one of the widest ranges of natural colors of any sheep in the world. Most Shetland sheep are a single color however some have exciting marking patterns. Some are snow white while others are various shades of silvery gray to coal black. Still others are shades of brown ranging from a light champagne color through medium brown to a dark Hershey bar color. NASSA recognizes 11 colors and 30 marking patterns, most with interesting Shetland names.
Shetland sheep love attention! When people visit their pasture, Shetlands run over for a kind word, maybe a scratch under the chin (they wag their tails) or a big hug. The ewes are friendly, but the rams are pussy cats! They look so regal with their great curved horns that you may be surprised at how affectionate they are.
The Shetland sheep breed is ancient. They are probably descendants of sheep brought to the Shetland Islands by early Nordic explorers many centuries ago. They survived and prospered in isolation on the Shetland Islands. Their fleece was rooed and spun into fine yarn. Shetland sweaters, hats, etc. were knit in an infinite variety of colored Fair Isle design patterns. Today, in North America, there is a resurgence of interest in mastering these old skills. We sell out all of our prime fleeces every year.
We have had sheep since 1980, starting with a few Romneys and working our way up in quantity and variety of breeds. We especially love exciting colored, fine fleeces. The original Shetland flock was imported to Canada from the United Kingdom in 1980 by Colonel Gordon D. Dailley. All of them were permanently quarantined on the Colonel's farm, and it was five years before any offspring could leave. During that time, Agriculture Canada checked them regularly for disease, especially Scrapie. They found nothing. We imported the first Shetland sheep into the United States during the fall of 1986. Our flock size now varies between 120 and 200 sheep depending on the time of year and is all Shetlands. We have the oldest, and probably the largest Shetland flock in the United States with a wide choice of colors, marking patterns and textures from which to choose.
The best bet is to visit the friendliest sheep in Vermont. Give us a call so we can set aside some time just for you. When you have narrowed down your choices, we will send you a Data Chart showing breeding as much as five generations back and many more interesting details for all those in which you may have an interest. You can then make the final selection. We want you to be an informed buyer! If you cannot visit, we can send you a Polaroid and/or fleece sample of the animals in which you have an interest. We regularly ship Shetlands by air all over the country.
Thank you for your interest in our Shetland sheep. We are very excited about them and would love to discuss them further. Please don't be shy about calling.
Sad to say that due to advancing age and health condition, we had to retire. All the sheep were rehomed, and the products sold.
Tut lost his battle with Alzheimers. He is greatly missed! If you have any questions or suggestions, please call or e-mail.
| Linda Doane |
Phone: (802)728-3081
Fax: (802)728-4721
Footnotes:
Shetland Islands - An archipelago of northern Scotland in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of the Orkney Islands. The islands were occupied by Norse invaders and colonists after the late ninth century and were annexed by Scotland in 1472.
North American Shetland Sheep Breeders Association
www.shetland-sheep.org