Sheep RSS

   An extremely popular wool breed in many parts of the world, the Polwarth began its development into the fixed breed we know today the 1880s in southeastern Australia, in the state of Victoria. This breed originated on just three Australian family farms, and is today a popular and abundant wool producer for farms in many parts of the world. In 1840, Alexander Dennis and his brothers sailed from England to Australia to begin a new life. Hailing from the county of Cornwall, a region of England well known for its sheep farms, Dennis knew exactly what he was going to do...

   Targhee sheep, one of the youngest breeds of sheep in North America, have been experiencing a surge of interest from spinners and hand-dyers in the last several years. This American sheep breed has wool that can be as soft as some Merino wools. However, while most of the Merino in the world comes from Australia and China, the majority of Targhee wool comes from farms right here in North America. To tell the story of Targhee sheep, though, we should start with the saga of sheep and the American West. Settlers began to push west around the mid-1700s, but it wasn’t...

   Merino sheep are among the most broadly known and popular sheep breeds for wool today.  Wool from Merino sheep has gained in popularity over the centuries, and has successfully conquered the fine-wool trade.  If you like wool, you have certainly encountered soft, warm and resilient Merino wool at your local yarn shop or clothing store.  Curious about where this wool comes from and what its place in history is?  Read on! Sheep were first domesticated in Mesopotamia sometime between 11,000 and 9,000 BCE. Not too long after that, sheep made their way to the African continent, with nomadic sheep herders...