Old Mill Farm's Natural Wool Fiber Products

Our sheep are ASH free, pasture raised and are a part of our farm family. They are fed twice daily and are raised using organic practices. We don't produce a lot of wool. The amounts are limited and it takes almost a year to get the finished product. We know you'll be happy with your purchase.

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About Our Sheep and Wool

Our sheep are a cross of Suffolk, Cheviot and Karacol breeds. During lambing season the ewes are kept in a pasture near the house where we can look out the kitchen window to keep tabs on them. Often we watch the lambs as they are born and stand for the first time.

Our small flock of sheep multi-tasks at Old Mill Farm. They are superb mowing machines. This is very important in Northern California where wildfire danger is high and all buildings are required to have grass and brush cleared to within 100 feet during fire season. The flock also clears between the vineyard rows after the grapes are picked and leaves have fallen until bud break in the spring.

The wethers are used for meat production for lamb sales at our local farmers markets and for our dinner tables. Local farmers will buy a ram or lambs from us to add to their flocks. We keep about 20 full time multi tasking sheep year 'round.

The entire flock is shorn annually by a traveling shearer the first week in June. This is a busy time and a lot of hands are needed at this fast paced chore to handle sheep for the shearer. They are very strong and not happy during this extremely intense time.

Together we bag the wool (which at that time is really dirty and smelly but full of lanolin,) trim hooves, place an ear tag, and organically treat for worms. Within a few hours it is all done and the flock is munching away again. You can read more about our sheep and Old Mill Farm and see some great sheep shots in Shear Spirit by Joan Tapper and Gale Zucker.

After the shearing, I try to take the wool as soon as possible to Jane Deemer at Yolo Wool Mill in Woodland, California to be scoured, carded and spun. You can find out about their services at www.yolowoolmill.com.

It is a 4-hour drive from the Pacific Coast to Woodland near Sacramento. By this time in June temperatures are in the 100's inland. And this wool is stinky! So I have to leave before dawn to avoid heating the wool too much and get it delivered so I can drive back in the same day.

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