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About This SiteThank you for being interested in The Old Flock's Home website
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Who's on the Farm Staff?
I have seven employees, 2 males and 5 females. Their jobs are to eat grass and grow wool. They really are easy to get along with. They don't ask for much and have no interest in forming a union or going on strike. All they ask for is a safe working environment and health care benefits. You can get to know them better and be a part of their lives through our Sponsor-A-Sheep Program.
Is it really an old flock?
Not really but it's more so every year. The name came about as a joke but stuck. What started out as pets for our sons has changed several times over the years. At one point we would take in ewes that for one reason or another were not good for breeding but still had very nice fleeces. I was only interested in having them grow wool and eat grass so they fit just fine. The fact that several of the ewes were simply too old to breed had my husband calling it the old folk's home which morphed into the old flock's home. When I started selling wool it just seemed right to call it The Old Flock's Home.
Can you make a living raising sheep?
Not the way I do it! To do that you'd have to take advantage of every aspect of the sheep industry. I've never been interested in showing sheep. I'm not interested in raising sheep for meat. At this point I'm not even interested in breeding the ewes although I really do miss the lambs in the spring. I just don't want to deal with the rams anymore. Throughout all the different phases and changes I've learned a lot. Although I think that's an ongoing process this learning thing. When you are basically a one woman show you can't do it like the 'big boys'. I actually don't want to do it like the 'big boys'. That being the case I've had to find other ways to do some things. Building fences is a good example so I do what works for me. It's hard to find a good shearer when you only have a few sheep, so I finally started shearing them myself. I'm hoping that I can put what I've learned out there to help people who might be in similar situations.
Got Wool?
Have I...got wool...for you!? At the present all my sheep are Romney which is excellent for beginning spinners. I've never had my fleeces tested for the micron count (yet) but they are definitely on the softer side of Romney. All of my sheep at the present are natural colored, which means not white. I love the variations of grays. The fleeces are beautiful natural or dyed. I recently lost my last Bluefaced Leicester ewe due to old age. Since I'm not planning on breeding the ewes anymore I would like to get more breed variety into the flock. I think Romney will always be my favorite.
Random Facts About Me
1. I homeschooled our two sons.
2. My favorite color is yellow but I tend to use red a lot more. I have no idea why.
3. I have 7 sheep right now.
4. One of the few memories I have of my paternal grandfather was holding his hand when I was about 3 and walking through his sheep pasture. Maybe that's why I like sheep.
5. I'm a grandmother!
6. Even though I have sheep, I am a vegetarian. And no, I don't think that's strange. People have dogs and they don't eat puppies. I get asked that question a lot.
7. I have two Etsy Shops: The Old Flock's Home and Multiplicity Creations.
2. My favorite color is yellow but I tend to use red a lot more. I have no idea why.
3. I have 7 sheep right now.
4. One of the few memories I have of my paternal grandfather was holding his hand when I was about 3 and walking through his sheep pasture. Maybe that's why I like sheep.
5. I'm a grandmother!
6. Even though I have sheep, I am a vegetarian. And no, I don't think that's strange. People have dogs and they don't eat puppies. I get asked that question a lot.
7. I have two Etsy Shops: The Old Flock's Home and Multiplicity Creations.
