The Blue Faced Leicesters have to be handled differently.  Their fleece does not grow nearly as quickly.  Experience will tell us how to schedule their shearing.  For this season, they are on a spring to spring timetable.

The first fleece from the crossing experiment was sheared.  The locks more resemble the Blue Faced than the Border Leicester but the fleece is heavier.  It is currently drying, and will be sent to Wellington Fibres for assessment.  Superficially, it looks wonderful but the test will be in how it spins.

In the intervening years, we have developed electrically- fenced rotational grazing, have renovated an existing historic dairy barn, and have restored an octagonal, roofless silo. We have also learned about sheep. We can thank close friends we have made in the sheep business for our much of our progress. Shirley Graves, of Century Lane Farm, in particular, has mentored us, providing practical advice many times. As educators, we know that “learning by doing” is often the best approach, especially when a strong support system of experience is available.

The fibre portion of the business came after the purchase of the sheep when we discovered that the animals we fell in love with produced such beautiful fleeces. From there, what had been a lifelong interest in handcrafts began to centre on wool. That is, the sheep came first, the spinning wheel second.

At Windblest Farm, we focus on utilizing as much of the sheep as possible, to increase the viability of our small farm. We specialize in the dual purpose Leicester, selling breeding stock, meat lambs, sheepskins and wool products. As well, we are experimenting with crosses within our flock. Our goal is to improve the already fine quality of the fibre we produce. This year’s crossed lambs are already exhibiting good fleece characteristics, and have proven to be healthy, strong individuals, growing well on a mixture of grain and grass.

The development of the farm’s “Limited Edition” series of worsted weight tweed knitting yarns, and its production methods, was the reason for the award.  Mentioned also in the citation was the washing system used to prepare the fleece on the farm.  Wool sacs, custom designed to fit a laundry tub,  allow the fleece to be hand washed, rinsed and spun to remove excess water with a limited amount of handling.

We thank the Premier and the Minister of Agriculture for recognizing the work done by farmers across this province, and in particular, congratulate Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company, a most deserving winner of the Premier’s Award.

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Soya sauce

1 clove garlic, mashed

1 tsp rosemary or thyme

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

2 tbsp olive oil

Blend mustard, soya sauce, garlic, herbs and ginger together.  Beat in olive oil by droplets to make a mayonnaise-like cream.

Paint the lamb with the mixture and set it on  a rack in  roasting pan.  The meat will pick up more flavour if it is coated several hours before roasting.

Roast at 350F approximately 1 1/2 hours until meat thermometer reads 145F for medium rare.

Coating is also good with lamb shoulder.

2 – 3 lamb chops per person

Dijon mustard

Chopped fresh, or dried rosemary

Brush chops with mustard, sprinkle with rosemary.  Repeat on other side.

Grill to desired doneness.

The farm focuses on the multi-purpose nature of the Leicester. It produces quality breeding stock and markets tender young lamb. From the recently opened Wool Shop, exclusive wool products are available, including unique “limited edition” knitting yarns, cozy blankets and luxurious sheepskins.

Shepherds Bryan and Janice Lever welcome visitors to the farm .

* 1 cup margarine
* 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 egg
* 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup coconut
* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 tsp baking powder

Cream together sugar and butter, and wet ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon for each cookie onto a prepared cookie sheet. Cook at 375 degrees for ten minutes.

Finding the niche has been a slow process.  Selling fleeces to handspinners was a first, but restricted market.  Several experiments in processing wool into knitting yarn failed because of problems with mill requirements.  Finally, the problem was solved with the discovery of Wellington Fibres, near Elora, Ontario, a mill specializing in small order processing within a reasonable time period.

Wool production now shares equal status with the provision of breeding stock and meat lambs.  Shearing, skirting, washing and dyeing are completed on site, before the fleece is sent to the mill.  The expertise of Donna Hancock and Lorne Thompson has been invaluable.  The beautiful 3-ply yarn they produce captures the best qualities of Border Leicester wool, its strength, its lustre and its resilience.

]]> http://windblestfarm.ca/2009/05/06/the-wool/feed/ 1 http://windblestfarm.ca/2009/05/06/the-sheep/ http://windblestfarm.ca/2009/05/06/the-sheep/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 18:45:00 +0000 janice http://windblestfarm.ca/?p=102 Border Leicester sheep were selected in 1997 for Windblest Farm because of their friendly dispositions, distinctive appearance, and ease of handling, important factors for then beginning shepherds.  The breed came to Canada with the early British settlers.  Its dual purpose nature, producing tender meat and warm fleece, made it a useful addition to the pioneer farm where utility was essential.  Later, the fibre was critical to the fibre industry.  Now Border Leicesters are found in small purebred flocks and on hobby farms.  Progressive commercial breeders  look to the Border Leicester for fast growing market lambs.  The ewes have excellent mothering characteristics.  The lambs are vigourous at birth and grow quickly.  They adapt well to pasture conditions, needing grain supplementation only during breeding season and at lambing.

Coloured Border Leicesters form part of the Windblest Farm flock.  They were added for the beauty of their fleeces, in shades of black, gray and brown.  We thank Linda and Bill Koeppel, of Cape House Farm, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for introducing us to these beautiful sheep.

Blue Faced Leicesters have been introduced recently to add to the wool side of the business.  As well as producing a fine, lustrous fleece, they are prolific, and heavy milkers.  They are particularly well suited to pasture based management systems.  Rams are in demand for the production of crossbred mules.