A Year in the Life of a Sheep Farmer

According to Chinese zodiac, 2015 was the Year of the Sheep. I am not exactly sure what that means-in terms of being Chinese-but I know what that means in terms of my life. Let’s take a look back at a year in the life of a sheep farmer-me. Twenty-fifteen most definitely was the Year of the Sheep-Gotland sheep.

It started mid December of 2014, when a livestock trailer arrived to our quiet New England village to deliver a small flock of Gotland sheep. Since then, my life has been nothing but Gotland. Granted, there has been some maple sugaring, sheep dog training, pig chasing, vegetable growing, outdoor oven cooking, farmstay guest hosting, harvesting, egg gathering, visiting dauther in Germany, college kid driving, and shoveling mixed in along the way, but by far, most of my activity has been everything Gotland.  As I look back I have:

• chased one particular Gotland ram all over town (literally)
• photographed Gotlands
• rug hooked with Gotland curls
• opened an online store selling Gotland products
• shared with the world my passion for Gotlands and shepherding through a Woolful Podcast
• birthed Gotland lambs
• knit with Gotland wool
• renamed my farm blog to “Living with Gotlands”
• needle felted with Gotland wool
• watched others get hooked on Gotland wool yarn
• took off on an adventure across the ocean to meet some Gotland shepherds
• met and fell in love with two amazing couples on Gotland island who raise 100% purebred Gotlands (couple 1 and couple 2)
• received a warm Swedish welcome from an instagram friend
• went to a Gotland ram auction in Sweden
• introduced a friend to felting with Gotland curls
• created felted hats and vests with my Gotland wool
• gone to fiber festivals to talk everything Gotland
• and have  fortified fences again and again, for our escape artist ram who has taught me much about living with Gotlands.
  

  Curre and Lotta-Sigsarve Lamb

  

  

  

  

  Anita Welcomes Us to Gotland

  

  

  

  

  Jonas Enjoys the Green Grass

  

  

  Sheep Needle Felted Rug

  

  

  

  

  Annette and Dan

  

  

  Kai naturally wants to circle the sheep to gather them.

  

  VT Grand View Farm Gotland Fleece

  

  

  Kim and Chuck Goodling

  

  Hermaness Hat in Gotland Gray

  

  Shearing Day at VT Grand View Farm

  

  Kai likes my Gotland wool felted fedora.

  

  Vermont’s First Gotland Lamb

  

  Gotland Sheep Grazing on Faro