Latest Posts
Shades of Gotland Gray
Gotland wool comes in a variety of shades of gray from a pale silver to a dark charcoal. Gotland sheep produce a true gray as their fiber does not discolor due to sun exposure. Gotland lambs are born solid black. They keep this lamb fleece for 2 to 3 months when their true gray coat begins to come in underneath … Read More
Local Wool Podcast
Join Anastasia Williams from Garden Wool & Dye Company as she interviews me for the second episode of her new podcast, Local Wool. Listen while I share how Gotland sheep came to Grand View Farm and hear a historical perspective of the Gotland upbreeding program in the United States. Learn about the lovely wool characteristics of this special breed and … Read More
When to Assist Ewes at Lambing
A skilled shepherd knows when to assist ewes at lambing. Most of the time, ewes lamb completely on their own. Their bodies are created to give birth naturally without intervention. As a shepherd, you must learn to resist helping until a ewe really needs assistance. It is usually obvious when a ewe needs help with a birth. Typically, it can … Read More
Hypothermia in Lambs
Hypothermia is a condition that shepherds need to watch for in young lambs. It occurs when a lamb’s body temperature drops below a normal temperature. This can be life threatening to a lamb and immediate detection and treatment increase the lamb’s survival rate. Several factors put lambs at a higher risk for getting hypothermia such as: small lambs triplets or … Read More
Caring for the Shepherd During Lambing
shepherd ~ a person who tends sheep Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster defines a shepherd as one who tends sheep. This definition just doesn’t fully express all that encompasses shepherding. “Tending sheep” does not tell of the long nights, the being covered in amniotic fluid from a birth gone awry, the sore back from bending and lifting animals almost equal in your own … Read More