A Fiber Addition
In late 2025, Jared and Lynn trekked to Pennsylvania to fulfil a long-time wish: to own a Wensleydale Sheep!
Every two years, Ewe Know It Farms requires a new set of rams to breed with the ewes. Since the flock is in a growth stage, about 10% of all lambs born on the farm are retained as “replacement ewe lambs” to later be bred when they are of mature size. This practice minimizes the risk of introducing new parasites to the flock while still increasing the number of breeding sheep on the farm.
As a result of this practice, every other year there is an opportunity to introduce new genetics. Up until this point, all of the sheep in the meat flock are primarily the breed “Polypay”. This commercial meat breed is well known in Ohio for producing a fast growing market lamb, prolific mothers with twins or triplet births extremely common, and adaptable to a pasture raised or a grain fed system. This is the breed of sheep EKI Farms started with for a multitude of reasons, and overall, we have been extremely happy with their performance in our system.
But farmer Lynn is not just interested in making the best market sheep. As a hand spinner (someone who spins yarn out of loose fiber such as wool) Lynn has been intrigued by the lustrous, shiny locs of the Wensleydale sheep ever since seeing them at the Maryland sheep and wool festival. This English breed of sheep is well known for their beautiful wool that grows in little ringlet curls instead of crimpy, fluffy, down like locs (this is the PolyPay type of wool and is also what most people think of when you say “wool”). It doesn’t hurt that Wensleydales are quite a large sheep, so for the purposes of meat, the size will not be compromised. Additionally, Wensleydales are known in England for their dairy qualities and “Wensleydale Cheese” used to be made out of their milk. In a meat flock, dairy qualities are sought after because a milky mother raises fat lambs! Higher milk production leads to heavier lambs at weaning because they have just gotten more food in their early life.
Opportunity struck when Julie Sheiner posted on facebook offering up a few rams and ewes from her Pennsylvania Wensleydale flock. After a lovely visit to the Sheiner property, Lynn and Jared made the 6 hour journey home with a new passenger! Lovingly named Petrichor (the smell of rain), this beautiful 6 month old ram lamb arrived in Ohio to finish growing up before becoming one of the next flock sires on Ewe Know It Farms.
It is the hope that his very interesting and different fleece will be passed on in part to his lambs. These specific lambs will then be reserved for custom sale so that their skins can be collected and tanned. The resulting sheepskin rugs should be shiny, silky, and lovely heirloom pieces for customers to add to their homes. Petrichor’s annual shearing will very likely never make it to the hands of a customer, since Lynn will very likely hog that pure bred Wensleydale fleece all to herself for spinning.