Introduction:
We’re on the road again (albeit with a little bit more “distance” in our distance these days). This week we’re celebrating our new favorite color – “Gotland Gray.” We’re bringing you a conversation from last year’s Sheep and Wool festival in Rhinebeck, New York, where Amy Corey of Little River Farm told us a little bit about the characteristics and history of the Gotland – the petite-with-a punch-sheep. And Amy is pretty good at pronouncing those Swedish/Viking/Russian words, too.
Well, maybe these guys are considered a medium-sized sheep, but they gain quite a bit of attention in the pasture, no matter what size you think they are. The striking coats come in 50 shades of gray (we won’t go there), with a lustrous curl that is as soft as it looks. And yes, we got to touch one, so we know for sure. You don’t need to take our word for it if you want to see one for yourself; just go to our Backyard Green Films YouTube channel to see them “in person.” Our wallets will be a bit lighter after a visit to the Shepherds Lane farm store, because we’re bringing some of that gorgeous color wool home to roll around in (again, we’re not going there). Elara is planning her socks already.
In an upcoming podcast we’ll speak with Martin and Joy Dally here at Shepard’s Lane in Oregon, to tell you a little bit more about what it takes to get a Gotland -- and other breeds of sheep -- across the pond to the U.S. these days. If you’re not bringing them on Viking ships, that is.
Links:
https://sheepandwool.com/
https://www.littleriverfarmstore.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotland_sheep
https://americangotlandsheep.org/
https://spinkandco.com/7-properties-of-wool/
https://www.livescience.com/52755-sheep-facts.html#:~:text=%20%20%201%20Ovis%20ammon%20%28argalis%29%2C%20with,nivicola%20%28snow%20sheep%29%2C%20with%20four%20subspecies%20More%20
http://www.sheep101.info/sheeptypes.html
https://www.sheepandgoat.com/
https://extension.umd.edu/agsploration/students/resource-links
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
https://www.britannica.com/animal/sheep
https://www.shepherdslane.com/
http://www.toprams.com/