Welcome to our Sheep and Goat Breed Display! In this area of the Festival, you can visit many different breeds of fiber-producing Sheep and Goats. Visit with the shepherds who raise them and feel the various fleeces as well as purchase items produced from these specific breeds.
* Denotes Shave ‘en to Save ‘Em provider
Angora Goats ~ Aboundingful Farm
Aboundingful Farm is home to a small flock of Colored Angora Goats in Lebanon County, PA. Angora goats grow silky, soft, curled ringlets or wavy locks of lustrous fiber called “mohair.” Because this beautiful hair grows so fast–about an inch per month–the Angora goat is called the most efficient fiber producer on earth. Our goats are shorn twice a year: spring and fall. Mohair is called the “diamond fiber” because of its unique ability to allow light to pass through its very strong hair shaft, giving an unmatched lustrous shine. The name Angora reflects the breed’s roots in the region around Ankara, today’s capital city of Turkey.
Adult bucks average 125-175 lbs and does 80 -125 lbs. Both sexes have horns, one of the breed standards, contributing to their beauty and graceful appearance. Horns also assist in cooling the animals in hot climates. Angoras are seasonal breeders typically kidding from January through April.
Products we offer from our goats:
- Handspun Yarns,
- Washed Natural Color locks in a variety of shades
- Washed and Dyed locks in bright colors
Website: aboundingfulfarm.com
Facebook: Aboundingful Farm
Breed Association: Colored Angora Goat Breeders Association
Black Welsh Mountain Sheep ~ Wilde Thistle Farm
We are a small farm in Fairplay MD. The majority of our animals are for our kids, Tucker and Robbie to show in 4-H. The others are just for pets because we love animals.
The Black Welsh Mountainsheep is the only completely black sheep breed in Britain. It was developed in the mountains of Wales from black sheep that occurred in the Welsh Mountain breed, which was white. About a century ago, Welsh shepherds began to breed the black sheep together, also selecting for a finer fleece and improved body conformation. The resulting breed was recognized in 1922 with the establishment of the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Society. These sheep were first imported into North America in 1972 by Thomas Wyman of Easton, Maryland. The U.S. breed registry was established in 1990.
Black Welsh Mountain sheep are small to medium in size. Rams have attractive horns that curl around the ears, ewes are polled. The wool is short, thick, and densely stapled. The staple length is 5 to 10 cm, and the fiber diameter ranges between 28 to 36 microns. The average wool clip is three to four pounds per sheep. Black Welsh Mountain wool is attractive to hand spinners. The natural black color makes it valuable for use undyed or in combination with other wools, when it is used to make grays or in the manufacture of tweeds and other patterns.
The breed has been promoted as an exotic sheep in North America, and this has made the breed a well-kept secret in the sheep industry and among sheep producers. Its qualities, however, make the breed a natural choice for sustainable sheep producers.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Breeding Stock
- Raw Fleece
Facebook: Wilde Thistle Farm
Breed Association: American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association
Border Leicester Sheep – Dundaff Yarn Company
I lost my job when covid hit, and with so much time I learned how to spin wool. As I learned about different sheep breeds and their wool I decided to start my own sheep farm to produce my own wool to spin. Over the years I’ve been learning more about being a good shepherd and working on perfecting my spinning techniques. I Started Dandiff Yarn Company to share my creations and wool from my flock with others.
The Border Leicester has a regal, alert appearance. Its head and legs are free of wool, and its arched Roman nose and long, erect ears give the Border Leicester a stylish, distinctive look. Border Leicester wool is long and lustrous with a spinning count from 38-30 microns. The ideal fleece has well-defined “pencil” locks with purled tips ending in a small curl, usually measuring 6-10 inches after a year’s growth. Border Leicester wool is long enough that they can be sheared once a year or twice a year. The clean head and legs make them an easy-to-shear breed. Ewes average 8-12 pounds of wool annually. They are hardy and well-muscled. Ewes are prolific, excellent mothers and heavy milkers. Border Leicester lambs fed for maximum gains often reach 110 pounds by 4-1/2 months of age. Those who prefer to grow out lambs more slowly can shear 2-3 pounds of skirted handspinning wool. Border Leicesters are generally calm and easy to handle, even though they are very aware of their surroundings. A pleasant surprise for many is the gentlemanly disposition of Border Leicester rams.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- White or Natural color locks
- Roving
- Handspun Yarn
Breed Association: American Border Leicester Association
Cashmere Goats – Kato En Farm
Kato En Farm is a family farm nestled in the hills of Butternut NY. We are new farmers who jumped headfirst into the fiber arts world with Cashmere goats. One-half of Kato En’s owners is an Avid Spinner who is learning to make products with different types of fiber. Aside from goats we also have horses and a variety of poultry and we welcome visitors who wish to experience farm life with the animals.
The makings of every cashmere sweater starts out on a goat. Cashmere is the goat’s soft, downy undercoat, grown to its maximum length by mid-winter and shed in early Spring. Any goat (except an Angora goat) can grow cashmere, but those we call “cashmere goats” have been selectively bred to produce it in significant amounts. The quality of the cashmere fleece is determined by three factors: its length, its diameter, and the degree of crimping. Every cashmere-producing goat can look different, because there is no such thing as a “purebred” cashmere goat, although individual goats who meet the North American Cashmere Goat standard can be registered. The goat’s down and the guard hair which surrounds it may be any color, but the shearable parts of the body (excluding face, stockings, and belly) should be of a single color. The guard hair may be long or short depending on individual situations and preferences, but the guard hair should be coarse enough that a mechanical dehairer can easily distinguish it from cashmere. Traditionally, cashmere goats are not de-horned. Both male and female goats have horns, which serve to dissipate heat during the summer. The average cashmere yield from one goat amounts to about four ounces annually, but there is a wide range of variation in yield. Cashmere fiber is crimped (rather than wavy), soft, and lacking luster. By industry standards, it must be at least 1-1/4′ long with an average diameter less than 19 microns.
Products we offer from our goats:
- Registered Breeding Stock
- Unregistered Stock
- Raw Fleece
- Washed Fleece
- Roving
- Felted Items
Website: katoenfarm.com
Facebook: Kato En Farm
Breed Association: Cashmere Goat Association
Gotland Sheep – Quinta Melo Gotlands
We purchased our first Gotland sheep in 2012 for my daughter Mercy, who was very active in 4-H. My love of the Gotland breed led me to continue this venture.
Gotlands are a Swedish sheep breed, medium-sized, with a fine bone structure. They are best known for their high luster, curly silver locks. They are very curious and friendly. The lambs are born solid black, and turn silver over weeks to months. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have – I’m always happy to talk about my sheep!
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Roving
- Millspun yarn
- Pelts
- Breeding Stock
Facebook: Quinta Melo Gotlands
Breed Association: American Gotland Sheep Society
Icelandic Sheep – Trinity Farm
Overlooking Cayuga Lake in central New York, Trinity Farm is home to Icelandic Sheep with a focus on Icelandic Leadersheep (Forystufé). We have been raising these sheep since 2007, and since 2009 have been using the technique of VAI to produce lambs with the best genetics from Iceland. Trinity Farm lambs can be found on farms from Washington to New Mexico to Mississippi to Maine.
The Icelandic Sheep are known from the earliest settlement of Iceland and have been isolated there, so are the oldest pure sheep breeds in the world. They are known as triple-purpose animals, providing meat, milk, and wool. Icelandic Leadership, known from the earliest writings of Iceland and recently accepted as a separate breed, have the same milk and fiber characteristics as the “usual” Icelandics. However, these Leadership, historically more valuable than the “usual” Icelandics, were selected and bred for their intelligence, sense of direction, ability to detect imminent weather changes, etc., rather than for a meaty frame.
The fleece is double coated, with a long rather coarse top coat (tog) and fine undercoat (thel); these coats can be separated, thereby producing three types of yarn. Pure thel is soft enough for baby clothing; pure tog makes wonderful strong rug warp, etc., and the combined coats (known as lopi) produce warm and water-resistant clothing. Both the “usual” Icelandic sheep and the Icelandic Leader Sheep have a huge number of fleece color characteristics: two colors, six patterns (some of which may be co-expressed), and the possibility of spotting. A sheep for any taste!
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Registered Breeding Stock
- Unregistered stock (wethers only)
- Raw Fleece
- Washed Fleece
- White or Natural Colored Locks
- Dyed locks
- Roving
- Handspun Yarn
- Felted Items
- Handcrafted Items
- Sheep Milk Soap
- Other: Pelts, “vegetarian” pelts
Website: trinityfarm.net
Facebook: Trinity Farm
Breed Association: Icelandic Sheep Breeders of North America
Jacob Sheep ~Shepherds Acres Fiber Farm
I always had a great love for animals especially ones with a lot of hair. I’ve always had dogs & cats and an occasional Angora rabbit or two. After visiting the Endless Mountains Fiber Festival one year, I met a woman who had some sheep for sale. I called Hubby from the venue and asked if we can get two sheep. He thought about it a few minutes and said “Yes”. I was very excited, if he said yes to two sheep & God said 5 sheep then 13 sheep it was! I now raise 13 sheep, 4 Alpaca, 6 Angora Rabbits, meat rabbits, Turkeys and chickens. I had asked God for my farm and in return I named it Shepherds Acres. Couldn’t have done all this without him. I spin, felt, and am learning to weave all the fiber I get from my animals.
Sheep with spots have been described in many cultures throughout history, appearing in works of art from the Far East, Middle East, and Mediterranean regions. Among these accounts is the Biblical story of Jacob who bred spotted sheep and for whom this breed is named. Jacobs are small, horned, black and white sheep Variability is present, but this is characteristic of a primitive breed. Ewes weigh 80-120 lbs. and rams 120-180 lbs. The sheep are more than half white with colored spots or patches. The colored portions of the fleece are usually black, but they can also be brownish, or a lighter color called lilac. The Jacob is a multi-horned or “polycerate” breed. Most animals have two or four horns, though six horns also occur. Both sexes are horned, and the rams can have horns of impressive size and shape. Because North American breeders have been selected primarily for fleece characteristics, the conformation of the sheep has remained very much like its historical description.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Roving
- Handspun yarn
- Felted items
- Felt
- Handcrafted items
- Breeding Stock
Breed Association: Jacob Sheep Breeders Association
*Leicester Longwool Sheep ~ Aboundingful Farm
We are a small farm in Lebanon County PA. One of our sheep breeds is the Rare Breed Leicester Longwool Sheep.
The Leicester (pronounced les-ter) Longwool is one of the “luster longwool” breeds, so designated for the sheen and brilliance of their wool. The sheep appear to shine just after shearing, when the clean wool next to their skin catches the sunlight and makes them glisten for a few days before the dust and dirt of their environment catches up to them and the glow is hidden for another year.
The breed was developed in England in the mid 1700s by innovative breeder Robert Bakewell. During the 1800s, the breed lost favor to the Merino and other fine wool breeds. After 1900, the Leicester Longwool fell into decline and was likely extinct in the United States during the 1930s or 1940s. In 1990, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation reestablished the breed in North America by importing sheep from Australia. With the help of dedicated breeders, they have moved from Critical Threatened by the Livestock Conservancy with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 5,000.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Washed Fleece or locks
- Roving
- Millspun yarn
- Handspun yarn
- Felted items
- Breeding Stock
Website: aboundingfulfarm.com
Facebook: Aboundingful Farm
Breed Association: Leicester Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
Navajo Churro Sheep – Dundaff Yarn Company
I lost my job when covid hit, and with so much time I learned how to spin wool. As I learned about different sheep breeds and their wool I decided to start my own sheep farm to produce my own wool to spin. Over the years I’ve been learning more about being a good shepherd and working on perfecting my spinning techniques. I Started Dandiff Yarn Company to share my creations and wool from my flock with others.
The Navajo-Churro breed is considered a rare breed. These sheep with their long staple of protective top coat and soft undercoat are well suited to extremes of climate. Some rams have four fully developed horns, a trait shared by few other breeds of the world. The Navajo-Churro is highly resistant to disease, and although it responds to individual attention, it needs no pampering to survive and prosper. The ewes lamb easily and are fiercely protective. Twins and triplets are not uncommon. Navajo-Churro sheep are coarse, long-wooled sheep for use as wool, meat, and dairy animals. They come in all colors from white through every shade of the natural tones. An unimproved breed, they are frequently long-legged with narrow bodies and show little inclination to put on fat. The sheep should have sound legs and a straight top line which tends to slope in more primitive individuals. They can be horned or polled with a little wool on the poll and none on the cheeks, around or below the eyes or on the nose. The belly should have little or no wool. There should be no wool on the front or back legs. The fleece is high yielding with low grease content. Mature ewes weigh approximately 85 – 120 pounds, rams weigh approximately 120 – 175 pounds.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- White or Natural color locks
- Roving
- Handspun Yarn
- Breed Association: Navajo-Churro Sheep Association
*Romeldale CVM Sheep ~ Finally Able Farm
Romeldale/CVM (California Variegated Mutant) sheep, which are a rare breed listed as Threatened on The Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List. Romeldale CVM are a dual-purpose, fine fiber breed that comes in a variety of colors including white, rose gray, medium and dark grays, brown (moorit), and black.
Romeldale/CVM sheep are a multi-purpose sheep breed used for both their fine wool and mild-tasting meat. Romeldale sheep are white and natural colors; their CVM derivatives come in a wide range of natural colors. Romeldale sheep are a composite sheep breed, developed in Gerber, California in the early 1900s. To create this breed A.T. Spencer crossed New Zealand Marsh Romney rams over Rambouillet ewes. J.K. Sexton and his family further established the Romeldale sheep breed, and it was within their flock that the first CVM (California Variegated Mutant) sheep were born. In subsequent years, Glen Eidman, a partner of the Sexton family, developed the CVM derivative of the Romeldale sheep. Romeldale/CVM sheep are long-lived, have docile and alert personalities, and are an intelligent sheep breed.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Roving
- Millspun yarn
- Felted items
- Pelts
- Breeding Stock
Breed Association: National Romeldale-CVM Conservancy
Scottish Blackface Sheep ~ Wilde Thistle Farm
We are a small farm in Fairplay MD. The majority of our animals are for our kid, Tucker and Robbie to show in 4-H. The others are just for pets because we love animals. We have dairy steers, a donkey, meat and dairy goats, sheep, rabbits, pet pigs, and a variety of poultry
A medium-sized sheep, the Scottish Blackface is famous for its hardiness. It is a breed that is easy to recognize by its iconic black-and-white marked face. Both sexes of Scottish Blackface have horns. The ewes are good at raising lambs, showing excellent maternal instincts and ample milk production. They tend to be quite protective mothers.
The Scottish Blackface has wool that is coarse and long. This coat is well-suited to the harsh winds and difficult weather conditions of the Scottish highlands.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Breeding Stock
- Raw Fleece
Facebook: Wilde Thistle Farm
Breed Association: Scottish Blackface Sheep Registry
*Shetland Sheep – Sweet Grass Farm/Seven Hills Shetlands
On our farm in Wysox PA live 30 registered Shetland Sheep and two mini donkeys, Daisy and Olivia. We process our wool for spinning and weaving. Also on our farm we also have a sweet grass patch that is grown here to make baskets and bracelets and smudges.
The Shetland is a small, wool-producing breed of sheep originating in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but is now also kept in many other parts of the world. It is part of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, Shetlands are classified as a landrace or “unimproved” breed. This breed is kept for its very fine wool, for meat.
Although Shetlands are small and slow-growing compared to commercial breeds, they are hardy, thrifty, easy lambers, adaptable and long-lived. The Shetland breed has survived for centuries in difficult conditions and on a poor diet, but they thrive in better conditions. Shetlands retain many of their primitive survival instincts, so they are easier to care for than many modern breeds
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Washed Fleece or locks
- Roving
- Millspun yarn
- Handspun yarn
- Breeding Stock
Website: fiberartistmarket.com/vendors/sweetgrass/
Etsy: fiberartfreedom
Breed Association: North American Shetland Sheep Breeders
*Tunis Sheep – Northwood Homestead and Pine Run Tunis Farm
Northwood Farm is a small first-generation family farm located just outside of Mansfield, PA. Our farm began out of a passion for self-sustainability through raising our own food. Our self-sustainability has evolved into a desire to provide local and humanely-raised products for others.
Pine Run Tunis Farm is a small family farm started out of the love for the Tunis breed. We strive to highlight this truly amazing multi-purpose sheep. Raised primarily on grass using regenerative methods they thrive on our farm due to their thrifty nature and parasite resistance.
The name Tunis describes the breed’s connections to foundation stock from Tunisia in North Africa. North African sheep, were imported to the United States as a gift by the Bey of Tunis to George Washington in the late 1700s. References to these sheep appear in letters, journals, and farm records of some of the leading agriculturists and citizens of the day, including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Peters, Charles Roundtree, and George Washington Custis. Gradually, a uniquely American breed was created from this stock. Tunis sheep were a recognizable breed by the late 18th century to early 19th century making them one of the oldest breeds of livestock developed in America. Tunis have red faces and legs and ivory-colored fleeces. They have clean heads and lop ears, which are distinctive. The sheep weigh 150–275 pounds and both sexes are polled. Lambs are born with a double coat of red fiber on their bodies to protect them from the elements. Their fleece lightens as they mature, but retain red legs, heads, and ears.
Products we offer from our sheep:
- Raw Fleece
- Batts
- Roving
- Handspun yarn
- Handcrafted items
- Soap
- Meat
- Registered and Unregistered Breeding Stock
Website: northwoodhomestead.com pineruntunisfarm.square.site
Facebook: Northwood Homestead Pine RunTunisFarm
Breed Association: National Tunis Sheep Registry
Llamas ~ Snowy Oaks Llamas & Fibers: Booth 25 -26 in the Cattle Barn
Snowy Oaks is located across from Elk Mountain in Susquehanna County, PA. We have fiber, guard, and companion Llamas.
Llamas are a member of the camelid family, which includes camels, alpacas, vicunas, and guanacos. Historically, in the wild, they were found in the Andes Mountains of South America.
The llama’s under-coat wool is known for its softness, whereas the upper-coat wool (known as “guard hairs”) is a little coarser, and serves to protect llamas from debris and rain. Both coats are used for weaving into fibers. Llamas are social animals and live in herds. Domesticated for hundreds of years for meat, milk, wool, and for use as pack animals. They are now farmed in many countries worldwide Visit Snowy Oaks Llamas in booth 25 -26 in the Cattle Barn to learn more about them
Products we offer from our Llamas:
- Raw Fleece
- Roving
- Yarns
Alpacas ~ Alpacas in the Glen: Booth (TBD) in the Cattle Barn
The alpaca is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The alpaca comes in two breeds, Suri and Huacaya.
Huacaya alpacas are the most commonly found, constituting about 90% of the population. The Huacaya alpaca is thought to have originated in post-colonial Peru. This is due to their thicker fleece which makes them more suited to survive in the higher altitudes of the Andes after being pushed into the highlands of Peru with the arrival of the Spanish.
Suri alpacas represent a smaller portion of the total alpaca population, around 10%. They are thought to have been more prevalent in pre-Columbian Peru since they could be kept at a lower altitude where a thicker fleece was not needed for harsh weather conditions
*French Angora & Satin Angora Rabbits ~ Aboundingful Farm: Booth 23-24 in the Cattle Barn
Aboundingful Farm has been raising Angora Rabbits for over 25 years. This mother/daughter rabbitry has raised all breeds of Angoras at one time or another. Currently, they raise the French and Satin Angoras.
The fiber produced by an Angora rabbit is called Angora (The Angora goat produces Mohair). Angora fiber makes luxurious yarn, prized for its softness and warmth. This fiber can be harvested by various methods either shearing with clippers or scissors, or by using your fingers and gently pulling the molting fibers. Both methods are safe for the rabbits.
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognizes four breeds of Angora rabbits — French, Satin, English, and Giant Angoras. Because most people raise Angoras for their wool, it is important to select the breed that meets your fiber needs. There are many colors available and the size of each breed vaires. Angora rabbits require much less space than larger fiber-producing animals such as sheep or alpacas. Each rabbit needs appropriate individual cage space, Housing should be well ventilated, but not drafty, with adequate lighting and protection from the elements. For more information stop by and talk to Ellen or Karina in booth 23-24 in the Cattle Barn
The above-listed breeds are confirmed for 2023 – if you have an interest in participating at the 2023 festival and raise a breed not listed please contact us at info@endlessmountainsfiberfest.com