It has felt like a long time since last I chatted business with you, of course I've been involved a lot with what's happening here which has drawn much of my attention. Not always ideally but sometimes from about 3am when I wake and my brain starts up. The ideas factory is busy then and I struggle to switch off.
One morning I woke at a stupid time, however, wide awake I ended up finishing a new rug so as not to waste the time up. Made purely from my Valais X sheep, Ocean and Bodhi. The bag of fleece could contain both of theirs. Over time I've lost track but it matters not. Both are the same, near carbon copies of each other. I find myself hoping to breed something equally beautiful from Ocean. This year she has produced stunning ewe lambs. My only slight 'hummmm' about them is that they sport the very dark brown colouring similar to their dad. His genes are just too strong. One ewe lamb has the pattern of a jacob but the staple length similar to mum. I fully intend one day to ask my shearer to remove the fleece as carefully as he can and I'll attempt to wet felt the back to create a sheep skin rug without the skin. This is a wonderful way for people to have a whole fleece without compromising any animal welfare choices they have made. Each animal will produce the same fleece (with minor changes as the animal ages of course) but they'll grow that every year.
Of course others have taken the opportunity to breed for fleece, and to make a business from small flocks of sheep producing the most wonderful colours and textures. As I have been speaking to other rural business owners is as much of an eye opener for me as it hopefully will be for anyone reading this. The information they have and are willing to share is very valuable and inspiring to those who want to maybe do the same and create a rural business themselves.
There are so many people who have carved themselves a niche out of what they have and what they fall in love with from their smallholding. Sometimes like Sasha from Wits End Flock you find that passion comes out of nowhere.
I enjoy making rugs and cushions from my little flock and if someone wants to buy one then they are very welcome to but it's not my main business. I'm focusing on goats and milk. Sasha has however dived into sheep and fleece and built a business around that on her smallholding.
It was wonderful to chat about all things sheep and fleece related and to hear that she is thinking of taking on someone else to help out.
Sasha speaks very freely about her passion I decided to add that to youtube so the link is below. You can watch the whole thing. It's 27minutes long so grab yourself a brew!
Of course please pop over to her page and hit like, she has a wonderful website you can visit and an online shop you can visit.
As always my chats are about sharing what other people do to open their businesses out to a wider audience as much as I can. Sharing can and usually does mean orders for these crafty individuals. If you know someone who might enjoy what Sasha does you can forward the email with this on to anyone else you think will enjoy it as well.
Join me in the next two weeks for a full update on our new dairy that we've set up, the new goats and progress on the farm.
Don't forget to subscribe to the channel to get more episodes.
Much love to all of our followers and to those who have donated time to chat with me.
Emma