last years clip is being processed and we are very exited, to announce you that we will have some new shades! As our flock develops, and grows we see their fleeces change and thus we can alter the range that we have available. Some shades, we will keep but some we will no longer be able to produce due the changes, but we are hoping that you will like them!
Everyone is worried
When will we get our jab?
we’re all stuck in lockdown
life has become so drab.
We should hand it to the farmers
It would only take a week,
They’ve had lots of practice
Injecting all those sheep.
I reckon they could do it
They’ve got some decent kit,
If they line up all their hurdles
They’ll do it in one hit.
The ones who keep the cattle
Well, they could use a crush,
The dogs would sort the queue out
There is no need to rush.
They may even change the needle
Every hour or so,
And they will keep on going
Through wind and rain or snow.
And whilst we are together
They could even check our teeth
And fire up the shearing handsets
And give us a trim beneath!
Jan Millward©
To everyone who struggles with the shorter days, celebrate today and look forward to the days getting longer!
We are delighted to announce that we will be at Yummy Yorkshire on the 19th & 20th December!
We will have lots of our homegrown, hand knitted items which make perfect Christmas gifts.
Please come along and support local artists, and chat all things woollie!
Last orders for Knitted items: Monday 7th December
Last orders for all other items:11th December
Orders placed after this will not be processed until the New Year 2021
, 
, 
**Limited Edition** Hat designs just for Christmas.
We have designed 3 special hats with our hand dyed yarn, so there is a limited amount that we can knit for you...get them ordered while you can!
You will find them in the Specials section.
, 
Disappointed not to be there this year as it was going to be our first year exhibiting!
So to help all of you feel better, we are offering Free Postage on all orders over £50 from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th.
Just use the discount code Woolfest20
, 
For this weekend only, those of you that use the code 'Monty20' will get a 10% discount!
We also have some special Hand Spun yarns....in Chunky weight.
Spring finally seems to have sprung and our lambs are growing very quickly. After all the terrible wet weather we had, the fields are beginning to dry and and the sun is shining (occasionally!) which makes for very happy lambs. Being Suffolk crosses they grow very quickly, so we have to ensure our ewes are kept on the best grass and supplemented with feeds to help milk production.
It's been a very busy few months, but Lambing 2020 has begun!
Delighted with our ewes who have produced a beautiful batch of Suffolk/Suffolk cross lambs.
I have been asked to tell you a little more about lambing.....so here goes!
The ewes are brought inside a week before their lambing time so that they can get used to the new surroundings and new food. Being kept inside means that they do not graze grass, but eat hay (grass that was cut in the summer, dried and the made into bales) which their stomachs need to get used to. They are also fed extra specialist sheep food before and after lambing to help the lambs develop, produce milk and not put too much strain on the ewes.
Once inside, I get them into a routine quickly so that it is normal for me to be around them in close proximity. Our sheep are quite tame, but there is still an element of uncertainty when close to a human and I like them to be calm and comfortable having me around. As, when the times comes, they may need my assistance and I like them to be happy to have me there. Some of my ewes, just like me in the corner next to them. I offer words of encouragement and hopefully a 'calmness' to help them through it. I'm not sure if they understand me.....but it helps me!
Checks are done throughout the day and night,and after tea-time feeds the night-shift begins. Everyone has their own way of doing this, but I check mine every 3 hours so at 21:00, 24:00, 03:00 and the day starts at 06:00.
I put on as many clothes as I can, quietly get out of my caravan and toddle around with my headtorch on speaking softy so as not to startle anyone. Ewes do little things which give indications that she may be going into labour. Some of these are: not eating; finding a quiet corner; digging at the ground and making a nest; curling her upper lip etc. These are what I'm looking for, and if I startle her she may stop doing it and then I may miss the start of labour. If a ewe is doing these things, I'll sit quietly nearby and watch to see what happens.Some ewes do these things days before they actually start full labour, so patients is key. I can sit there for an hour or so and her not progress, so I'll pop back to my caravan and see if I can get an hours' sleep before I go back out to her.
If it's the start of labour, I'll make myself a coffee (time to wake up), then get my 'lambing box' out ready. This is full of lots of things just in case the ewe or the lamb needs assistance. Labour can take anything from 3 - 6 hours depending upon what stage she is at, and if she is a first time mum. Hopefully it's over quickly and smoothly for ewe and lambs/s. It's my job to watch and make sure everyone gets through it safely. If I think the ewe is struggling I will help her out. A lamb should come out head first with both front feet either side of its head. There are a few things that could mean that I need to help: the lamb maybe a big; one leg back, 2 legs back, coming backwards (breach).
Once born the ewe should get up and lick the lamb all over. This is to clean and dry it, but also this forms an important bond between the two of them and is an exceptionally important part of the birth. If this doesn't happen there can be problems later with rejection. The next important part is the lamb sucks from it's mother. She is full of colostrum at this stage, which is very thick, sticky milk full of antibodies and energy for the lamb. There may be another lamb (or a few more), and the same must happen with all the lambs.
So that's a quick description of lambing, hope you enjoyed it? It's exceptionally emotional and very tiring.....but then isn't everything that's worth doing?
Video of our very own farm and flock coming soon......
Supporters of Wooldale Wool
Baa, 43 Evan Street, Stonehaven, AB39 2ET
Flock & Saunter 79 High Street, Aberlour, AB38 9QB
Southdown Duvets, BA21 3BZ
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