WINTERTIME MOROCCO'S FLEECE WINS GCH AGAIN

 Meghan made the final fleece selections for WI Sheep & Wool Festival this year and chose Morocco's sister's fleece over hers to take along with another two year old we have on the farm.  So I took Morocco's fleece down to Michigan Fiber Fest this past weekend to see what the judge would think of it down there.  Bottom line is she thought it was a bit of heaven and once again Morocco's fiber brought ooh's and aah's from the crowd.  I also took our yearling black ewe Camisole's fleece down and it placed second, so a good weekend overall for our Shetlands.(Photo courtesy of Kim Nikolai)

 This was Morocco's first fleece at Jefferson in 2013 when the audience was invited to touch it.  Meghan said they all gasped when it was unrolled.  She took GCH overall at this show and our other fleeces placed 2nd and third with a RGCH win for her sister Madrid's fleece.(Photo courtesy of Dave Lewis)

And this is Morocco pre-shearing this May basically saying, "Would you please get this thing off of me asap!"  Next year we hope to get a lovely ewe lamb from her with another generation of prize-winning fleece. 

2014 LAMBS

Wintertime Alanis with her twin ram lambs. 

Mustang Sally with one of her twin ram lambs(other twin is solid black).

Winter Sky Mandalay with her twin ewe lambs.

 

Blue Danube's twin ram lambs--spotted fawn katmoget is polled.  Dark grey katmoget ram is horned. 

Winter Sky Marrakech with her surviving twin ewe lamb.  Suspect she is modified.

LADIES IN WAITING--LAMBS START ARRIVING IN 21 DAYS

Ruby who is eight and the dam to many notable Shetlands including Wintertime Fudge.Danube who had a lovely single ram lamb last year...repeated the breeding for a ewe this year...PLEASE.

 Alanis--four-- who has twinned for three years in a row.  Think she will twin again for us.  She is the dam of our flock sire B.o.B.

 Cherish who is a very sweet yearling from another flock for some different lines.  Hoping for a lovely gullie girl from her and then she is for sale.  Her sire has correct horns as a mature ram.

 Madrid who is our character in the mature ewe flock.  A coming two year old this will be her first lambing.  She is a full sister to Winter Sky Mandalay--Reserve Supreme CH MSSBA Show 2013.  She may be for sale this summer.

 Morocco--Madrid's full sister--her musket fleece wowed the judges at the MSSBA show in September and won GCH overall Shetland fleece.  This will be her first lambing.  She is bred to B.o.B. whose fleece was GCH rooed Shetland fleece. 

 Mustang Sally who is turning five and still has a lovely fine fleece that roos completely(grey kat)and Mandalay(very fine true black ewe who is turning three).

HANDSPINNING OUR FINE SHETLAND

These are skeins of fawn katmoget lamb fleeces.  The upper two were plied with a lovely suri roving I found at Michigan Fiber Fest this August. 

 These are skeins of our blue-grey katmoget fleeces that are awaiting plying with some locally grown grey alpaca.  The luster is there despite it being a very fine wool. 

Some of my other handspun yarns from this winter.  The colored skeins are all hand-dyed using Kool-Aid and food grade dyes.  I have many yarns and even some lovely handpainted rovings for sale at winterskywoolcompany.blogspot.com

2014 MICRON TEST RESULTS ARE IN!

Winter Sky Mandalay(Three year old black ewe)--25.2 AFD/4.7 SD/18.6 CV/88.9 CF/24.0 SF

Winter Sky Marrakech(Ag five year old ewe with health issues)--20 AFD/4.4 SD/22.2 CV/98.5 CF/19.6 SF

Wintertime Morocco(Musket two year old ewe--GCH fleece 2013 Jefferson Show)--24.4 AFD/4.3 SD/17.5 CV/92.7 CF/23.1 SF

Wintertime Blurred Lines(Grey gul/kat two year old ewe)--22.9 AFD/4.9 SD/21.2 CV/93.3 CF/22.4 SF

Ramble N Cherish(Spotted moorit gulmoget yearling ewe)--24 AFD/5.3 SD/22.1 CV/ 88.1 CF/23.6 SF--FOR SALE after lambing. Typey, growthy, calm...sire has very correct type and great horns.

Ramble N Chiquita(Ag fawn yearling ewe)--20.7 AFD/3.8 SD/18.3 CV/99.4 CF/19.7 SF

Spinners End Barra(Spotted black scurred yearling ram)--19.5 AFD/3.7 SD/18.9 CV/99.4 CF/18.7 SF

Spinners End Mousa(Modified black gulmoget yearling ewe)--20.7 AFD/4.2 SD/20.1 CV/97.7 CF/20 SF

Sheltrgpines Blue Danube(Dark grey katmoget two year old ewe)--23.8 AFD/ 4.4 SD/ 18.6 CV/94.3 CF/22.7 SF

Sheltrgpines Lien(White yearlind ewe)--21 AFD/3.5 SD/16.9 CV/98.9 CF/19.8 SF

Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally(Dark grey katmoget five year old ewe)25.1 AFD/ 3.8 SD/ 15.1 CV/ 91.4 CF/ 23.3 SF

Wintertime Alanis(Black four year old ewe)26.1 AFD/ 4.7 SD/ 18.1 CV/ 81.2 CF/ 24.8 SF

Wintertime B.o.B.(Two year old black ram)22.1 AFD/ 4 SD/ 18 CV/98.2 CF/21 SF(Sire of all this spring's coming lambs & GCH rooed fleece Jefferson 2013)

Wintertime Camisole(Black yearling ewe)24.1 AFD/ 5 SD/ 20.7 CV/ 89.7 CF/23.4 SF

Wintertime Evie(Moorit yearling ewe)20.9 AFD/4.1 SD/19.9 CV/98.1 CF/20.1 SF

Wintertime Florence(Moorit smirslet yearling ewe)24.3 AFD/4.7 SD/ 19.2 CV/ 91.3 CF/23.3 SF--FOR SALE.  CAN BE BRED BEFORE LEAVING FARM.

Wintertime Kerry Hill(Grey Ilget? yearling ewe)21.6 AFD/4.2 SD/19.3 CV/97.6 CF/20.9 SF

Wintertime Licorice(Black yearling ewe)22.8 AFD/ 5.4 SD/ 23.6 CV/ 92.3 CF/22.7 SF

Wintertime Moose(Moorit yearling polled ram)19.6 AFD/3.3 SD/16.9 CV/99.7 CF/18.5 SF(Second ram lamb, second pair of rams and second Best Fleece On Hoof Jefferson 2013)

Wintertime Ruby(Eight year old light moorit ewe)24.8 AFD/5.6 SD/ 22.7 CV/ 83.1 CF/ 24.5 SF.  FOR SALE TO APPROVED HOME ONLY.

Wintertime Sicily(Moorit krunet yearling ewe)22.5 AFD/ 4.3 SD/ 19.1 CV/ 96.8 CF/ 21.5 SF

Wintertime Skylark(Black polled yearling ram)20.4 AFD/ 3.6 SD/ 17.6 CV/ 99.3 CF/ 19.3 SF

Wintertime Posh Spice(Spotted fawn kat yearling ewe) 21.4 AFD/ 4.4 SD/ 20.5 CV/ 97.9 CF/20.7 SF

Wintertime Cinnamon Sugar(Spotted fawn kat yearling ewe)19.6 AFD/ 3.6 SD/ 18.5 CV/ 99.6 CF/
18.7 SF

Wintertime Wren(Moorit yearling ewe)23.4 AFD/4.6 SD/ 19.6 CV/ 93.5 CF/ 22.6 SF

Wintertime Madrid(Ag two year old ewe)25.3 AFD/3.7 SD/14.5 CV/92.8 CF/23.4 SF


 Some of the animals above will be for sale, as we are hoping to cut down to less than 20 before next winter including lambs we retain.  If you see an animal that isn't listed for sale that appeals to you do let us know and we will let you know if it comes up on the sales list.  We send last rib samples and multiple photos to prospective buyers quickly and try to help with delivery as much as is humanly possible.  Farm visits are encouraged. 

OUR FAVORITE WINTER SCENES FOR YOU ALL AT CHRISTMAS

SNOWY DAYS AND ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR

A few photos of Wintertime B.o.B.'s breeding group as he is busy and doesn't want to be disturbed by a stalking camera person.  This is Alanis(black), Madrid(Ag grey)and Morocco(Musket).  Morocco and Madrid won 1st and 2nd and GCH and RGCH fleece at WI Sheep & Wool under Gillian Wakeling this fall.  B.o.B.'s fleece won the rooed class and GCH as well.  Hoping for some lovely lambs with outstanding fiber from these crosses. 

Winter Sky Mandalay(Reserve Supreme CH at WI Sheep & Wool under Maurice Wakeling this fall)on the left.  Mustang Sally in the middle and B.o.B. on the right.

River Oaks Maya(emsket gulmoget two year old)and Wintertime Kashmir(third place fleece at WI Sheep & Wool and aunt to B.o.B.).

The patriarch of our flock--Wintertime Ruby--six years old and still holding a beautifully soft fleece.