Soay wool?

[tombear]

Hi folks any one know where to get Soay wool from in the UK, the raw stuff for washing and carding at home? Ideally from somewhere in the North west so we can pick it up rather than cough for postage.

atb

Tom

 

[Elen Sentier]

Try these folk ...

Cathilas Farm Soay Karen & Richard keep a small flock of Soay sheep. Fleeces come in either tan and dark brown.They are in Carmarthenshire and are happy for people locally to come to pick a fleece or can post at cost.Contact details are: phone: 01558 685096 email: millennia@millennia-designs.com

If you have luck do let me know as I'd like some too

 

[tombear]

Thanks! Will do!

tom

 

[TurboGirl]

I was at the Henson Cotsewold rare breed farm yesterday collecting fleece, got half a manx and a lovely portland I think they keep a soay herd but not sheared them yet, tis farrrr too far away from you though

For reference they had portland, manx, jacob, a couple of different longhorn (I think northumberland and Hardwick??), cotswold, kerry hill... and a few more sheared atm if theres anyone nearer them interested, whole fleeces are running £4-5

 

[Elen Sentier]

I was at the Henson Cotsewold rare breed farm yesterday collecting fleece, got half a manx and a lovely portland I think they keep a soay herd but not sheared them yet, tis farrrr too far away from you though

For reference they had portland, manx, jacob, a couple of different longhorn (I think northumberland and Hardwick??), cotswold, kerry hill... and a few more sheared atm if theres anyone nearer them interested, whole fleeces are running £4-5

Will they not post them, Sal? I get my Ronaldsay fleece sent down from North Ronaldsay island, Orkney, where the sheep are grown "proper like!". And you "pluck" Soay, not shear, they're so ancient they're still shedders ... Ah!!! just realised who he is! Maybe ... sent him an email to ask about it

 

[tombear]

Going to be down Oxford way on Sunday after being in Portsmouth to see the Mary Rose with the boys on the Saturday, is this rare breeds place anywhere that wy.

£4-5 quid a fleece sounds a bargain!

herself picked up a excellent second hand Ashford Clasic wheel for a song on Sunday last as she never got on with the modern Louet I picked up in a junk shop and restored and is going great guns now.

ATB

tom

 

[TurboGirl]

...And you "pluck" Soay, not shear, they're so ancient they're still shedders ...

Yup, Mum put me right on that when I asked her about Soay earlier on They definately have a herd but they shear as and when they get time- twice a day while demonstrating atm - so you might need to arrange for a soay fleece collection and it may be more costly if they have more time consuming process to extract it

We got in free when we said we were just there to buy fleece. The camping is excellent, theres even room to put up hammocks in the play area Hensons Cotswold Farm

Google map link

 

[tombear]

Thanks! That's not far from our route home on the Monday. Ive dropped them a line to see what they have available.

ATB

Tom

 

[TurboGirl]

£4-5 quid a fleece sounds a bargain!

herself picked up a excellent second hand Ashford Clasic wheel for a song on Sunday last as she never got on with the modern Louet I picked up in a junk shop and restored and is going great guns now.

Awww thats lovely, theres a few of us spin wheels on the forum Toddy does too and some spindle spin in the woods Mine is an old Timbertops Leicester wheel in oak c.1982, 80yr old mum uses the same in yew wood

The long silky coat of the cotswolds was wonderful.... theres a lot of ram and tup fleeces in there though and a couple of other downy fleeces (portland, kerry hill) had a bit of matting on the shoulders so check em if you call in and go to the demo barn, they'll show you the bags of fleeces and lend you a brush so you can unroll them if they haven't got a shearing demo booked in A sniff will show you which are male, they're sharper smelling, bigger and coarser.

The young assistants were chuffing LOVELY young folk too!