FINNSHEEP Raw Fleece, Black Rose 2024, 4 pounds 3.8 ounces, black, free shipping

This is Black Rose’s 2024 Raw Fleece. Black Rose is a purebred finnsheep fleece that was coated/ jacketed most of the year. Her fleece is very low on VM (vegetable matter- hay, straw, grass from the pasture). I skirted it myself. I’m a hand spinner as well as a shepherd. I dislike VM as much as the next spinner. I get a little ruthless about skirting and removing all wool that has VM in it so you are only getting nice wool. It weighs 4 pounds 3.8 ounces. That is a really heavy fleece considering I skirted a bunch off. Black Rose is a large ewe though and has always had a dense fleece that is one of the larger ones this year. Plenty of wool here for a few sweaters or a large project. Like Dairy Queen, Black Rose was not bred in 2023 so is quite large as she put 100% of her effort into wool growing. It shows. It’s stunning. Luster and length…and LOTS.

Black Rose (and her full sister Mocha) were born at Point of View Farm in 2017. We love her fleece that has loads of shine, curls and crimp. The tips of her fleece are sunkissed brown which adds some nice depth and variation. She is a mother and grandmother to some of our younger finnsheep in the flock. This maternal bloodline is a good one. If you like black finnsheep fleeces, Black Rose is just one of two that will be available this year. Rhoda, her daughter, is the other. It is kind of neat to compare mother daughter fleeces and see how they are the same and how they are different. That can’t just be a shepherd thing. I’m sure there are spinners who like to do that as well.

Black Rose is a purebred registered finnsheep and also quite friendly. Because she is large enough, she can reach in the top of the hay feeder for the newest hay that we pile on top. The other ewes will often stand near her and get pieces that she pulls within reach. Sheep are picky eaters. Did you know that? They go for the best tastiest things first but, that is not always the easiest to reach. Our sheep love good alfalfa hay. Black Rose probably eats more than her fair share but, she knows we will put more out…several times a day. #shepherdlife.

Raw fleece means it has not been washed yet so it will smell like a sheep and need washing either before or after spinning. The fleece was carefully and professionally shorn off Black Rose in a single piece New Zealand style by a shearer who takes pride in his work (and knows what he is doing). This shearer has shorn our award winning fleeces at Rhinebeck and Maryland Fleece show and sales for many years for our farm. He’s good. He’s gentle on the ewes and he is local. Did I mention that he can juggle? I didn’t but, something tells me he might be able to. I know he can cook up some delicious meals.