FINNSHEEP Raw Fleece, Mocha 2022, 5 pounds 6.4 ounces, Silver Brown LONG STAPLE, free shipping

This is Mocha’s 2022 Raw Fleece. Mocha’s fleece won second place at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival May 7/8, 2022 in the Finn category. Her daughter, a lamb named Jolene, won first place. Now you know her fleece is not only loved by me, the judges love it too. I find it quite fun that MDSW fell on mother’s day weekend and then Mocha and her daughter won first and second place ribbons. I love it.

Mocha 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 with this one. It weighs 5 pounds 6.4 ounces. That is a heavy fleece considering I skirted a bunch off.  Mocha is a large ewe though and has always has produced a really dense fleece (good genes). She also grows a long fleece.  Most of the wool locks are 6-7″ long.  If you like long staple fleeces or want to use locks in your project, this is one you will enjoy.

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 Mocha 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 award winning fleeces at Rhinebeck and Maryland Fleece show and sales for many years for our farm and others.

Mocha was born at Point of View Farm in 2017. We love her curly fleece that has loads of shine, curls and an more open crimp. She one of the rarer (double recessive) silvering brown based finnsheep sheep born in the US.  She is a mother and grandmother to some of our younger finnsheep in the flock. This maternal bloodline is a good one.

Mocha is a purebred registered finnsheep and also quite friendly. She is a bit of a ham when it comes to what she will do for a treat. Because she is large enough, she can also reach in the top of the hay feeder for the newest hay….especially if she stands on the lip of the tray meant to hold the hay from falling on the barn floor. If you have seen a squirrel work over a bird feeder than you might get an idea of how Mocha schemes and balances to get the best hay, in her opinion, from the hay rack here.

This fleece takes dye like a dream and would also blend beautifully with other wools where you want to add luster and drape.

If you prefer washed wool for your project, please check out the Point of View Farm roving.