Home Farm Wool
At Home Farm Wensleydales, we worked tirelessly with our flock of Wensleydale, Bluefaced Leicester and Lincoln Longwool rare breed sheep for over 12 years. During that time we significantly increased the strength, health and awareness of the breeds, and we hope this continues with all the small and large flocks throughout the UK that we have helped to both improve and start.
After lambing in 2021 we decided to pass most of our flock to a very well respected and experienced sheep farmer in Devon. He has a wealth of knowledge that far exceeds our own and we have no doubt the flock will flourish with his care and attention.
By way of explanation, my earliest memories are in my mother’s wool shop and working with fibre has always been my passion. This change allows us to focus more on wool and fibre producing animals, as we are one of the few who truly understand the process from lamb to skein. Just as we helped to lead the way in improving the breed, we are excited to be among the leading producers for those who appreciate the highest quality wool.
The production of yarn from Home Farm Wensleydale flocks will continue, including fleece from our starter flocks (when available) and producing fabulous new ranges of pure Wensleydale worsted spun wool and combed tops.
We do not buy in from the British Wool Marketing Board because we cannot guarantee the treatment of the animal nor can we identify what is being sold as Wensleydale.
We do know where our wool has come from, our wool was grown on our farm or comes from starter flocks and smallholdings where we have placed starter or larger flocks - so we know where it comes from and we know our sheep live another year to grow another fleece!
Although increasingly expensive, our wool is all processed in the UK.
Each order is selected and packaged by hand to ensure the utmost love and care is delivered, from these wonderful sheep to your doorstep.
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'There Are Over 900 Breeds of Sheep, But None Quite as Beautiful as the Wensleydale'.
The Wensleydale Breed
... Sustainability – natural, renewable, biodegradable.
Originating in North Yorkshire, early in the 19th century, the breed stems from a cross of the long extinct longwool breed from the River Tees region (where I’m from) and a single, outstanding, ram from Leicester (near Home Farm), called 'Bluecap'.
During its earliest years, the breed was developed through hardy rams and hill ewes, with the intention being to produce a high quality, valuable fleece.
‘No woolman who has ever seen the sheep or wool will ever forget it’. Kenneth Ponting, Sheep of the World
Bluefaced Leicesters
Lincoln Longwools
The Lincoln Longwool is one of the most historically important breeds of sheep in Britain in the last 200 years. Since the 16th century Lincolnshire had a tradition of exporting wool to Europe. Robert Bakewell’s improvement of the neighbouring Leicester gave a huge impetus to the refinement and development of Lincoln sheep. Throughout the 19th century the breed was pre-eminent amongst wool sheep, and was exported in large numbers to Australia, New Zealand and Argentina to help boost their wool crop.
Uses for the fleece of Black Lincoln Longwool sheep
The wool was principally intended to be used in carpets or wall hangings and its lustrous surface made it excellent for dyeing. Unfortunately this also meant that black wool was extremely undesirable and black lambs were either killed at birth or when ready for the table. It was only with the appearance of a market for hand spinners in the 1960’s that some breeders kept a few of the coloured sheep. In the mid 1980’s the breed association agreed to register “Black Lincolns” in a separate section. This decision has never been accepted by main breeders who intensely dislike the black version.
The description ‘black’ is not very helpful as the wool is only really black on the head and rump, which is the worst quality wool on the sheep. Generally a mid-grey is the most common colour from the fleece.
Technical information about the fleece
- Staple length 15-35cm
- Bradford count 36-40 cm
- Micron measurement 45-41
- Weight 7-10 Kgs
Looking after our Flocks
Our Wool
Thank you
When you buy wool from Home Farm Wensleydale Wool you can be confident that every ball and skein has been produced with the utmost love and care, not only for its quality and beauty but also for our great concern for animal welfare.