Listen in as Deborah Niemann from The Livestock Conservancy tells us all about the Shave’Em to Save’Em Initiative, and why we should be crafting with heirloom wool.

Listen in as Deborah Niemann from The Livestock Conservancy tells us all about the Shave’Em to Save’Em Initiative, and why we should be crafting with heirloom wool.
One of the limiting factors for marketing rare breed wool is the lack of local small efficient mills with less than a year turnaround time. Added to milling time and cost is shipping which can easily cost as much as processing the wool into yarn. Then the shepherd has even more dollars invested in wool which may or may not sell. Breaking even usually isn’t going to happen. Keeping rare breed sheep is definitely a labor of love.
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Thanks for your feedback, Jean!
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I finally listened to this and really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to learning more.
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Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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Well done on this first episode. I just listened to it whilst having my breakfast. I wonder if the UK has something similar to these scheme. I always try to buy fibre or yarn from rare breed places when we see them. I bought some skeins of a pretty scratchy yarn made with Ryeland wool. When I got home and checked in my Fleece & Fibre Sourcebook it says it does readily felt, a plus for garments to be frequently washed, so I’ll use for socks. The same book says Targhee felts. It’s a great book by Deborah Robson & Carol Ekarius, published in USA.
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I will look for that book, thanks! I know we can get yarn from the UK here. I have personally bought Fibre Co, West Yorkshire Spinners, and I recently purchased a Shetland Aran but I can’t remember the name. My LYS is also curating her own regional yarn, which is pretty exciting. Thank you so much for listening! I really appreciate it!
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Typo on my post I notice. Ryeland DOESN’T readily felt.
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Great podcast! I finally got a chance to listen to this, and really enjoyed it 🙂 Great pick for a first topic and first guest!
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