RAMSAY FARMS: Official Breeding Groups, Part 1

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Official Breeding Groups, Part 1

The breeding groups here at White Pine Shetlands are set in stone now! The 2008 lambing season will consist of three rambs from my farm, and two from Cynthia's farm, for a total of five different rams used.

Firth of Fifth Amaan is an F1 Orion son out of FirthofFifth Autumn. He is a handsome boy who is quite soft, uniform fleece, and modified to boot! I am planning on breeding RYL Rachildas to him. Rachildas is a super crimpy white illget who carries Ag and spotting. If anyone remembers, I also have Rahu, her daughter from this year who is out of Wintertime Black Forrest, the black gulmoget of Meghan Namaste's. At any rate, Rachildas should have twins and I look forward to having some Orion in my flock.

Wintertime Black Forrest is a black gulmoget who is very soft, crimpy and single coated. I am breeding his daughter, FirthofFifth Tailka back to him in hopes of getting more gulmogets that are free of the side pattern. Tailka herself has a more intermediate fleece but WOW is it soft!

Also being bred to Forrest is Underhill Peep, my musket girl that I just picked up from Gail Former. She is quite the adorable girl, with soft eyes, consistent fleece and pretty nice confirmationally. I'm hoping for an Ag Gulmoget (no, really!) after seeing Underhill Dancer...that Gulmoget face on the Ag body is adorable! And I hope she's soft too! :)

FirthofFifth Pi Lo Chun is also going to be bred to Forrest. She is a grey katmoget who is out of V Creek Silver and she is perfectly marked for a kat. A kat or gul would be ok from this breeding :)

White Pine Heath, a linebred Winter Sky Tennyson son, who is a very dark moorit, with perfect horns and tail, very single coated handsome boy will be bred to four shetland ewes. White Pine KitKat and Musketeer (fawn kat and musket respectively) and their mother FirthofFifth Jasmine Phoenix (Ag, katmoget) are all being bred to Heath to help make the colors more rich, while softening up the fleeces and shortening them up. Also in this group is Winter sky Laya, who is an Orion F1 daughter. She is a horned mioget with incredibly soft fleece and her micron report was a tight bell curve that is totally impressive. Her mother is Heath's Grandmother, so it will be a line breeding on Underhill Loretta Lynn. I'm excited to see how this tight linebreeding turns out!

Also in this group are my two BFL ewe lambs. I'm not sure if they will cycle this fall, but if they do, they have the potential to throw some colored mule lambs!

The larger two groups will be saved for a later time :)

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Who we are

Ramsay Farms is situated in the northeastern part of Ottertail County, near Perham, Minnesota. This family farm of 320 acres has been in the Ramsay family for five generations, dating back to 1892. Today our farm prides itself on our Simmental cattle, Shetland Sheep and BlueFaced Leicester sheep. We strive to breed animals that closest match the breed standards given to them, and mindful of production, health and longevity in our animals as well.

In spring of 2016, there was a purchase of 32 acres in Green County, Wisconsin to accommodate Garrett for his work in that region. The animals have for the most part been moved to that location. Both locations will work in tandem to continue educating and promoting these animals and this way of life.

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognised markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in sprin. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibres have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be sorsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

RAMSAY FARMS

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Official Breeding Groups, Part 1

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A long time coming!

Fine Fleece Shetland Sheep Association

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