Let's discuss it

Hey its my blog! :P

So over the past few weeks I've had the pleasure of visiting Becky Utecht at River Oaks, Kim Nikolai of Kimberwood (thank you both for supper and drinks!) and had the pleasure of having both of them, as well as Rayna Frigon of Northstar Shetlands up to view my flock, discuss fleeces and talk about Shetlands and life in general. I have always enjoyed the company of them (having traveled with Becky and Kim to Michigan Fiber Festival last year) and Rayna to Tennesee to pick up goats and several trips to Cynthia Allen at FirthofFifth Acres.

I'm always nervous about my own flock or pigeons or herd of cattle when people come to visit. I'm not a bragger, but tend to let my animals speak for themselves. I don't claim to know it all, or claim to have the best.

There were several comments made that I really was gracious about, the first being how great my hamburgers tasted (homegrown, homemade Simmental Beef!) Everyone agreed it was delicious. Phew! First round over. Kim was also happy with the heifers she had purchased sight unseen, one for her own freezer, and one for breeding purposes. Becky also had shown interest in aquiring some beef down the road. Mission accomplished!

I was really nervous about them seeing my sheep. I think the biggest concern was I had only had Gail VonBargen and Sabrina Erickson see them so far (and I highly respected their opinions on my sheep also). I have only been in Shetlands and sheep in general for a mere two years, but having had a lifelong experience raising all kinds of livestock, I felt that I might have a good start in Shetlands. With many thanks to Cynthia and Karen for giving me such great starter animals to work with!

I was quite happy to hear the ooooo's and aaaaaah's when they touched fleeces, saw the uniform crimp, and saw the adults shorn fleeces. I think Becky could have gone home with quite a few....hey Becky...you still can!

To further educate myself I have researched the UK rams that have been imported, followed their offspring and their lineages, hunted down F1 offspring from most of the lines that I felt could be useful here with my flock goals and needless to say I'm happy. I'm happy that I am able to micron my animals without nervousness or anxiety. Its better to know, than to go blindly. Especially when I am supposed to be IMPROVING the animals that I have, and I personally think that I am from what I've gathered from my much respected friends. To know that the handle on my sheep is soft, is backed up by nice low micron reports, that are quite uniform. I can back up the saying that I know my sheep are soft. Can you prove to me, that yours are? Handle is very important indeed but why not micron? what's holding you back? Its a mere $1.25 per animal, that is only a few animal cookie boxes when you think about it. And do they really NEED those cookies? Hey WE don't need them either! LOL

To each is own and if you decide to not raise the same kind of Shetland that I do, that is fine, I don't care if they are domestic or UK, double coated or single, big or little, but let's work at making our fleeces uniform, and FINE. I'd think anything UNDER 30 AFD as a mature 5 year old ewe would be considered fine. And if we all continue to improve them to be softer, the more soft animals will be available to others. Let's get the name of the Shetland "The finest of the British breeds" to actually be true.

(Garrett steps off soap box and exits stage left)