[Pedwardine]

  After months of discussion, actually I think almost a year of discussion, our buyer of a little starter flock has pulled out due to lack of available funds. It's a bit frustrating when we're due to start our own tupping regime in a couple of weeks.  We had three reserved 18 month old ewes and an unrelated ram lamb who were going to be picked up 'at the end of August' then, 'at the end of September' then, 'at the end of October'. Now the couple have been beset by unexpected costs and can't have the woollies. I'm a bit hacked off as we were really counting on the money AND it seemed a great home to boot. Gotta rethink things now and consider whether we should keep the ram for maybe another sale or send him elsewhere.  He's such a cracker but we can't home anymore. We have six already due to being too softminded...
If anyone knows of anyone who might like a gorgeous registered pedigree Gotland starter flock please PM me.

[Raine]

Shame it was this week.


I was buying my starter flock from the Spalding area only 2 weeks ago and ended up with five Balwen's (unregistered).  I did look at your website many times in the last couple of months as I loved the look of the Gotland's.


I should have made contact (just in case this sort of thing happened).  I don't think Hubby would let me get a second flock of sheep 

[colliewoman]

Oh Gotlands....
I would give my eye teeth for your ram, but alas you are too far away


My first ever sheep were Shetland X Gotlands and they were amazing. I would love to put a Gotland tup across my girlies

[Pedwardine]

Ah Raine, I'm sure you'll be happy with your Balwens. If you win the lottery or your OH has an insane moment and says "oh go on then" then get in touch. Always got sheep for sale. Always happy to negotiate a good price for a special home.
Colliewoman, thanks for singing the praises. Maybe you'll encourage someone nearer to me. They are such amazing sheep.

[colliewoman]

Honestly people, especially spinners. The fleeces from Gotland X Shetland are TO DIE FOR!!!!


Long lustrous and will take a dye beautifully! 7 years ago I was making £60 plus per tanned skin
They grow like weeds and April wethers went in the freezer in 1st week of November at around 17 kg from around 35 kg liveweight

[SallyintNorth]

My neighbour has Gotlands and says the fleece is great for felting - she implied it felts rather easily, so maybe not ideal for handspun?

What was your experience on that, colliewoman?

[Pedwardine]

Gotland fleece needs a bit of tlc during prep especially the washing part of proceeding where it can tend toward felting but spins beautifully. One of the most sought after by hand spinners.

[SallyintNorth]

Gotland fleece needs a bit of tlc during prep especially the washing part of proceeding where it can tend toward felting but spins beautifully. One of the most sought after by hand spinners.

Do you spin it yourself, Pedwardine?

[jaykay]

Sally, Nicky in our Guild both keeps Gotlands and has an industrial carder on which she produces batts.
Did you come to the open day at hers?

The Gotland fleece is beautifully soft and assorted people that day were spinning it. Nicky also had some lovely things she'd made from it, including a wonderful 'sheepskin' with the curly locks on the outside and felted deliberately on the inside to take the place of the skin. I was very impressed.

As for problems felting, I think it's been that sort of year - she says, who managed to felt her Shetland fleeces on the sheep 

[Moleskins]

I have two Gotland fleeces here which are felted beautifully, they came off the sheep that way, yes it felts on the sheep unless you get it off quick, which can be a bu66er if it's wet and you can't get to clip them.
Good luck with selling them, mine went to market and made next to nothing for some nice ewes.

[Anke]

Sally, Nicky in our Guild both keeps Gotlands and has an industrial carder on which she produces batts.
Did you come to the open day at hers?

The Gotland fleece is beautifully soft and assorted people that day were spinning it. Nicky also had some lovely things she'd made from it, including a wonderful 'sheepskin' with the curly locks on the outside and felted deliberately on the inside to take the place of the skin. I was very impressed.

As for problems felting, I think it's been that sort of year - she says, who managed to felt her Shetland fleeces on the sheep 

That's were my Gotlands (plus some texel in them) came from! This autumn I didn't manage to clip them as it was so wet, so the fleeces will be felted in the spring...   They are going to the (white) Shetland tup.
Their fleece is really really nice - very soft and quite light coloured on account of the texel.
But I am aware that they will not making any money for meat, so will have keep my numbers strictly limited!

[SallyintNorth]

Sally, Nicky in our Guild both keeps Gotlands and has an industrial carder on which she produces batts.
Did you come to the open day at hers?

Must've been before my time - I would have loved that 

I think we've all had some problems with our fleeces this year jaykay    - it's been a miserable year weatherwise 

My neighbour made the comment about her Gotland 'felting as soon as looked' at a couple of years back, and I was interested to hear other people's experience.  Merino felts wonderfully and is also a wonderful handspinning fibre; the two aren't mutually exclusive, I know.  But so far I haven't heard first hand of many people spinning it - and despite large hints (some of which must surely have bruised her toes  ), said neighbour has not been forthcoming with offer of fleece  so I've been unable to try it for myself.

[Pedwardine]

I can send you a sample of Gotland to try Sally if you'd like? I haven't spun it (no time in my day for such pastimes) but my best friend Jan has and loves it. All reports I've had from people I've sold to have been very positive. I've got GotlandxTeeswater and will have GotlandxShetland next year too 

[SallyintNorth]

I can send you a sample of Gotland to try Sally if you'd like? I haven't spun it (no time in my day for such pastimes) but my best friend Jan has and loves it. All reports I've had from people I've sold to have been very positive. I've got GotlandxTeeswater and will have GotlandxShetland next year too 

Ooooo yess pleeEEEAAASSSEE!!!      If I like the Gotland, you will get an order for me for the two crosses - wooah!  better tell me how much before I make that a firm commitment! 

[Pedwardine]

Ok Sally! Calm down now!!
I can send you a baggie of pure Gotland lamb curls (100grammes) to try. This will £2.40 + P&P at cost. I shall just investigate how much that will be but should be pretty nominal. These are sorted but unwashed. It would be great if you could feedback on here so's others who haven't yet tried it can know what it's like.
Also I've got some GotlandxTeeswater ewe fleece all washed and teased out like a bag of wavy candy floss if you're interested. Are you happy for someone to have done the messy bit? The locks are 10" long. I've yet to weigh it but it's a light as a feather.
 
PM me with your details and we'll get the deed done.