[SallyintNorth]

Interestingly, the Scottish Bowmont project was initiated because it was predicted that producing sheep meat from the hills would become unviable.  The Bowmont was developed as a sheep which would be hardy, with good fleece, with the expectation that there would be breeding flocks lower down, and the wethers would run on the hills as fleece animals.

[Womble]

  How could you, Kanisha!

OK Sally, I confess I haven't done a full supply chain analysis!  Think about Rosemary's venture for a minute though - whilst my market for raw fleece is very limited (not very many people spin, and not all of them start with raw fleece, right?), Rosemary's market is every hand-knitter in the country.


The problem of course is that her competition includes larger producers who have lower costs. However, when I once built a canoe from scratch, I spent quite a bit of money sourcing the finest scratch I could get my hands on. Whilst it would have been nearly as good with standard exterior ply rather than marine etc, I figured that if I was spending a long time building it, I wanted to start out with the best materials possible. I think the same applies to people who  .

[kanisha]

I don't have a problem with the label, we all look to valorise our product if we are selling no matter whether its as a hobby or  on a more commercial scale. I do question the mind set of some who buy into  some of the more obscure labels.

Pyramid selling of any type is not a long term venture. Expending vast somes of money for animals or products whose "real" worth is considerably less is  not healthy on the other hand fair trade or animal welfare labels are a positive choice and a lifestyle  preference for many.  No problem as far as i can see.

[kanisha]

  How could you, Kanisha!

I know and they are soo cute!!    Funnily enough i can't buy lamb from the supermarket since having my own. I much prefer to know where my meat has come from.

[SallyintNorth]

OK Sally, I confess I haven't done a full supply chain analysis!  Think about Rosemary's venture for a minute though - whilst my market for raw fleece is very limited (not very many people spin, and not all of them start with raw fleece, right?), Rosemary's market is every hand-knitter in the country.

Absolutely right.  Bigger market - but bigger investment.  You have to pay for the processing before you can sell the yarn, and whilst there is a lot of interest in British wool at the moment, that bubble could burst at any time.  There will always be some knitters who prefer a breed yarn, and/or a single farm yarn, for every one of those there are probably a few hundred (or even a thousand or two) who don't care - or don't want to pay the premium.  Many handknitters don't even care whether it's wool or acrylic, sadly!

I haven't tried any of Rosemary's yarn yet... I guess I should!

[Rosemary]

I supposethe good things about yarn is that it doesn't go off, it's easy to store and it's cheap and simple to post - so with the web, it's a worldwide market.

[Ina]

There will always be some knitters who prefer a breed yarn, and/or a single farm yarn, for every one of those there are probably a few hundred (or even a thousand or two) who don't care - or don't want to pay the premium.

Or just don't have the money to pay for the premium. If my only choice were premium market yarns, much as I'd like to use them (and have in the past), I'd have to give up knitting.

[pharnorth]

On a purely least cash changing hands basis buying a raw fleece and doing the prep yourself has to be the cheapest way of producing a garment. I keep a small herd of Angora goats which I suppose are a fleece no kill herd. At least they are so far.  I also keep a small flock of Coloured Ryelands which are a fleece and lamb chops flock. Although at present I am finding (pyramid selling style) they are finding new homes as breeding stock/ pets faster than I can get them in the freezer.  Next year I will be starting to do a full cost analysis on both and based on that will decide which to keep more or less of.

[kanisha]

On a purely least cash changing hands basis buying a raw fleece and doing the prep yourself has to be the cheapest way of producing a garment. I keep a small herd of Angora goats which I suppose are a fleece no kill herd. At least they are so far.  I also keep a small flock of Coloured Ryelands which are a fleece and lamb chops flock. Although at present I am finding (pyramid selling style) they are finding new homes as breeding stock/ pets faster than I can get them in the freezer.  Next year I will be starting to do a full cost analysis on both and based on that will decide which to keep more or less of.

For pyramid selling was thinking more along the lines of valais blacknose with very high prices based on rarity     increasing sales = decreasing rarity.

[pharnorth]

Yes @kanisha I'm not at pyramid as that!  Nothing wrong with that kind of business for those who like the cache of having something new and different, it's the hyperbole that goes with it that is the problem aimed at drawing in those who can't see the inevitable downslope.  Mine is more molehill selling- it requires the breeding / pets sales to be sustainable. I guess molehills have been around even longer than pyramids so it should be reasonably sustainable

[kanisha]

I would suggest your type of selling is just commerce :-) based on supply and demand of a product with an intrinsic value