Just a quick post today to share something special. Thought you might enjoy a look at these fleeces before I ship them out for processing. None of them came from my sheep. These were my  purchases from the fleece show at the Eastern States Expo in back in September (why I buy fleece, with 85 + sheep shorn here each year is a subject for another day). 

I scored a lovely colored Border Leicester from Kristen Whittle of Little Brook Farm and two dark brown Romney fleeces from Mary Pratt of Elihu farm in NY (no website that I could find). Kristen's silver Leicester fleece (posing with the walnut Golding spindle Mike gave me for my birthday last week) took a reserve ribbon for the Natural Color Border Leicester division. Mary's dark Romney fleece,  below, took first place in the National Natural Colored Fleece Show.

To the best of knowledge, Mary also coats her sheep. There was almost no vm to be found and the tips were in nearly perfect condition. Nicely defined crimp. Kristen's fleece was a pretty silver-oatmeal color. My very first Border Leicester ram, Isaac, came from Kristen's flock. He was a real sweetie and buying this fleece reminded me of him.

It's such a pleasure to handle clean wool from well managed flocks. I suppose that, and the stunning colors, caused me to buckle. I tell myself I can always use another fleece or two for my spinning classes. 

Off to the post office with these beauties.