Icelandic
Sheep, Icelandic Fleece, Icelandic Roving & Wool Yarn...
Welcome to our Maine Icelandic Sheep Farm!
Spring 2008 Icelandic Lambs are here... we were even
featured on local TV: click
here to see the lambs on TV!
For
Best Selection: Click here to reserve your lambs now!
We were very pleased with
our breeding season this fall.
We had a final tally of 25 ewes successfully AI'd (artificially
inseminated ) to 20 different outstanding Icelandic studs.
We have another 10 ewes bred to our best farm rams. There are several ewe lambs bred to rams
lambs: we will be watching this group carefully as they mature,
to see who will become part of the breeding stock here. It appears that the USDA/APHIS has passed a new ruling that
will allow the lambs born from AI pregnancies (referred to
as F1's) using imported semen will no longer be restricted
to flocks enrolled in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification
Program. This
opens up a wonderful opportunity for increasing the genetic
base in many more flocks.
And, offers you the chance to add some of
our very best lambs, yearlings and adults to your flock. For those of you enrolled in the program, we are flock ME-02
and were certified July 20, 2005.
As we all know, you can't count your lambs
until they hatched there are months of waiting before we see
these new cuties make their debut in April 2008. We are
posting the matings on the website here to give you a chance to think about who might fit into your flock
and provide an opportunity for you to reserve your
first choices.
The lambs are due around April 1st..no
fooling! We will
be as diligent as possible about posting the births and baby
pictures.
 Puppies!
Summer puppies are here and will be ready to go in mid-July!
If you're interested in Icelandic Sheepdogs you can learn
more about them on our puppy pages.
Interested in a puppy? Please
email us
Visit the
Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy Pages
Go to Our Store:
Icelandic Fleece, Roving,
Wool Yarn
Knitting Books and
Patterns
Read
the Farm Blog!
Our spring clinic "Raising Icelandic Sheep" was
a wonderful success. Everyone had the opportunity to handle
sheep, learn about the unique features of the Icelandic Sheep,
and gain confidence in their abilities before their new flocks
arrived. Our next clinic will be in mid-summer and cover similar
topics, with an additional emphasis on the "business
of farming." And coming up this fall we'll be having
a shearing day at the farm, an opportunity to pick your fleece
out right as it comes off the sheep. We'll help you skirt
it, weigh it, and give you tips on handling, washing, dying,
and spinning your new treasure. Icelandic fleeces make the
most delightful yarn, and having the opportunity to work with
it right from the sheep is worth the adventure of a drive
to Maine during foliage season.
Just getting started in Icelandic Sheep? We have a
series of articles designed to get you going in the right
direction:
Our
Maine Icelandic Sheep Farm:
How
we got started, and ended up here!
The
Icelandic Sheep: A breed for the next millennium:
Why this breed? It is surprisingly versatile!
Icelandic
Sheep Genetics: The colors, the patterns... what makes
an Icelandic Sheep look the way it does?
A
Flock of Your Own: Want your own flock of Icelandic
sheep? Details here.
Building
a Flock on a Shoestring: Not everyone can afford
to buy a large flock right away... see how one farm manages
their resources and gains the Icelandic sheep they wanted
at a price they could afford.
Picking
the Right Stock for Your Farm: An overview of
how Icelandic sheep are classified and priced so you can start
building your flock.
"The
List!": Finally! The list of what you need to keep
Icelandic Sheep. A list of equipment to make your life
easier!
Bringing
Your Flock Home: Planning ahead will keep everyone safe,
healthy, and happy.
Icelandic
Sheep: Flock Health: Tips on maintaining your
sheep in top form
The
Shepherd's Glossary: Confused by all the terminology?
So were we once! A guide to the terms you'll hear when learning
to speak sheep.
A
Shepherd's Bookshelf: helpful books on sheep: Our
list of the most battered (and therefore loved) books on our
self.
Lambing
Jugs and Tubing Lambs,
How to Graft a Lamb...
help during lambing season.
Washing
Your Fleece: felting is wonderful... unless you don't
want it to happen!
Spinning
the Icelandic Fleece: Not just one fleece, three
possibilities. Learn more about this unique fiber.
Entering
Your Fleece: A guide to entering your fleece in a competition.
You
Can Farm: An inspired piece by the people at
WoolandFeathers.com who believe anyone who dreams of having
their own small farm... can!
The
Business of Raising Sheep: from the people at Vermont
Sheep, a entire section on the business end of farming:
marketing, website development, accounting, and cost management.
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