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Sheep Shearing Day: Cancelled for 2011.

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We are proud to be the third shepherd in Virginia to be awarded the quality designation of "Virginia's Finest."

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Thistle Cove Farm

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From Our Farm to Your Home

Everything begins with our animals and the care they receive. Thistle Cove Farm is a no kill, low stress farm and the animals respond by producing incredible wool. Our sheep fleeces are long, with an incredible handle and beautiful crimp making them an absolute joy to process, spin, knit, crochet, weave or felt.

Our fleeces have received the Virginia’s Finest Seal of Approval which means our wool has met quality standards established by industry experts and approved by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Thistle Cove Farm is only the third farm in the Commonwealth to receive this designation.

Our small flock consists of Romney, Shetland (a rare and primitive breed) and Merino who free graze pasture, are given treats of whole corn, and, in the winter, are given alfalfa hay grown and cut on our farm. Pure mountain spring water is their beverage of choice. They receive excellent medical care and only the vaccinations required to keep them in excellent health or to prevent disease. De-worming is done when their health requires and not because of scheduling demands.

Our sheep will be sheared on April 9th this year (2011), weather permitting, and the event is open to the public. Check this website or our farm blog or call before coming to make sure an emergency hasn’t caused us to re-schedule.

Clinton Bell, a neighbor and fellow shepherd, is our shearer and has one of the largest flocks of Down breed sheep (Suffolk and Suffolk crosses) in the Commonwealth. He's been shearing for many decades and is incredibly patient when asked questions and permits photographs.

Clinton shears the sheep and the fleece is then skirted; which means the worst of the dirt and other debris is removed and the fleeces are packed to be sent for further processing. I usually keep a few choice, select fleeces for hand spinning, dyeing and then knitting or weaving as well as sell fleeces the day sheep are sheared.

The dirty, matted portions of the fleece are used for garden mulch. Dirty wool is perfect as mulch because it leaches fertilizer and holds rainwater and, when covered with wood chips it requires very little maintenance. On a farm, that’s a good thing!

Cleaning and Carding

I work with a small, family owned and operated mill to process my fleeces. Once the fleece arrives at the mill, it’s washed to remove lanolin, dirt and other organic materials and is then sent through a carding machine to prepare the wool for spinning, roving, lap rugs or blankets.

Spinning and Roving

Depending upon the year and what we need, the wool clip is either processed into blankets, lap rugs, yarn and, sometimes, roving (cleaned wool ready for hand spinning). All woolen products are made from 100% virgin wool; that means the wool has never been used to, first, make something else. If you don’t see the 100% virgin wool label, it’s possible that particular item started out in life as a carpet.

Thistle Cove Farm

261 Cove Road

Tazewell, Virginia 24651

Email:  thistlecovefarms@gmail.com

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