Welcome to Whispering Pines Farm's KZread channel, "Soft Shetland Wool". This channel is about life on our farm where we care for our soft shetland sheep and their wool. I share videos of all that goes on in our farm life in my videos which are in the playlist "The Good of Work". There is a playlist about all the tools offered by Majacraft which I sell in order to help support the farm. I also show you the methods I have adapted over time to turn my sheep's wool many wonderful things including yarn, felted items and hand knit objects to name a few. These videos are located in my playlist called "Tutorials". Thank you very much for liking, subscribing, commenting and sharing my videos!
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I love the mix of heavily-detailed genetic analysis and "I just had a feeling..." !! I happened to watch this video immediately after a video about breeding North Ronaldsey sheep on Auskerry island (one of the Orkney islands off the north coast of Scotland). (kzread.info/dash/bejne/fYN2mdOEdtTKZpc.html) -- a VERY fascinating contrast in how different shepherds select for breeding... If you're not familiar with those videos, I strongly encourage you to watch some of them. It's a wonderful (although now increasingly bittersweet) story. I've also got to think that somewhere back a zillion generations, the NR and Shetland were related. They're both small; there's something about their faces that looks similar. I do have a question-- when you were talking about this year's spotted lamb , you talk about how the spotting must have come from the mother. Couldn't it have come through the father?
Thank you, this was so interesting.
Very interesting understanding all the Shetland colors and seeing information you keep on the genetic traits so you can plan. I had no idea how many recessive traits there were and the mystery of who carries which color. So cool being able to apply clues from the lambs. Thank you for posting and look forward to the bird names
Very interesting! I’ve always loved genetics. I’m wondering why the lambs don’t have ear tags?
No way! Already??!!
I loved seeing the genetics and lamb updates! It is so interesting! Thank you, Cher 🧶
So happy to see this. I really enjoyed seeing the lambs when they were first born.
Jenn, what a wonderful video of genetics. Breeding is so complicated when you breed for desired results thanks❤️
Genetics 🤩 I was wondering about that little ewe who had that weird condition. Weird question re white fleeces: I noticed with Matilda’s fleece that the white had what I’d call a warmer undertone. It was creamy white. Are there fleeces with a cooler undertone that would be a whiter white?
Hurray! Just came in to make lunch and got the notification of a new video 🙂 Let me grab my spinning and see what you've been up to!
Want to order Suzie wheel with fast speed and large bobbins for when there’s a fair so I don’t have to change out.what’s the price for something like that?
Thanks for your comment - so if we removed all 4 standard bobbins, the delta flyer and the suzie pulley, and replaced them with 4 jumbo plastic bobbins, the plying flyer and the high speed pulley, it would be 1319.50. I created a listing in the shop for this custom wheel - I have everything in stock except for the plying flyer - waiting on a shipment of those at the moment. Here is a link to the listing - softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-suzie-spinning-wheel-for-fair I hope this helps!
Love your videos!
thanks!
I love the re-use of boxes :D
Thanks! It is a small thing, but makes me feel like I'm making a bit of a difference.
You are absolutely amazing and I can tell you treat your sheep with loving care. I would love to buy a fleece and spin your wonderful fiber. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
Thanks for the nice comment!
Are the locks washed first? Thanks for sharing your method. Looks lovely fleece
Hi - yes the locks are washed first.
How long does it take to roo the sheep? It looks very uncomfortable.
It depends, it can go very quickly.
Sorry to hear about your pain. My hip MRI came back bad. Bone on bone and a labrum tear. It really is inhibiting me from all my sheep chores I need to do. Probably have to have a replacement 😢
So sorry to hear this Wendy - I hope you have a solution soon.
Amazing, well done. Have u considered vacuum packing 😊
Thanks! Great idea, I appreciate your suggestion
Audie’s fleece from 2023 is AMAZING! So, if anyone is thinking about her 2024 fleece, you’re in for a spinning treat!
Thanks Chris - glad you liked Audie's fleece!
This assembly video is just what I needed. My new Majacraft Rose arrived yesterday, and the printed instuctions are not that great. I watched this video while assembling and it was so helpful to have someone walk me through it. The part where you have to put the top piece at a right angle to the bottom piece was unclear until you showed which way it was supposed to go. I have the feeling that putting the drive band on before the conrods saved me a lot of frustration too. Thank you! Now that it's done, I can't believe how smooth and effortless she spins. I think I'm in love already.
So glad you found the video helpful!
Thank you Jen & Hannah - hope you both enjoyed a whole pot of tea after shipping. Impressive process post auction and love the reuse of boxes plus the shop vac/sock trick. My fleeces arrived and are beautiful, the data cards are super cool!
Thanks! Glad you are happy with your wool!
Hi Jenn, i bet you are so glad the auction is over and a BIG success. Congratulations. I know the auction winners will be so excited to get their fleeces. Now you can relax❤️
thanks Pat!
It was like waiting for Christmas to see mine packed! Loved the map. How fun. Also a huge thank you for the very kind KZread channel mention, very kind of you. ❤Cher🧶
Hi miss - enjoying watching your progress with your wool on your insta feed!
@@SoftShetlandWool getting the hang of it. I think I will be combing Leyton’s fleece and spinning for a 2 ply, Brianne of Tarths 2021 I’m sampling a 3 ply.
Amazing and such nerve racking times time for you both. I can relate in so many ways during our whelping times with our maltese and calving on the family farm. I am not sure if it is proper for lambing, but ask your vet about a Delee suction. It is so much more effective and easier to use than the bulb suction. All though my puppies are 3-4 oz when born, it is used effectively on large breeds that are 2 + lbs at birth and human babies that are 5-7lbs plus. I have a question? Do they ever use plasma rich platelets (PRP) for distressed lambs in your industry? Works wonders to recover failing puppies. It is cheap, you have unlimited donors on your farm and can store in freezer for couple of years. Just wonder if you ever heard of this being used ? It has saved a failing puppy many times....I did not get access to a vet on call and emergency vet is over an hour drive from us. Your page is absolutely fascinating and I have learned so much about your world from these videos. Thank you for taking the extra time to share them with us......
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this information! I am definately looking into the suction device you mentioned, and will research the platelets. We don't do a ton of lambing, so not very experienced with things going south, I really appreciate your input!
Love the lamb playhouse in the field - great repurposing! Thank you for the time spent on the fleece videos and seeing this lamb video post auction is wonderful. In terms of ads, the skip button is great and my ads consist of anti-aging cremes, sports drinks & dog food. The ads don’t bug me and they are likely based on my online profile.
Thanks! I had one playground toy I garbage picked but it had to go because one of my adults got caught in one of the hidey holes. Silly girls.
The reason we wean our lambs is two-fold: 1. Just like you said, the mom needs to get her condition back before next breeding season. 2. Our lambs need a ton of grain to not look like tall, walking skeletons and if they’re in with their moms, the moms will eat all the grain.
Thanks for this, that makes so much sense! Would be interesting to have a conversation with you comparing raising sheep for their wool vs. raising them as food - any interest?
This is such a great idea. I love versatility. In the video you mentioned 51 or 58 inches, I think? Would that number be used to calculate how much is in your skein then? Just looking for clarification that using this, we can also know how much yardage is in our finished skeins then. Thanks for all these videos!
Hi there - so yes, there are two notches which generate skeins that are 51 or 58 inches total round. I then manually count each strand (yes its tedious) to calculate total skein length. I was looking at Rich's fishing line loading thing - it has a counter on it. Thinking I might have to try that out
Love that video... and I didn't get any ads! Though I don't pay for 'getting no ads'.
Thank you!
Glad your not my mom.
thanks for the feedback
I pay for premium to avoid ads. If I’m not signed in, then I get ads, which are really annoying! I’ve gotten used to no ads.
That's how we do it too.
Hi Jen, You sheep really love you. Was excited to see you had a video up. Good luck with your auction
Thanks Pat!
Little sweeties - they all gather around you to get affection ❤ Yes, you can “skip” on most ads after they play for at least 5 seconds. I see subscribe to a lot of channels - to many “snake oil” ads - medical and to put it nicely ads for men’s male functions kinda soft porn - thank goodness when the SKIP button appears! 🤮
Thank you for that feedback! I was reading somewhere that a person new with sheep used snacks to get them like this - I never have! They just love to get attention! Makes me feel terrific.
I can watch this now that your fleece auction has finished! Thanks for being a great farmer/shepherd!
Haha I know! That fleece auction is a lot of work for all of us!
Dammit Janet!!! (She's named after the character in the rock opera, Rocky Horror Picture show) I'm so glad she's turned into an affectionate girl!
I think of you every time I see her!
I'm partial to her because she's Carrie's daughter lol! Who's her sire Jen?
Totally understandable! She is out of Duncan.
The end of the video was so cute! I'm not sorry you had an encounter with one of your lambs filmed. ❤
Well thanks! That little girl is the sweetest lamb I've ever had - she has totally stolen my heart!
Omg looks how crimpy😊
Haha yes, it really is!
Enjoy watching your videos. Heading out to roo my big puff ball, Jamie Webb. ❤
Thanks Wendy! Hope rooing went well
I have a silly thought. Do you still need to use hand lotion, even though you are picking up lanolin from handling the fleeces?
I usually wash my hands pretty thoroughly after handling the fleeces - so I probably counteract any benefit I would get from the lanolin from the wool.
What a pretty fleece!
Thanks Cary!
Oh gosh that market bag is beautiful, I would love to buy one of those, is that something you offer to internationally as I am in Australia.
Thanks! I love how each one is so unique! I can look into shipping to Australia, but it is really going to be $$$!
This is a compliment, I am not a knitter or a spinner in fact I am not crafty at all my field is medical I am a nurse practitioner. I found ur videos bye accident and have loved just losing myself in them, it really is a beautiful life you have I am truly envious thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! I am so glad you found us - your work is so important, thank you for what you do!
I never get tired of the grey katmoget fleeces, I think they're my favorites ❤
They are really lovely
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Haha thanks Debbie!
Mabel ❤❤❤
I know.
I'm *totally* with you on one project per sheep or one sheep per project. I process raw fleeces and I make projects *from that fleece*. I have some exceptions -- like when I natural-dyed a bunch of handspun across different breed types, but that was *mostly* from handspun that was from roving that I had not hand processed myself. Or I had skeins left over from a fleece-to-finished object project. So I have a huge colorful blanket that is "multi-breed" if you will. I, too, am frequently asked about fleeces I hand process and spin: did you consider blending it with ____ fill-in-the-blank-other-breed. That alway seemed not-right to me. ;-)
We have so much in common!
Are the fleeces from the rams courser? What is the micron difference?
Hi Nancy - rams fleeces are pretty much the same as the ewes, they just are really stinky so I send them right in to the mill.