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["Gloria Morris" <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

Hey Van,
I used to raise long-wooled sheep (Romney, predominantly, with some Lincoln
and other). They were excellent meat animals (in my opinion, and the
opinions of many, the longer wooled sheep have better tasting meat). I
direct marketed to consumers with on-the-hoof sales. I would sell lambs and
deliver the lamb to the meat locker for the consumer, who would have the
lamb custom butchered to their order. There is a market for wools for
handspinners, but the wool has to be kept especially clean to command a good
price. Often such sheep are kept coated. At a minimum, care needs to be
taken that feeding and other handling does not contaminate the wool during
the growing year, as any vegetable contamination in the wool will mean
selling at a discount, not a premium (or losing reputation). Hand spinning
is extremely time-consuming. I cannot imagine selling what I produce - it is
for priceless gifts, from my perspective. There are hand spinners who sell
their yarns and finished products, however. If you want to explore the
market possibilities for specialty wools and wool products, I would suggest
that you begin with Spin Off! magazine.
http://www.interweave.com/spin/spinoff_magazine/ If you remain intrigued,
you may want to attend some fiber conferences.
HTH,
Gloria


On 2/8/07, VAN DELL JORDAN <vdjor AT yahoo.com> wrote:
> Gloria,
> I'd be interested in hearing more about hand spinning.
> One of the things that we consider doing on our land
> is raising goats or sheep, shearing, spinning, weaving
> (probably wall hangings) to sell on eBay.  The
> attraction to this approach is each step is "value
> added".
> I'd appreciate any insight you have that might be
> relevant to that.
> Van Dell
>
> We actually have a family spinning wheel, obviously
> homemade, we think by my wife's  great great uncle.
> We don't know how old or appraised3d value but is our
> families second most cherished possession.
> Van Dell
>
> When I just did a spell check yahoo checked your email
> address and suggested the correct word was glamorous.
>
>
> --- Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> > (but what would you expect from a hand spinner?)
>
>
>
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