Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE => Topic started by: Rebecka on April 09, 2010, 10:36:24 am

Title: Does anyone raise animals for spinning fiber?
Post by: Rebecka on April 09, 2010, 10:36:24 am

I am considering raising critters for spinning fiber. We are limited on space with the garden and chickens taking up vast quantities. So I was wondering what kind of space a pair of maybe Angora goats or Icelandic sheep need. Shetland is a nice spinning wool and being small sheep , I would assume they would take less space. However, I was hoping to raise animals that produce longer draft fiber.

Title: Re: Does anyone raise animals for spinning fiber?
Post by: Natalie on April 09, 2010, 09:47:58 pm

I have regular ol goats and then I have one hair sheep, you comb her wool out rather than shave them.
I haven't used it yet for anything, my sister in law is the big spinner in the family.
From my experience the goats get more itchy to go running around and creating havoc and the sheep tend to be followers and left to their own devices just like to hang out and eat your shrubs.
They are also quiter.
I don't know how much room you are talking about but if they have some room to run around they are happy.
Mine get along fine with the chickens who tend to like to hitch a ride on the backs of the goats and sheep and nap with them, however I have a fence around the garden for good reason as none of my animals can be trusted.
Good luck with it.

Title: Re: Does anyone raise animals for spinning fiber?
Post by: Rebecka on April 09, 2010, 10:30:07 pm

I used to keep pygmy goats years ago. I adored them, but they were always into something. So, needless to say I am leaning toward sheep. I guess we have about a half an acer for additional live stock if they are the grazing sort. We are hoping to coax the commercial farmer behind us to let us buy the few acers behind us that he cant plant which would open up all kinds of live stock options for us.

Title: Re: Does anyone raise animals for spinning fiber?
Post by: Natalie on April 10, 2010, 08:15:43 pm

You should be fine since you only want a couple anyway. That would be an awesome deal to buy from that farmer, I wish there was available land for sale around me, I would pick it up in a heartbeat.
The bummer part is that the house I bought was part of a large farm and use to have many acres with it but the last owners sold it off bit by bit and people built on it so there isn't anything open space to purchase back.