Suffolk sheep have roamed the hills and flatlands of Ohio for generations, well loved by their shepherds for meat and wool quality on top of their lovable personalities. Although the Suffolk breed is multi purpose and raised for a variety of different reasons, Suffolk sheep are primarily raised and sought after for their meat. Suffolks produce lean, flavorful meat due to heavy muscling, rapid growth and excellent carcasses. Resteraunts and meat enjoyers alike are first in line for a delicious Suffolk lamb chop, and enjoy serving their guests and family with some for the highest quality lamb on the market.
Luckily for us Suffolk breeders, quality meat isn’t the only plus side of having a flock of beautiful black heads in our barn. Suffolk wool is often overlooked or considered useless due to short staple length, however Suffolks are not considered dual purpose for no reason. Your Suffolk sheep are growing fibrous gold!
Linda Kernstock, owner of Sageridge Ranch in Wyoming, has found a niche way to maximize profits on her beloved Suffolk flock. Linda runs a large sheep and alpaca operation and previously ran a commercial fibre mill for twelve years. She has been spinning, felting, dying and selling wool, roving and other fibres since 1999! Her passion for the wool industry is evident in everything she has done and continues to do- including raising her daughter to have the same ardor and intelligence for the industry!
Contrary to the opinions of some other wool spinners and enthusiasts, Linda enjoys working with Suffolk wool. She mentioned how ‘puffy’ the wool is and enjoys the lack of natural grease, as it is incredibly easy to clean and work with. She appreciates not having to use harsh chemicals and commercial scouring system to clean the wool. Linda emphasized that Suffolk wool does not shrink when spun and felts extremely nicely, taking on shapes easily. Suffolk wool is her favorite to use for the inside of her felting projects.
Linda makes profit off of selling some of her Suffolk wool to other wool enthusiasts and spinners on Etsy. She prepares her wool to be sold by skirting, washing, rinsing and drying. Working with Suffolk wool does not require large commercial equipment for cleaning due to the low amount of natural grease. This makes Suffolk wool easily workable and cleanable for commercial, every day Suffolk producers!
If you find yourself questioning what to do with your Suffolk wool, know there is a niche of wool lovers who also enjoy working with Suffolk fleece! You can find a market to sell your wool by posting to sites like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, or getting ahold of local spinners.
“My biggest word to describe [the wool industry] is DISCONNECTED!” Says Linda. “Our consumers are disconnected from the producers. It used to be a community effort to raise, and process and produce products from fibers. It was essential and needed by the community. Now people shop cheap stuff at stores and online, and have no idea what goes into making those products. When they do get into felting or spinning, they think that they have to buy the over processed and priced top from online stores or fancy storefronts. They do not realize that the little sheep looking at them from across the road produces that fiber and that they can manipulate it themselves.”
You do not need commercial, expensive equipment to make a profit off of your Suffolk wool. The Suffolk faces staring at you in your barn are all you need to create a product that wool spinners will love to use. Our Suffolk sheep have a place in the wool industry, Suffolk wool possesses so many wonderful, sought after qualities. The only thing standing between you and some extra profit from your flock is your pair of wool clippers!
The Ohio Suffolk Sheep Association would like to thank Linda Kernstock of Sageridge Ranch, WY for providing some insight and expertise for our blog.
Additional Resources:
Washing Wool in a Washing Machine: https://www.woolmark.com/care/can-i-wash-wool-in-the-washing-machine/#:~:text=Wool%20garments%20should%20be%20washed,Woolmark%20symbol%20on%20the%20packet).
Marketing & Selling Wool Online: https://redropefarm.com/lets-talk-about-wool/getting-more-out-of-your-wool-part-3-marketing-and-selling-wool-yarn-online/
How to Make Money from Wool: https://bootstrapbee.com/smallholding/make-money-from-sheep-wool#:~:text=Having%20your%20fine%20wool%20spun,sell%20an%20entire%20sheep’s%20fleece.