Menoturals; Sheep 101

Hello and welcome to the final Nature Friday with the LLB gang and Final Friday Feature with YAM for 2025!!!

That's the last use of this year's "badge", and the new one for 2026 is up on the FFF page waiting for you to download. Now, on to the final two sheep breeds from my Westmoreland Show collection. Two for the price of one, and two that I sense will be unfamiliar and fun for you to see and learn about.

First, the Zwartbles.  Don't panic at that name, it's actually quite easy to say - make a very hard 'ess' for SSwart (which means black) and then say 'blaze' but soften and shorten the 'zee' sound (it means blaze - referring to the white nose and brow markings). In case you hadn't already guessed, they are of Dutch origin.

They are very handsome sheep indeed. If you read the history (from the link above), you will learn that these were in a precarious position by the 1960s. However, by the close of the 1970s, interest in handspun yarns had begun to rise, and by the early 1980s, the market had begun to turn around, with a more substantial population, much of it in the UK. Yay for yarnies yearning for specialist fleeces coming to the rescue!

The wool is all naturally dark, ranging from a deep black to chocolate brown, with tips often sun-bleached to a reddish hue. The staple length is usually four to five inches (10–13 cm). The crimp is firm, holding the wool close to the sheep's body, belieing the length it has, and heralding the natural loft that a spun yarn will have - so lovely, squishy knits and crochets! It also makes this good felting wool.

Last, but far from the least on this sheep list, we have the Teeswater sheep. Oh, be still my beating heart!

Yay, mon, mei Rastafaar-aye!!!

This ram couldn't get enough of me rubbing his head and neck. Seriously fun and friendly sheepses! With roots dating back to the Romans, the current breed standard was only developed in the early 20th century (full history at the link just given). They have been used for lots of cross-breeding and, as an extant breed, were in danger of extinction. Thank goodness, yet again, for enthusiasts in keeping pure lines. Commercially, the main purpose of the Teeswater rams is to be bred to other sheep lines; so much so that the resultant Teeswater crosses are referred to as Mashams - a sub-breed of the Teeswater.

Anyway, they are multipurpose, but their wool is highly prized by spinners. The staple length is typically six to twelve inches (15–30 cm). The first clip** can reach up to fifteen inches. These sheep are shorn twice a year to maintain a more manageable length. Known for very long, wavy, distinct locks with a brilliant, pearly lustre and a smooth surface, the resulting yarns are more silk-like in nature, so not too much loft, but perfect for lace knits, close-to-skin wear.

(** Did you know that the first clip of any sheep is called the shearling and is often sold as 'lambswool'? Well, you do now!)

There we have it, folks, a rundown of all the breeds I saw at the show in September - but by no means the total of lesser breeds to be discovered! I thank you for coming along on this indulgence, and hope that the (much shorter) upcoming cattle season captures your interest too!

Let's close out with a final piccie from my colouring app... saying Cheers and all the best for 2026...