Marketing Fleece

Finding the niche for marketing our fleece has taken me some time.  When I started raising sheep, I was in it for the meat production only.  It didn't dawn on me that I would soon become addicted to spinning.  Once you learn to spin, everything else becomes muted, in the background.  I still market my sheep for meat sales, and every year, I sell all our lambs.  That's a big deal to me. How did I do it?
1: Give samples of your good, natural lamb (already processed and back from the butcher) to people to try.  Once they've tried your product, they will be back to purchase a lamb the following year........guaranteed!

2: Take good care of the animals, the facilities they live in, and keep them in good body condition.  That speaks volumes to people who are in the market for meat.  A dirty pen, matted sheep, long hooves and foul water do not!

3: Once sold, take a deposit to hold that lamb for them when weaning/or locker time arrives.  Keep them posted on their lamb, the growth, weight, etc.  Set up the locker date for them, once that's done, the locker and the individual are now in correspondence.  Make sure to deliver the animal to the locker as a courtesy.

I have repeat customers who contact us a year in advance of the next lambing due to our attention to detail, exquisite taste of our lamb, and the quality care of our animals. 

Our Fiber: I've just recently found my niche' for marketing the fiber.  It took leg work, word of mouth and a skill.  I have marketed on-line via farm blog forums, walked into shops and displayed my yarn to owners, talked with many people. It has finally paid off......I now market fleece in the Appalachian mountain range, sell yarn on consignment in a local boutique, and have sold to a fiber artist in the valley. I hope to have my own web site designed, and up and running in the near future. People will buy your product if you believe in your product.  I'm not out to make huge sums of money from my fleece or yarn.  I just want to offer a premium yarn and fleece to women who enjoy the art of spinning and knitting as I do.  If the income supplements a small portion of what it takes me monetarily to raise the sheep, I'm happy. Plus, I get all the fiber I want to spin and knit my own lil' treasures.

I have found peace in my love of raising sheep.  At this point in my life, I can't imagine NOT having sheep.  A good friend of mine once told me........."you'll probably keel over in a mess of sheep dung one day Kat, but you'll be happy!"  I couldn't have said it better!