RARE sheep breeds are the foundation for a unique small-scale fibre production at Moorngag, Victoria.
Wendy Beer, Beersheba Farm, runs Drysdale, English Leicester and Merino sheep, and the various breeds offer a large range of wool, from superfine fleeces off the Merinos, to the carpet wool produced by the Drysdales
Ms Beer is the only stud breeder of Drysdale sheep in Australia after a fall in the carpet market following an increase in imported wools.
"There hasn't been a huge market for them, but as an animal, they're a delightful breed to keep around," she said.
"I was able to sell wool directly to a carpet manufacturer which is not happening any more so we're focusing on the craft market which is a challenge.
As a sheep producer it really frustrated me to see imports of wool which were no better than some wools we have here, but a lot of town-based spinners would never see our wool because it goes straight to the wool merchants.
- Wendy Beer
"They grow a prodigious amount of fleece and they need shearing twice a year."
It's a slow process, requiring seven generations of breeding, but Ms Beer is incorporating genetics from various breeds to her own Castledale sheep breed.
Her goal is to end up with a superior wool that's suitable for the craft market.
"I want to produce the type of wool that people like to spin and the type fleece that can successfully compete with popular imported wool," Ms Beer said.
"As a sheep producer it really frustrated me to see imports of wool which were no better than some wools we have here, but a lot of town-based spinners would never see our wool because it goes straight to the wool merchants."
Ms Beer has focused on the spinning market for about five years, and now hosts regular 'spin-ins', where spinners are encouraged to work on their projects on the property.
"The spinners all turn up with their wheels and chairs, or their knitting, crochet, weaving, and have a day out," she said.
"My next event is a shearing shed workshop in May which will be much smaller, and they'll get to see sheep being shorn and learn how to sort and prepare the fleeces."
Ms Beer is making the most of her 140-hectare block by value adding to her fleeces.
"Because it's only a small property (compared to others in the area), with a small number of sheep, I've fallen into that market and I've been processing some of my own fleeces," she said.
"I got enthused with the craft myself and discovered I was purchasing Merino tops, but it was Australian wool that had been to China and back for processing."
Ms Beer researched the processing side and now has her Merino fleeces processed at Geelong.
"It's all done in Victoria," she said.
"My wool goes into the worsted system of wool processing, with the least amount of chemical input.
"The first process is scouring (washing) and the second step is combing, which removes short fibres, vegetable matter and lines all the fibres up into a continuous length.
"I bring that product home and sell some as it is, and some I dye in different colours and sell it online.
"I haven't got to the yarn yet because that's an extra level of investment, but I'd love to produce my own yarn because that's another whole market.
"Quite a few other farms are producing yarn with Merino wool, but I would like to get the Castledale and the Drysdale wool processed."
Fibre art homewares an emerging market
THE growing fibre art trend in homewares and fashion is another emerging market Mrs Beer supplies wool to.
English Leicester wool is suitable for fibre artists, felters and spinners, and the stronger wools, such as the English Leicester and Drysdale are good for household use in carpets and wall hangings.
Ms Beer sells her dyed and undyed fleece and wool tops through the Beersheba Farm online shop and a selection of markets during the year, including the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo, Sheepvention at Hamilton, and the Wangaratta Handweavers and Spinners Group annual wool day.
"I've started to sell Drysdale wool to people doing fibre art," Ms Beer said.
"It's a bit more of a challenge to work with than some other wools because it is a double coat with a hairy outside coat and fluffy inside coat.
"The outer coat doesn't felt well, but interestingly enough, that fibre can be used for the same things as horsehair.
"In heritage buildings one of the traditional methods of rendering was to use horsehair in the plaster to strengthen it. We've got somebody trying that so I'm looking forward to seeing how that turns out.
"We've also had a lady who took some fleece and turned Drysdale wool into an upholstery fabric and covered a chair with it. It ended up being an amazing art piece where this fringed creature was coming out of the chair."
There's also interest from artists who create handwoven wall hangings, a popular homeware item over the past few years.
"Our wool is suitable for those handwoven one-off art pieces, and I'm actually trying to get some done for myself."
Preparing fleeces for processing was a learning curve, and since going further along the supply chain, Ms Beer has changed the way she prepares fleeces in the shed.
"Having been processing fleeces myself, I'm now a lot tougher with the preparation in the shearing shed. because the quality that you put into the processor, will determine the quality you get back from them.
"I was used to sending it off to the auctions, but I've learnt more about what I can do on farm to improve the quality of the product."