There’s nothing like a classic Vermont barn that’s painted red with wooden beams throughout. The barn at Porjay’s Farm in New Haven is just such a barn, resplendent of good hay and the scent of sheepiness. I happen to love that sheepy smell. Porjay’s Farm is situated on some of the finest agricultural soils in the state of Vermont. This nutritional bounty really shows in the quality of the sheep in the fields and barns. Porjay’s Farm raises registered Texels, Poll Dorsets and North Country Cheviots.
Dorset Sheep
Dorset sheep are the backbone of small and medium scale wool sheep production flocks. They are as common as crows, but few fibercrafters use their wool because it’s not as well-promoted as wool from specialty wool breeds. Dorset sheep are productive, hardy, medium size sheep with great down-type medium wool. Just because it’s commonplace doesn’t mean it’s not special in its own way!
Wool Sorting
I was blown away by the cleanliness of the wool from this farm. It’s really not easy to keep a sheep clean – I skirt away up to 60% of some of my own fleeces due to hay contamination. These fleeces had NONE. Fleece envy can be a thing, I think.
The wool itself has a crisp crunch. Make no mistake, this is not next-to-skin wool for some people. But consider the advantages of a wool that will wear and look sharp for years to come. No cottony slouch will ever overtake this product.
