Every Fleece Has a Job

One of my favorite parts of running Green Goat Ranch has nothing to do with dye pots or spinning wheels.

It's fleece shopping.

Seriously.

I love wandering through a fleece sale the same way some people love wandering through a thrift store. You never know what you're going to find. Sometimes it's an old favorite, like a beautiful Cotswold or Border Leicester. Sometimes it's a breed I've never worked with before. I can't resist bringing home something new to learn about.

Most of the fleeces I sell come from my shearer, Siri at Yankee Rock Farm. She shears sheep all over the Northeast and always seems to find interesting fleeces along the way. I also wash and sell the mohair from my own Angora goats here at the ranch. Between those and the occasional fleece sale, there's always something exciting waiting to be washed.

Of course, buying a raw fleece is a little like buying treasure. Sometimes you strike gold.

Sometimes... you don't.

Even after years of washing wool, I still get fooled now and then. I'll open up a fleece that looked wonderfully clean only to discover a lot more vegetable matter hiding inside than I expected. That's just part of working with a natural product.

Which brings me to VM.

VM stands for vegetable matter. Tiny bits of hay, straw, leaves, seeds, and pieces of pasture that sheep naturally collect while they're out living their best sheep lives.

For some people, seeing VM is a deal breaker.

For me, it's part of the story.

It reminds me that this fleece came from a real animal on a real farm. It spent its days outside instead of coming off an assembly line. I actually love that connection to the land.

That doesn't mean every spinner wants the same amount of preparation, though, which is why I sort my washed wool into three categories.

Light VM

Light VM has very little vegetable matter remaining. If you'd rather spend your time spinning than picking through a fleece, this is probably where you'll be happiest.

These fleeces also take the most work to prepare and usually have the highest usable yield, which is why they sit at the higher end of my pricing.

Medium VM

Medium VM is the middle ground.

There's still a little bit of nature tucked into the fleece, but not enough to be overwhelming. It's a wonderful balance between value and preparation, and one I find myself recommending often.

Heavy VM

Heavy VM isn't damaged wool.

It simply asks a little more from you.

These fleeces are wonderful if you enjoy combing, blending with other fibers, felting, or spinning yarn for woven wall hangings, baskets, and other decorative projects where a little extra preparation doesn't matter.

They're also my most affordable option because there's more work left for the maker.

When I wash a fleece, I already have a pretty good idea of how much VM will come out during processing. That's why I grade each one by both sight and feel. Heavy VM will still have some vegetable matter remaining after washing, while Light VM has very little left.

Pricing isn't based on VM alone, though.

I also consider the breed.

I have a soft spot for longwools like Cotswold, Border Leicester, and Lincoln. Their shine, drape, and beautiful locks make me smile every time I open a bag. But I also love bringing home breeds I've never worked with before just to see what they're like.

Every breed has its own personality, and that personality is part of the value.

So when I price a fleece, I'm looking at three things: the breed, the weight, and the VM level.

Together, they tell the story of that particular fleece.

One thing I've learned over the years is that every fleece has a job.

The cleanest fleece has a job.

The one with extra VM has a job.

Even the wool that's too matted or dirty to spin has a job. Nothing goes to waste here. The pieces that truly aren't usable become mulch here at the ranch, feeding the soil that grows the next season's gardens.

I like that.

It feels like the right ending to the story.

Every fleece has a purpose. Sometimes it's soft yarn. Sometimes it's a cozy felted project. Sometimes it becomes part of the garden.

Whatever path it takes, it all starts the same way—with a sheep, a shepherd, and a little bit of pasture still tucked inside the wool.

I hope this helps you find the fleece that's right for you. I can't wait to see where it takes your creativity.