We started out as Patrick's Pastured Pets because the "real" farmers in the neighborhood always laughed at me and how I spoiled my horses. We always have had horses on our farm, but in 1991 Grandpa gave the kids a ewe lamb to bottle feed. My son was four at the time, my daughter was three. We named the ewe, Meryl Sheep (Sesame Street gets the credit) and she was the beginning of a love affair with fleece.
From that point forward we began to collect fiber animals - I bought a small herd of Angora goats from a friend, and picked up additional does; then I picked up more sheep and found myself obsessed with spinning and felting and knitting - so much for the horses. We rescued a few sheep, took in a bunch more when a friend moved to California, adopted a bottle lamb (again) - and the next thing you know we have a flock/herd of over 30 animals with spring kids and lambs adding to the mix. So here we are 15 years later, knee deep in fiber and sharing our products with you.
Happy Goat Lucky Ewe's latest addition to the farm is the Wenslydale-Cotswold cross. These lovely ewes are part of a world-wide effort to bring back the Wenslydale, a breed that was nearly wiped out during the foot and mouth outbreak in England. This year's roving includes their wool as well as fiber from Blue Face Leicester/ Dorset crosses and angora goats. Wool from the Tunis/Lincoln cross and the natural colored B.F. Leicester was sent to Zeilingers in Frankenmuth, Michigan to be made into machine spun yarn. It is a natural grey - but I have overdyed special orders with Cushing's Dye.
As you must know by now, Angora goat mohair is the foundation of our fiber production. This wonderful breed of goat came from and was named after Ankara (Angora prior to 1930), the Turkish province where it has thrived for centuries.
These silky white animals are sheared twice a year, before breeding and before kidding; they are really laid back and love people (especially those with sweet feed). Angora goats produce mohair and rabbits produce angora.
Our goats and sheep are pets; they live on pasture for nine months out of the year with our Great Pyrenees, Girl Friend and are housed in the barn with a run-in for the coldest part of the winter.
Goats are browsing animals and can be pastured with sheep because each species prefers different plants.
Happy Goat Lucky Ewe Fiber Farm was settled north of Mason, Michigan in 1984. We (Joedy and Bridget Patrick) finally got serious and started to sell all that mohair and sheep's wool that's been washed and stashed for years.
In 2006 we started selling our roving for spinners, handspun yarns, scarves, comforters and novelty items such as bird nesting material and fly tier’s dubbing for fishermen. Any thing that doesn't sell before the next shearing is spun into yarn or made into rugs. Our stuff moves fast, so don't wait too long to order.
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