ZNK Fall Update, 2012

Michigan Fiber Festival, August 18-19, Allegan, Michigan

We made our annual trip to Allegan for our favorite sheep and fiber show.  We took 7 natural-colored Border Leicesters and felt pretty successful with the results. We had Reserve Champion ewe and won Premier Breeder in the Long Colored Wool show. Not only did the show go well, but we were happy to see friends from previous shows. Everyone is so nice. Sadly, one of our favorite restaurants, London Grill in Plainwell, closed soon after we ate there with friends Brian and Jennifer Larson. In the meantime, we have found Salt of the Earth in Fennville, an excellent place to eat with our friends Janet and Tim Thieme who live in Kalamazoo. And we made new friends like Susan Munson from Fennville who loved a fleece on one of our ewes and put in an order for it. We look forward to returning to Allegan in August, 2013!

Ohio State Fair, 2012

We didn't show at the Ohio State Fair this year, but one of our white ram lambs made an appearance. He was the Grand Champion white long wool ram. Here he is being shown by his new owner Travis Johnson.

The Big E, Sept. 23, West Springfield, Mass.

Yes, we returned to the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts, this year. We enjoyed the venue - even camping in the parking lot in our little camper - so much the previous year, we decided to give it another shot. We took 6 natural-colored Border Leicesters and came home satisfied. We had four firsts, four seconds, one third, two fourths, and one fifth...all placing in the upper half of each class. We were just one point behind the premier breeder award...not bad! We also came home with a new ram, trading our first place ram for Emma Morton's reserve champion ram. Of course, the food is great at the Big E where there are places to eat in each of the replica state houses for six New England states and the Storrowtown Tavern (lobster bisque, crab cakes, and so on). And you can't top the home cooking at the potluck following the show! There is really no reason to leave the fairgrounds.

Jerry with first place early spring ram lamb.

NAILE, November 14, Louisville

While one of us took off for a week in Florida (Dena), the other (Jerry) headed for Louisville with 7 natural-colored border leicesters. We did well, coming home with two silver julep cups, reserve champion ewe and reserve champion ram. Also, another white ram sold to Callie Taylor of Pennsylvania won its class and was reserve champion in the junior show.

And so...we've had a good year. We've met some wonderful people along the way, had success showing the sheep and fleeces, and improved our flock. We look forward to 2013 and a new crop of lambs. 

Update - 2012

Other than a quick overnight trip to Maryland to pick up a new black ewe (champion at Maryland the previous year), things have been quiet around here since fall. Lambing in January and February went well - finished by February 16! Half ewes, half rams - total of 16. We've had luck in selling too. In December, we sold sheep to people in Delaware, Ohio. We then sold more to the Taylors in Pennsylvania. We sent fleeces to Maine and one to Alaska. In Athens, Ohio, there are 2 ewes who with the help of our ram had 5 lambs. Needless to say, it's been a good year so far.

Wooster - 2012


We were happy with the National Border Leicester Sale in Wooster Memorial Day weekend. We sold four head for over $1800. And we bought a ram lamb from Tiffany Deakin (can't go home empty-handed!). The weekend was fun getting together with other border leicester breeders. On Friday evening, there was a potluck put together by the Fogles (in spite of Marilyn's shoulder injury). Saturday night was a lovely dinner at the Olde Jaol in town. People brought things for a silent auction (representing sheep or their state). We made contacts to sell fleeces along the way, so all-in-all, it was a successful trip.

Fall, 2011 - The Big E

First Time at the Big E

Success - Champion natural-colored Border Leicester yearling ewe! Maybe it was beginner's luck, but we were thrilled. 

And what a terrific venue. The fairgrounds in West Springfield, MA is impressive - definitely not your typical state fair. We took our camper and stayed in the lot behind the sheep barn, just steps away from our animals. We found everything to be clean, and everyone was helpful and friendly. There is plenty to do from watching a free evening show of oldies music to wandering through the 6 replicas of the New England states' capitol buildings. We took a day trip through some beautiful areas and stumbled upon Smith and Amherst Colleges nestled in the hills. We thought this would be a one-time trip, but decided we have to return.