New Crop of Lambs - 2013 

Out of ten ewes, we welcomed seventeen lambs by the end of February. The biggest surprise was the fourteen pounder! There were five rams and twelve ewes, which is a good thing:) 

We're headed to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival with eight natural-colored sheep and three white the first weekend of May. At the end of May, we'll be bringing some to sell at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster. We're looking forward to reconnecting with fellow Border Leicester sheep breeders this spring from Rhode Island to Montana. 

Below are a few shots of the lambs:

Flock For Sale!

We're ready to downsize (and spend more time with our granddaughter). If anyone is interested in investing in a great flock of Border Leicester sheep, mostly natural-colored, let us know. Hope to see you in Maryland or Wooster in May.

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.

Summertime 2011

ZNK Border Leicester Summer Update

Great Lakes Fiber Festival - Wooster, Ohio

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional kick-off for summer, and ours began with a successful weekend at the Great Lakes Fiber Festival in Wooster which hosts the National Border Leicester Sale. We sold three sheep. The black ram lamb won his class and was sold to Sarah Jakeman of Some Day Soon Farm, New York. The white ewe was second in her class and was sold to Montana Aerie along with our other yearling ewe in the sale.

June and July on the Farm - West Liberty

In spite of a very hot summer, it was a good one. As soon as Jerry arrived home from Wooster, our granddaughter Lucia's 2-week visit began. Zac and Rebecca took off for Spain, and we gladly offered to entertain Lu while they traveled. We introduced her to the sheep, hoping that she'll get to feel comfortable around them and help her Pappy show them someday. Her favorite activity, as seen in the photo, was helping Pappy mow the lawn.

In the meantime, I started renting a booth at Hidden Treasures in West Liberty. I have hand-painted yarn, hand-spun yarn, roving, and hand-knitted items for sale. I'm hoping the sales improve in the fall when people are looking for woolen projects to do, as well as hats, scarves, mittens, and wrist-warmers to keep them warm this winter. Look here for future listings of fleeces for sale.

In July, Christine, a dear childhood friend, visited us from California for a few days. She thoroughly enjoyed the small farm experience, including helping Jerry wash and trim sheep.

It was time, of course, to get them ready for the Ohio State Fair later in the month.

Speaking of the state fair, we had a second in a class of 5 and a 3rd in a class of 12. Two of our fleeces placed second and third. We had hoped to do better. Unfortunately, the ewe we thought could be a winner didn't get entered.

Michigan Fiber Festival - Allegan

Mid-August brought us to the Michigan Fiber Festival in

Allegan where we were very successful.

In the yearling ewe white long-wool class we had a first

and third. Those 2 ewes then won the pair of yearling ewes.

The first place ewe went on to win champion white long-wool ewe and then supreme champion ewe.

In the natural-color long-wool show our yearling ram won

his class and was reserve champion NC ram. The NC yearling ewe and the NC ewe lamb each won their class with the yearling being the champion and the lamb being the reserve champion NC ewes.

We also sold a lot of fleeces, so it was definitely a successful year in Michigan!

What's Next?

We're headed to the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts, to show for the first time. We look forward to seeing familiar faces at the Border Leicester Show and meeting new breeders as well.

Lambing Time!

Things have been busy in the barn. Still waiting for the last ewe to deliver, but 18 lambs running around so far!

Wisconsin Lamb Joins Our Flock

Looking like she belongs in Ohio!

Jerry found a natural-colored ewe lamb with a beautiful fleece from www.thistlewoodborderleicesters.com, so three days after Christmas, we headed north through Chicago and continued northwest of Madison Twenty-one hours later we arrived home (on our 37th wedding anniversary) with our new ewe lamb.