Photos: Wool gathering
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Nothing says springtime like a newborn lamb. This is one of 50 raised by Regina Embler of Applewood Acre sheep farm in Wright. The enterprise started as a 4-H project of her daughter Caroline some 40 years ago; when Caroline went off to college, Embler kept the sheep. “I just couldn’t sell them,” she said. Now she sells some of the animals for meat, and shows sheared wool in fairs and sells it to hand spinners.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
On guard: Larry the llama watches over the sheep at Applewood Acre, keeping them safe from coyotes. “He’s the neighborhood greeter and our ambassador for llamas,” says Embler of the friendly animal who has been on the farm for about 15 years. “He likes to smell people’s hair.”
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Looking sheepish, these registered Romneys are a long-wool breed that originated in England. The sheep wear coats so their fleece — in white, cream, black, and shades of gray and brown — can be offered in pristine condition.