The Shetland's roots go back over a thousand years, probably to sheep brought to the Shetland Islands by viking settlers. They belong to the Northern European short-tailed group which also contains the Finnsheep, Norwegian Spaelsau, Icelandics, Romanovs and others. The Shetland is the smallest of the British breeds and it retains many of the characteristics of wild sheep. Today they are considered a primitive or "unimproved" breed. Rams usually weigh 90 to 125 pounds and ewes about 75 to 100 pounds. Rams usually have spiral horns, whereas the ewes are typically polled. They are fine-boned and their naturally short, fluke-shaped tails do not require docking. The wool color and high quality is commercially important to the wool industry of the islands where natural wools are often used undyed to make high quality shetland knitwear. Extra fine ring shawls are knitted, so called because the finest can be passed through a wedding ring. In the UK as a whole the wool is prized by handspinners. Shetland sheep are very hardy, good mothers, easy lambers and produce plenty of milk. When crossed with an early maturing terminal sire (such as a Ryeland) the fat lambs make excellent eating and dress out well. Purebred Shetland meat is highly regarded on taste, but is slow to mature and wethers are often run through to shearlings.
Shetland wool: Shetland wool has a Bradford count usually in the upper 50's to lower 60's and a fiber diameter range of 20 -25 microns. Fleeces usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds (1-1 1/2 kg) and have a staple length of 2 to 4.5 inches (50-120mm). Shetland comes in one of the widest ranges of colors of any breed. Besides the white, the sheep produce several shades of wool including moorit(reddy/brown), shaela (silvery grey), fawn, grey, dark brown and black. They are often patterned such as krunet (white crown), katmoget (dark belly) and gulmoget (light underneath). There are 11 main colors as well as 30 markings, many still bearing their Shetland dialect names. Unfortunately, many of these colors and markings have become quite rare as white wool has historically commanded better prices.
REDFORD
Pickles and her ewe lamb born 3/31/08. We think the new lamb's name is something pickle related but we can't think of a good one yet! Any ideas?? A couple of 2009 lambs playing King of the Mountain on their daddy! 
2009 lambs! Look at those patterns! Redford done a GOOD job!! Pickles and her ram lamb, Gherkin with Ginger on the right. Pickles and her ram lamb, Gherkin and another picture of Gherkin with the resident Barred Rock hen. Baby lamb ram Gherkin. Just look at that precious face! And here is Gherkin with his mother, Pickles. The last picture is Gherkin at one year old.
PRECIOUS ROSE
CHILI
HILDAOur new lambs from Fairlight Farm and Locksley Fields Farm. On the left is a musket blettet wether. The two ewe lambs on the right are moorit blettet/krunet by LocksField Kaya Pepper on the right (Chili) and a moorit blettet ewe by LocksField RoseBriar in the center (Precious Rose). Our flock of Shetlands. Our little grey/white flecket wether is hiding on the right, behind his musket blettet partner in crime!
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