28/12/2022 Commercial wool
The sheep farmers who are generating nearly as much from their wool as their meat.
For most sheep farmers, wool doesn鈥檛 pay. Shepherds often shear their sheep for the animals鈥� welfare, but don鈥檛 make any money from the wool. More often than not, it actually costs them money. However, one couple in Somerset are reviving the textile tradition and making it pay. Andy Wear and Jennifer Hunter from Fernhill Farm have three thousand sheep. They graze the flock on a network of farms across the Mendips, following regenerative principles - boosting soil health by rotating the grazing, and cutting out herbicides and fertilisers. Jen is a Nuffield Scholar, she travelled the world researching sustainable wool production. The textiles business began as a means of earning money in winter, when the farm wasn鈥檛 making money from its holiday lets and events business. With selective breeding and marketing, wool now accounts for 40% of the income from their flock. Andy is a record-breaking shearer and he鈥檚 created a shearing barn where he runs courses. His purpose-built shearing stand, inspired by systems in New Zealand and Australia, doubles up as a stand for bands and festivals in the summer.
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