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If
you see a fleece that you'd like to purchase, but
it's already been sold, I will be glad to reserve
that sheep's next fleece for
you.
A
few things I want you to know before you reserve a
SkyLines fleece . . .
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ONE,
here's how it works
- SkyLines
sheep are shorn every spring, in
February.
- One
or two weeks before shearing, I email everyone
on my email list with a heads up that fleeces
will be available soon.
- Within
a few weeks of shearing day I email everyone who
has reserved fleeces with their fleece weights,
price including shipping (minus their deposit),
and to request the balance due on the reserved
fleeces.
- I
try to ship fleeces within 3 business days of
receiving payment.
- Then
lambing season begins and I divide my time
between shipping fleeces and attending to moms
and babies.
- After
lambing season is over, I revise and update the
website with all the current year fleeces,
weights, and photos. By April or May, I write
everyone again to let them know that the
website's been updated with current pictures and
to remind them that the unreserved fleeces are
available for sale.
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SkyLines'
Romney-Montadale
ewe Nora, in her lamb
fleece
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The
bottom line: Spring is my busiest time of year, with
fresh fleeces and babies coming thick and fast. If you're
interested in a particular fleece from next year's shearing,
you might want to reserve it as soon as you can. That way,
you can be assured of not only getting the fleece you really
want come shearing time, but also getting it within just
days or weeks of shearing!
At the
very least, you may want to get on my customer list and
receive advance notice each year a few weeks before shearing
day. Just drop me a note
and I'll add your name to the list.
TWO
A
non-refundable 25% deposit is required to reserve fleeces.
At the time you place
your reservation, I will calculate your deposit based on the
fleece's weight the previous year, not including shipping.
I'll reserve a fleece for one week to give you time to get
your deposit to me.
After shearing day, I'll
skirt and weigh each reserved fleece and calculate the
remaining balance due. I'll then write you with a complete
quote for your purchase including shipping (and minus your
deposit).
THREE, a
sheep's fleece may change slightly from year to year
When
you view a fleece photo on this website, remember you're
looking at the wool that sheep grew over the last year. The
wool she's growing this year may be ever-so-slightly
different, particularly in the year between her first (lamb)
fleece and her second fleece. For example:
- It's
not a rule, but natural-colored fleeces sometimes lighten
just a bit
every year.
- Variegated
fleeces sometimes become a little less variegated and a
little
more uniform in color.
- White
or natural-colored fleeces may vary in weight from year
to year, sometimes by as much as 2-3 pounds.
- Another
quality that may vary, in white as well as
natural-colored fleeces, is crimp. Most of
SkyLines' sheep start out with a very fine crimp in their
first year (lamb) fleece. That crimp generally softens
and loosens a bit as the sheep matures - a very typical
Romney characteristic.
- My
adult fleeces are generally quite a bit heavier than lamb
fleeces, usually by 3-5 pounds. This is due to in part to
the fact that I skirt lamb fleeces so very heavily, and
also because adult sheep simply grow more wool and
produce more lanolin than lambs. If you reserve a lamb
fleece from this year's lamb listing, plan on her fleece
that you receive next spring being significantly
heavier.
If by
any chance there is an unusual change in a fleece that
you've reserved, I will let you know immediately after
shearing (or sooner), and give you the opportunity to change
your reservation. I want you to be completely happy with
your purchase of a SkyLines fleece!
With
these thoughts in mind, please feel free to
email
or
call
me
to reserve a fleece or to get on my customer list.
Melissa
SkyLines
Farm 4551 Highway 6 Harvard, ID 83834
208.875.8747
Purebred Romney & Romney-Cross
Sheep
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