Thank you for this post, and may Heathen Herder thrive.
This post reminds me of a thread of conversation that used to weave around the person (now sadly deceased) of Colm Sweeney, native to the Ardara, Co Donegal area, who grew up on a sheep farm, and whose adult life was full of working with wool as a spinner and weaver and dyer, as well as becoming an accomplished artist.
The conversational thread touched in many places on the way he spoke of rearing sheep in the heather, shearing them, working with the fleeces through spinning and dying, picking up the colours of the land, and weaving, and eventually producing the tweeds to make suits and waistcoats you could wear... all of this he spoke of as a single, and whole, interconnected web of process... by means of which, as he would say, you could "wear the land on your back."
Thank you! I don’t think I knew of Colm Sweeney and sorry that he’s no longer with us. That phrase is perfect, to wear the land on your back, sounds like I would have liked his thinking. Thank you for sharing that.
I love that you are reclaiming the word Heathen to its true meaning, Carly. 💖. I’m looking forward to seeing your posts and finding out more about how you weave the wonderful wool from your beloved flock 🥰
This year the owls have returned to our wooded areas. It took 11 years after we disturbed it. I can hear them screeching and hooting at night and it's a beautiful sound.
Lovely name change. I am on year 5 of my sheep experience around the world from you in the high desert sagebrush sea on the northern edge of the great basin. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Melissa. I’ve seen so many people give up on sheep around year 4, I think when we make it through year five we must be getting something right!
Caught a glimpse of my younger self, working on a friend’s hill farm… I never learned to shear, more’s the pity, but wrangling the ewes and lambs for worming, dipping, sitting vigil for lambing, digging graves for those that didn’t make it, mucking out the sheep pen and spreading the bedding in a wide circle around the old apple trees in the orchard to nourish their root hairs…the smells and sounds of that land, Wild Farm in Vermont, will never leave me. Thank you for sharing your passion with this old heathen herder. Oh, and still spinning and weaving, taught by my friend who was sinew and bone part of that land. Can’t wait to see your creations.
Thank you for this post, and may Heathen Herder thrive.
This post reminds me of a thread of conversation that used to weave around the person (now sadly deceased) of Colm Sweeney, native to the Ardara, Co Donegal area, who grew up on a sheep farm, and whose adult life was full of working with wool as a spinner and weaver and dyer, as well as becoming an accomplished artist.
The conversational thread touched in many places on the way he spoke of rearing sheep in the heather, shearing them, working with the fleeces through spinning and dying, picking up the colours of the land, and weaving, and eventually producing the tweeds to make suits and waistcoats you could wear... all of this he spoke of as a single, and whole, interconnected web of process... by means of which, as he would say, you could "wear the land on your back."
https://colmsweeneyartist.com/ RIP
Thank you! I don’t think I knew of Colm Sweeney and sorry that he’s no longer with us. That phrase is perfect, to wear the land on your back, sounds like I would have liked his thinking. Thank you for sharing that.
I love that you are reclaiming the word Heathen to its true meaning, Carly. 💖. I’m looking forward to seeing your posts and finding out more about how you weave the wonderful wool from your beloved flock 🥰
Thank you, Geni :)
You write beautifully. I very much enjoyed this and wish you all the best with the Heathen Herder (great name!).
Thank you!
Beautiful post! So glad you’re settled on the Hill! Such a challenging lifestyle you’ve chosen-or maybe it’s chosen you!
Looking forward, as a weaver, to your work! Heathen Herder is a perfect title for you and your posts!
Thank you, Trish!
This year the owls have returned to our wooded areas. It took 11 years after we disturbed it. I can hear them screeching and hooting at night and it's a beautiful sound.
That is wonderful!
Looking forward to seeing your work.
Thank you
That photo ... one helluva fleece! You and your sheep are obviously doing things the right way.
Lovely name change. I am on year 5 of my sheep experience around the world from you in the high desert sagebrush sea on the northern edge of the great basin. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Melissa. I’ve seen so many people give up on sheep around year 4, I think when we make it through year five we must be getting something right!
Caught a glimpse of my younger self, working on a friend’s hill farm… I never learned to shear, more’s the pity, but wrangling the ewes and lambs for worming, dipping, sitting vigil for lambing, digging graves for those that didn’t make it, mucking out the sheep pen and spreading the bedding in a wide circle around the old apple trees in the orchard to nourish their root hairs…the smells and sounds of that land, Wild Farm in Vermont, will never leave me. Thank you for sharing your passion with this old heathen herder. Oh, and still spinning and weaving, taught by my friend who was sinew and bone part of that land. Can’t wait to see your creations.
That sounds like an amazing experience and wonderful memories, I love that you connected with this post. Thank you, Sally.