At World’s End Farm we raise purebred Icelandic sheep, primarily for their exquisite, colorful wool, which we use in our classes and sell in our wool shop (scroll down).
About –
We consider ourselves grass farmers, harnessing the power of photosynthesis through pasture, forbs and trees to feed animals that provide us with fiber, meat and milk. Working harmoniously with nature, we utilize the land’s abundance to raise healthy, friendly, and resilient animals that can reach their full potential and live their best lives.
Why Icelandics -
There are three excellent aspects of Icelandic sheep; dual-coated colorful fleece highly sought after by fiber artists, milk with exceptional high fat content, (ideal for making cheese and yogurt), and fine boned delicate flavored lamb.
Icelandic sheep are rugged, beautiful and have good mothering skills. They are efficient ruminants and enjoy browsing (eating bushes, trees and shrubs). Traditionally pastured in summers on the rugged terrain of Iceland, this breed is instinctually thrifty and can thrive without supplemental grain.
The natural colors of the fleece range from white to tan to brown, grey and black. Some Icelandic sheep are spotted. Icelandics may be horned or polled (no horns). The ram lambs mature late enough in the fall that they do not generally need to be castrated, a management advantage over other sheep breeds.
Rotational grazing -
World’s End Farm has 20 acres of pasture, over which we rotationally graze 30 sheep through the spring, summer and fall.
We follow the principles of intensive rotational grazing, in which sheep are never kept on the same pasture for more than 4 days. Using portable, lightweight electric net fencing, we are able to move the flock as often as needed. After 3 months, sheep may return to land grazed earlier in the season.
Intensive rotational grazing is healthy for the sheep and for the land. It allows the pasture to reach its maximum potential through the gentle mowing, distribution of manure, and hoof imprints of the flock. Moving sheep in this way improves pasture and helps to ensure no deworming is needed.
With around 80 acres of woodlands on the farm, we are slowly expanding the sheep territory into a silvopasture system, in which grazing animals are integrated with trees for shade and forage.
Wools Shop
After shearing our flock each summer, we turn their wool into yarn, blankets, pillows, and hats.
In October, we cull out the ram lambs unfit for breeding along with any troublesome ewes (troublesome in flock management means weak, susceptible to parasites and disease or generally difficult to handle). Good flock management means breeding only the best sheep; this is what shepherds have done for millennia. Cull sheep are dispatched here on our farm and butchered for our freezer. Their pelts are salted and dried for 3-5 weeks and then tanned in Pennsylvania at Bucks County Fur.
By March, the falls pelts are returned to us - soft, powerful reminders of the cycle of life here on our farm. We often keep special sheep for ourselves and offer the rest of our pelts here.
World’s End Registered Icelandic Sheep for Sale
Geb
Twin, black grey ram lamb (brother of Set). Dam is Foxy, Sire is Ramses I. This lamb is fast growing and calm. Beautiful fleece; the tog is a long lusterous grey and thel is solid black. Nice wide horns and great musculature. Dam is a great independent mother and top milker. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and gentle disposition.
SOLD
Osiris
Twin, white hetrozygous ram lamb. This gentle lamb has beautiful fleece and nice wide set horns. Out of Lady, a solid moorit Worlds End matriarch and one of our finest mothers - Lady is a standout sheep, the most sociable in the flock. She has always twinned and is an exceptional mother. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and gentle disposition.
SOLD
Nefertiti
Single, heterozygous white ewe lamb. Pure white gorgeous silky fleece, strong fast growing lamb - she is the star ewe lamb of this years flock. Dam is Aphrodite, first time mother (daughter of Gracie) who lambed unassisted. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and has a gentle disposition.
SOLD
Hotep
Single, heterozygous white ewe lamb. This ewe lamb has grown beautifully on late summer pasture, and has become friendlier as the season progressed. Her dam is Hera, and her grand dam is Dottie, one of our mature matriarchs prized for her milkiness and wonderful temperament. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and gentle disposition.
SOLD
Ahmenset
Twin, heterozygous white ewe lamb (sister to Akhenaten). This is the first lamb to approach us in the paddock. Wonderfully friendly, excellent fleece, beautiful face. Her dam is Stevie a solid moorit who twinned unassisted and is a great mother, and her granddam is Lady. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and gentle disposition.
SOLD
Akhenaten
Twin, black grey ram lamb (brother to Ahmenset). Akhenaten is the star ram lamb in the 2020 season due to his temperament and exceptional fleece. He has very wide horns. His dam is Stevie, a solid moorit, who twinned unassisted and is a great mother, and his granddam is Lady. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and a gentle disposition.
SOLD
Hera
Twin, homozygous white ewe. Three year old (b. 2017 to Dottie) lambed for the first time in spring 2020 and produced Hotep (listed above). Strong, excellent mother. Friendly and inquisitive. Would be a great cornerstone to a starter flock. Dam is Dottie, sire is Birch from Celandine Farm in Vermont. Soft white fleece with tan pheomelanin. Classic Icelandic beauty.
SOLD
Set
Twin, white heterozygous ram lamb (brother to Geb). Dam is Foxy, Sire is Ramses I. This lamb is fast growing and gentle. Beautiful soft white fleece, impressive horns. Dam is a black grey ewe; great independent mother and great milker. Sire is Ramses I (heterozygous white ram from Kind Horn Farm), selected for his excellent fleece and his gentle disposition.
SOLD
