Photo credit: Kara Chappell Photography
The Farm
welcome!
a few notes on what we’re up to
We acknowledge that our home and farm sit on the traditional homeland of the first people of this region, the Coast Salish Peoples past and present. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people of the Lower Skagit who cared for it until 1855 and the signing of the Treaty of Point Elliott.
We invite you, our guest, to learn more about this land and its people.
At Windy Indigo Farm & Fiber, we believe in a world filled with creativity and connection.
Our sheep are grazing a vast sea of green orchard grasses. They take the energy from those grasses, turning it into beautiful wool and feeding the next year’s grasses. Their wool will become yarn, with a life in the homes of our community, perhaps as a sweater or blanket. Long-wearing and warm, these woolens may be given or traded over time.
But here’s the magic. When the useful life of these creations is over, the wool itself returns to the earth to feed the earth and another generation.
Just as our sheep and land depend upon one another for health and sustenance, we envision a thriving and interdependent community of farmers, makers and artists.
As I work with our animals to produce beautiful fleece, I ponder the possibilities. There will be spinners and knitters. There will be mixed media artists. There will be women and men working alone, and women and men working in groups. There will be loneliness and there will be friendship. There will be celebrations.
We welcome all who seek authentic connection and creative inspiration to join us in this endeavor.
our sheep live on pasture, with 24/7 access to shelter, water, mineral & supplement
We raise a fiber flock, primarily of Romeldale/CVM and Romney breeds. Our sheep are at the center of everything that we do here on the farm. They provide endless amusement. They keep our pasture grasses mown. They produce beautiful fiber.
In short, we love them!
Our Sheep
We raise a fiber flock, primarily of Romeldale/CVM and Romney breeds.
Romney are a wonderful dual-purpose long-wool breed, known for their fitness (when properly bred) and high quality wool production. A favoriate with hand-spinners, including beginners, this easy-spinning wool creates a lofty and elastic yarn. Romney yarn makes beautiful and durable sweaters, hats and mittens. Learn more.
Romeldale/California Variegated Mutant (CVM) sheep refer to white and colored variants, respectively of the same breed (story here). Originally developed in California by A. T. Spencer, both are listed as Threatened on the Livestock Conservancy Priority list. They produce fine wool, with even crimp in a wide variety of colors and patterns, making them popular with hand-spinners. Romeldale/CVM yarn makes next-to-skin soft sweaters, scarves, and baby blankets. Learn more.
Wool & Yarn
We shear our sheep annually, in late autumn.
Shearing is similar to a human haircut and does not harm the sheep. In fact, wool sheep breeds must be shorn in order to remain healthy.
What we like to see:
- 4-6 inch staple length
- soft hand
- even crimp
- breed-appropriate fiber diameter
- consistency side to side and head to rump
- low vegetative matter (VM) and kemp-free
We sell skirted wool (raw), as well as roving and mill-spun yarn. Bundles of washed, hand-combed Romeldale/CVM locks are also popular. Check the Windy Indigo Shop for current availability.
Events and Farm Stay (future)
While we are currently focused on building our fiber flock and systems to support best-in-class fiber offerings, we believe in the value and importance of community.
As we move forward, we will be developing a community gathering space. This space will offer a place for local makers to take classes, collaborate and support each other. We hope to also make it available for small events that are important to families and communities such as weddings, anniversaries and reunions. It is my dream to also open this space to the broader community, for parent mutual support and other purposes valuable to the community.
In addition, we are excited to add a farm stay in the future, to share our farm life with those who need a break from their own day-to-day. We have taken so much from those little chances to get away in ways that were family-friendly and in which we did not have to be worried about our own chaos impacting those around us. We would like to be able to offer that opportunity for peace and respite to other families to come as they are, as well. Stay posted!
Meet the flock
Carly
Natural Colored Romney Ewe
Josie
White Romney Ewe
Eliza
Natural Colored Romney Ewe
Blossom
White Romney Ewe
Roman
Natural Colored Romeldale Ram
Pearl
White Merino Ewe