One of the wonders of the American West is the ranchland and the animals it supports. Travel the backroads and you will come across a variety of native and non-native critters who provide fiber for Jeny Originals Yarns and Handwovens.
Scattered across the prairie is the American bison. Even from a distance the massive black shoulders form a hump that is a visible contour on the landscape. These animals are not for petting and will gladly defend their privacy by chasing an intruder for several miles so we wait until they shed their downy coats each spring to gather the fiber that will eventually be spun into bisondown yarn.
Among the more personable animals are llamas and alpaca. Prized for their soft fiber for centuries they are also gentle beasts of burden, and reliable guard animals which are very adept performers at obstacle courses in shows and fairs across the country. They need to be sheared when the weather turns hot. Although they are happy to shed their heavy coats you'd be amazed to see how skinny their bodies really are under all that wool. Alpacas are the smaller, non-working cousin of llamas and are bred primarily for fiber.
The Rocky Mountains are able to boast an extensive line of sheep. The Colombia breed was developed by the University of Wyoming because Wyoming ranchers needed a dual crop (meat and wool) to make sheep raising cost effective. It makes an excellent, soft yarn for knitting. Other breeds that roam the area include Rambouillet, Cormo, Merino and Navaho Churro. A popular event at small rodeos is the sport of "Mutton Busting," where very young children (4-6 years old) are put on the back of a sheep and told to 'hold on.' With their hands gripping the thick wool, the sheep are freed from the pens to run as they will in the rodeo arena -- and young cowboys and cowgirls are initiated into the fun of rodeo. Don't kid yourself. The kids love it and there are good prizes for the ones who hang on the longest (with mom, dad and rodeo clowns to pick up those whose ride is cut short by an unruly lamb).
Those doe-eyed curly locks you seen wandering the hills or in pens are angora goats, raised primarily in Texas and New Mexico. The first shearing is the prized kid mohair, but even an adult goat can have very fine hair for life (just like the difference in coarseness of human hair). The goat with the straight hair, which feels very coarse to touch, is actually the cashmere goat. After it is sheared the guard hairs (the coarse hairs) are removed and only the down (softer than goose down) is kept. It takes approximately 4 adult goats to provide enough fiber/yarn to make one adult sweater.
Yaks are one of the few animals you can brush. If people don't do it the fiber will be rubbed off on sagebrush and fence posts. The are gentle as youngsters, but get independent and hard to catch as they get older.
The only animal that seems to actually enjoy sharing its coat is the angora rabbit. When their hair is ready it is released from the hair follicle and is ready to pluck. It doesn't hurt the rabbit; it is necessary for the rabbit's health. What a wonderful way to relax -- by sitting and plucking a soft, cuddly rabbit!
So, next time you visit a yarn shop remember that those soft, luxury fibers were brought to you by . . . .