The Sweater’s Story: A Journey From Shepherding to Cozy Creations

In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development

Much like rings on a tree tell stories of the plant’s environment and care, the fleece of a sheep knits narratives of seasons and shepherding.

“It takes a year to feed, care for and grow the wool on our sheep,” shepherdess Bridget Kavanagh says.

Kavanagh is the owner and operator of Happy Goat Lucky Ewe Fiber Farm and Michigan Merinos, raising 60 sheep to produce woolen products for fiber artists, gift-givers and warmth-wishers.

Her farm’s shearing day in March is a holiday and an annual review of sorts.

“On shearing day, we assess the fiber – you can see the fast growth of spring pasture, the slower, steady growth of summer grass, the quick growth of fall flushing, and the stable development of the wool during pregnancy,” she says.

Her product quality reflects an eco-conscious approach and meticulous care for the livestock and their habitat, Kavanagh says, with the journey from lambing to selling unraveling quite a yarn.

Breeding Health

When Kavanagh moved to her farm in 1987, she adopted the property’s gardens and eventually expanded them by planting 5 acres of wildflowers and native grasses. That effort attracted a preserve of native pollinators and a variety of birds, among other animals, and strengthened the farm’s climate-centric design.

“We also capture carbon through composting and distribute the composted manure as natural fertilizer,” Kavanagh says. “And we rotate pastures, allowing the soil to absorb the nutrients from freshly deposited manure and to rest between grazing.”

This regenerative strategy, in combination with ethical animal treatment, serves as the foundation for breeding and raising healthy sheep. For example, six weeks before breeding its Bluefaced Leicester, Teeswater and Merino sheep, Happy Goat Lucky Ewe takes another nutritional measure and increases the amount of higherprotein hay fed to the animals.

“This encourages the release of two eggs instead of one, and chances of twins are higher,” Kavanagh says.

Fleece to Fashion

Six weeks before the sheep give birth, the farm crew shears the livestock’s fleece.

After the shearing, a team removes the undesirable parts of the wool, and the clean fiber is weighed and bagged for shipping to the mill. There, the wool is cleaned, combed and spun for manufacturing into various Michigan Merinos shop products, with three-quarters of the harvested wool transforming into yarn for fiber artists, including Why Knot Fibers and Fair Enough LLC.

The owners of Fair Enough LLC, Bryan Carroll and Hannah Mulligan, produce and sell made- to-order merino wool sweaters. Mulligan says they were motivated to build a sustainable fashion company with a regenerative supply chain.

“We source our wool, have it spun and knit our sweaters – all within about 250 miles of our home,” Mulligan says.

Carroll adds, “Our customers feel good knowing exactly where their sweater came from and that it’s 100% Michigan-made.”

Fair Enough LLC considered various wool producers as partners; however, Carroll and Mulligan say Kavanagh’s product quality and sustainable practices ultimately won them over.

See more: For Groundswell Farm Owner Bruce-Michael Wilson, Farming Isn’t Just About Crops

Winter Warmth

Kavanagh says she owes her business success to her two right-hand men, Russell Lipe and Rodney Peters, who play significant roles in the farm’s operations and organization.

This fruitful teamwork enables Happy Goat Lucky Ewe to shear an impressive amount of wool, with each ewe providing 7 to 10 pounds of raw merino wool and each yearling producing approximately 4 pounds of fiber.

Out of all the varieties, the farm’s merino wool is a customer favorite.

“It’s wear-next-to-your-skin soft and has a high comfort factor,” Kavanagh says.

According to the shepherdess, wool is the best sustainable solution when Michigan winters demand warmth.

“It’s natural, it breaks down in the environment and, when made into garments, provides years of wearability,” Kavanagh says.

See more: Michigan’s Beef Industry Addresses Supply Chain Challenges Head-On