GOTLANDS: Origins
The Gotland breed was first established on the Swedish island of Gotland by Vikings with Karakul and Romanov sheep brought back from expeditions deep into Russia and crossed with native landrace sheep. Vikings were not just great seafarers, but were also sheep farmers and took these animals on their extensive voyages to provide meat and skins along the route.
The spread of these Northern short-tailed sheep through sea trade promoted the development of numerous related breeds such as Gute sheep, Icelandic, Finnsheep, Shetland, North Ronaldsay and Manx.
GOTLANDS: Now
Primitive horned Gotland sheep (still called Gute) still exist on the island of Gotland today. The Gotland Peltsheep or modern Gotland has been developed in Sweden since the 1920’s through controlled breeding and intensive selection, producing a true multi-purpose long wool sheep, known for good flavored close-grained meat, furskins and soft, silky, lustrous fleece.
Breed Description
Fine-boned and of medium size. Hornless black head sometimes with white markings and free from wool. Bold eyes, alert medium sized ears. Small neat muzzle with even jaw and teeth set squarely on the pad. Slender neck and shoulders set smoothly into a level back with generous length, good depth and reasonable breadth of body. Slender black legs well spaced and upright. Short hair tipped tail. Dense, long, lustrous grey fleece, occasionally black or white. Clearly defined even curl and staple, soft to the touch. Calm, friendly disposition.
Tamarack Farm
OUR GOTLANDS
Nestled in the valleys of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, we are an easy drive from all points in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We welcome visitors to our farm for tours by previous arrangement.
Our Stuga, or “Little Cottage” is open for shopping every Friday and Saturday, or by appointment for private shopping. We offer patterns by Sofia Kammeborn, authentic Swedish leather mittens and slippers, imported pelts and locally milled and handspun yarns from our flock.
Characteristics
A bright, active and friendly sheep full of curiosity. Ewes generally weigh from 120 to 155 lbs. Rams are heavier, weighing in at 165 to 190 lbs. Lambs are born with a lush black birth coat and are very active and quick to suckle. They make rapid summer growth and may reach 66 to 100 lbs. at 6 to 7 months old, depending on litter size.
Toarp Sateri
We are excited to partner with Sweden’s own Toarp Sateri and introduce their product line of fine woolen blankets made from Gotland Wool. Produced small batches on the island of Gotland with wool produced by the native flocks, this is the first time these blankets have been made available in the United States. We offer both wholesale and retail sales options.