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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper July 2018 Page 21
Pride and Preservation
Over the years, Caroline Clark Longwools. She is a proud five-year
of Thurmont has seen many of member of the Rocky Ridge 4-H
her friends participate in a very (left) Caroline participates in Club and the Frederick County Beef,
special contest, with a unique prize the Shepard’s Lead Contest Sheep & Swine Club. Her projects
awarded, at the Maryland Sheep & with Bonnie, receiving a include market lambs, breeding
second place award. The
Wool Festival. This contest, run by entire outfit and scarf the sheep, sewing, crafts, cooking, and
the Youth Conservationist Program ewe is wearing was made from field crops. She has been very active
(YCP), is open to all interested wool by Caroline. in 4-H Fashion Revue, Skillathon,
in raising and preserving special Livestock Judging, and Shepard’s
breeds of sheep. Winners get the Line Lead events across the local
opportunity to experience the joys (below) Caroline receiving and state level. Caroline is a third-
her new registered Leicester
and responsibilities of raising and Longwool ewe from Stillpoint generation farmer, taking care of all
conserving heritage breeds of wool Farm at the Maryland Sheep & the needs of her growing flock. She
sheep that may not be common in Wool Festival gets up early in the morning, prior
certain areas of the United States. to school, and tends to them when
It’s made possible by breeders who Courtesy Photos she gets home from school.
are willing to mentor youth, donate So, not only will Caroline be
a yearling ewe, and assist the youth preserving a heritage breed, but also
with establishing their own flock. the art of hand spinning. Caroline
This year, Caroline entered the was bitten by the wool bug when
contest and won a wonderful award. she was taught how to process her
As part of the contest, youth from Carol and became own fleece into roving and then
are required to submit an essay, attached to the breed to yarn. At first, she borrowed
outlining why they want to preserve instantly. a spinning wheel from a local
a heritage sheep breed. Each Leicester Longwools are artisan—who is a wonderful teacher
year, the breeds change and the very calm and are excellent to the local 4-H youth—Patty
youth can review what might be mothers. They are also Sanville of Jefferson, Maryland. She
available before deciding to enter. known for their beautiful spent a day educating Caroline on
Caroline became interested in the fleeces, which are prized by the wheel and how to spin properly.
YCP program several years ago, hand spinners. According to Just a few months later, Caroline
but waited to enter until the right the Livestock Conservancy, had made lots of skeins of beautiful
breed came along—the Leicester the Leicester Longwool was cream colored 2-ply yarn, which will
Longwool. In 2018, Caroline highly prized in America, soon be transformed into something
learned a Longwool ewe might be especially for its use in spectacular. Caroline has even
available, and she decided to enter. crossbreeding to improve participated recently in a spinning
She had already started her flock, so “native” stock. During the demonstration, in conjunction with
it was very exciting waiting for the 1800s, however, the breed an event held at Rose Hill Manor
essays to be evaluated. A few days lost favor to the Merino and other flocks have now been established, in Frederick. She sat with local
before the start of the Maryland fine wool breeds. After 1900, the and the population of Leicester spinners and educated the public on
Sheep & Wool Festival, Caroline breed fell into decline and was likely Longwool sheep in North America is the beauty and versatility of wool.
received the phone call she had been extinct in the United States during increasing. This is important, given This year, you may be able to see
waiting for: Her essay had been the 1930s or 1940s. A very small that the breed remains rare globally. Caroline and her flock of Leicester
selected, and she would be receiving population remained in Canada. Caroline’s new ewe, Bonnie, has a Longwools at one of several shows:
a registered yearling Leicester In 1990, Colonial Williamsburg beautiful white fleece. The Wills Fair, The Great Frederick
Longwool ewe. Her ewe would be Foundation, a historic site in Caroline is no stranger to raising Fair, and The Maryland State Fair.
from Stillpoint Farm, donated by Virginia, reestablished the breed in sheep. She is just twelve years The YCP program can open up
Carol McConaughy. Carol and her North America by importing sheep old and has fourteen ewes in her opportunities for youth who are
husband, Tom, have a lovely farm from Australia. Several conservation commercial flock and four Leicester interested in preserving heritage
near Mt. Airy, Maryland, where she sheep breeds. If you are interested in
raises Leicester Longwool sheep and Patronize the Advertisers in The Catoctin Banner! participating in the program, please
boards horses. Caroline bought her contact Elaine Ashcraft at tankewe_
very first Leicester Longwool ewe The Catoctin Banner exists due to the advertising support of those featured in each issue. [email protected].
