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"Our goal is to provide superior fiber and conformation in one package."
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We started our love affair with Alpacas indirectly through our sheep. Our farm started about 17 years ago with Corriedale sheep. We raise Corriedales for their wonderfully soft and fine wool that handspinners covet. We learned that llamas made excellent guard animals and decided to incorporate a few into our guardian program.
This was our first introduction to the Camelid family and we were hooked. Our natural progression was to alpacas that offer both beautiful fiber and gentle personalities.
We are pleased to be able to offer exceptional spinning fibers from our extended family, which includes Suri Alpacas, llamas, and Corriedale and Merino cross sheep.
All processing of fibers (washing and carding) are done in our smoke-free home with great care in order to produce the nicest fibers that we can for the handspinner.
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The fiber of suri alpacas is coveted by the fashion industry and cherished by the hand spinner. Its softness of cashmere, luster of silk, warmth and featherweight of goose down, durability of wool, and its ability to accept color dyeing makes it a favorite of all fiber enthusiasts. Suri fiber blends well with wool and other fine fiber, including silk, and the yarn can be knit, crocheted, or woven.
Our Suris produce a variety of colors, which include white, beige, light fawn, medium fawn, medium mahogany, and dark mahogany.
We also offer a blend of one-half Suri Alpaca and Corriedale Sheep rovings. Colors vary depending on the fibers available.
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Price:
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Suri Alpaca and wool blend rovings, $3.25 an ounce
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Raw Suri |
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Washed and carded Suri |
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We have been raising Corriedale sheep for about 17 years. We started as a spinner looking for quality fiber, which was hard to find. We decided to raise our own sheep so we could guaranty the quality. We chose Corriedale for their soft, crimpy fiber with a spinning count that ranges from 50s to 60s, providing a wide range of project possibilities. We coat them and feed them quality alfalfa hay – a combination that produces superior fiber.
We entered our fleeces at the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Ore., for many years and won many blue ribbons. We also won the Black Sheep Cup, given to the “five most valuable fleeces”, three times.
We also have prewashed fleeces available in many of the colors and spinning counts listed below. We wash them very gently so the crimp character is maintained. If you are interested in a prewashed fleece please feel free to contact us for availability and prices.
Our sheep are coated all year long (except for the few that decide to throw their coats at the most inconvenient times!) so they have very little vegetable matter unless otherwise noted. The fleeces are well skirted and there should be very little waste. Almost all of the fleeces have a fine micron count, so even fibers that have a low spinning count (40s to 50s) are soft. The lengths listed are from the top side and may vary towards the edges.
Listed below are our 2003 fleeces with weights, descriptions, and prices.
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Raw Fleece |
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Prewashed Fleece |
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Sheep
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Weight (lbs)
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Characteristics
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Inches Long
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Spinning Count
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Price (U.S. $)
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Buster
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5-3/4
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Off white - Very nice, even crimp, nice handle, dirt on tips but very little vegetable matter
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3-3/4
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58s
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34.50 Sold
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Gerah
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3-1/2
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Light morrit - Exceptional fleece, uniform crimp and color, clean
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2-3/4
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60s
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35.00
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Aramis
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3
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Medium gray - Very soft, small varigation in color, even crimp, clean
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3
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60s
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30.00
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Pepsi
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3-3/4
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Black with silver highlights (dark gray) - Very nice fleece, good handle, strong, even coloring, clean
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3-1/2
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60s
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37.50
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Merribelle
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5-1/4
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White - Beautiful, locky, even crimp throughout, clean
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4-1/2
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56s
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47.25
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Tina
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2-3/4
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Dark variegated gray - Soft, lustrous, soft handle
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3-1/2
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40s
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25.00
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May
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6-1/4
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Pearl grays with some varigation - very clean
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4-3/4
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48s
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56.25
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Merry
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4-3/4
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White - lots of luster, very soft
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4-1/2
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40s
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45.25
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Dalton
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5
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Dark morrit - strong, even color
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2-3/4
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60s
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45.00 Sold
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Rollie
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4-3/4
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Varigated grays (mostly light colors) - nice handle
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3-1/2
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56s
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47.50
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Chris
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4
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White - very locky, very nice fleece
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3-3/4
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60s
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40.00
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Chrissy
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4-1/4
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Very pale morrit (almost white) - nice handle
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3-3/4
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58s
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38.25
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Lacy
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4-3/4
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Medium morrit - very fine, even color throughout, good length for a fleece so fine
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4-1/4
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60s
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47.50
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Raggedy
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3-3/4
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Brilliantly white - very soft, strong, gorgeous fleece
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3-/34
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50s
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37.50
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Eve
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4-1/2
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Medium gray - nice handle, even color
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3-3/4
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48s
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45.00
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Storm
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5-1/2
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Blue variations (from black to lighter grays), enough varigations to spin several different shades of yarn
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3-1/4
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56s
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49.50
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Butch, Jr.
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3-1/2
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Extra light grays - Very nice fleece, uniform color, ends have dirt on them, but it will wash out
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3-1/4
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60s
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31.50
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Fionn
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5-1/4
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Light gray varigations - very soft, locky
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3-3/4
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58s
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50.00
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Jake
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Shades of light gray with white splotches (like a Holstein cow) - very soft, nice handle
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3
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56s
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Ms. Markel
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4-1/4
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Light grays - very nice fleece
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4-1/2
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54s
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40.50
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Rocky
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5
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Medium gray - nice handle, soft, fairly even color throughout
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4
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56s
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50.00
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Huey
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4-1/4
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Very clean, medium morrit , very nice handle, beautiful
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3-1/4
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60s
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42.50
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Agnes
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4-3/4
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Light grays, very clean, soft, good handle, small varigation in colors
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3-3/4
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58s
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47.50
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Jenny
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3-3/4
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Very white, soft, locky, very little vegetation
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4-1/4
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44s
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32.00
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Hattie
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3-1/4
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Very black, even color, very soft, locky, nice handle
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3-1/2
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60s
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32.50
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Blue Boy
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3-3/4
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Varigated grays, strong, nice handle, dirt on ends but little vegetation
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3-1/2
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58s
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26.25
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Roger
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4
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Varigated grays, soft, nice handle
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3-1/4
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60s
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36.00
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Beth
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6-1/4
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Light morrit, strong, soft handle, pretty even color, not as clean as we like
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6-1/4
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56s
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31.25
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Topaz
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5-1/2
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Varigated grays, strong, very locky, lots of vegetation (threw off her coat!)
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3-3/4
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56s
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22.00
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Shasta
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3-1/2
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Dark silver gray, strong, soft, lustrous, some vegetation
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3-3/4
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40s
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29.75
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June
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4-1/2
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Dove gray (with some very small black spots from shearing cuts), very soft, very nice fleece
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3-1/2
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56s
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45.00
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Twinkle
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3-1/2
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Mostly light grays, locky, soft, good handle, very nice fleece
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3-3/4
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54s
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35.00
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Moonlite
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5
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Slight variegated grays, soft, lots of vegetation (threw off her coat!)
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3-1/2
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50s
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20.00
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Lucky
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3-1/2
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Very white, lustrous, nice fleece
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3-1/2
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40s
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31.50
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Tiffany
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3-1/4
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Dark grays, very soft, her coat was too small though and there are short fibers on the back
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3 to 2-1/2
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60s
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22.75
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