We are bringing you a series of episodes on the podcast about raising sheep, and in today’s episode, Janet of Timber Creek Farm is lending her expertise to the conversation! Janet has been building her homestead and growing her skills for decades, and she has a unique passion for creating beautiful fibers with natural dyes. Join us as we talk about acquiring and maintaining a healthy flock of sheep that is right for you and your homestead. We also discuss what to do with the wool after shearing and why wool is such a valuable resource.

In this episode, we cover:
- Choosing the right breed of fiber sheep for your needs
- What health markers to look for when acquiring new sheep
- Options for processing wool if you don’t spin it yourself
- The differences in raising sheep for wool, dairy, and meat
- Types of plants you can use to dye wool naturally
- Benefits of wearing wool and other natural fibers
- What kind of property you need to raise sheep

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ABOUT JANET
Janet Garman is the writer and animal wrangler on Timber Creek Farm. In addition to writing the blog posts, she manages the online shop, seeks out new products to add to their Free Range Yarn lineup, and writes books and magazine articles.
In addition, Janet loves to speak at in-person venues to further the education regarding small farm operations, livestock care, and the importance of the wool industry. She has a background in large animal farm management and an animal science degree from the University of Maryland, which has helped her focus her energy toward helping others learn to raise livestock, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and small farm management.
You can find her writing in Countryside Magazine, Backyard Poultry Magazine, and Goat Journal. She speaks both locally and throughout the US on homesteading, poultry, and livestock management. Janet’s books include Natural Dyes on Wool with Timber Creek Farm, Keeping Sheep and Other Fiber Animals, 50 Do-it-Yourself Projects for Keeping Goats, 50 Do-it-Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickens, Chickens from Scratch, Habitat Housing for Rabbits, and Margarita and the Beautiful Gifts. All books are available in her online shop, or wherever books are sold.

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Keeping Sheep and Other Fiber Animals by Janet Garman: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/pro...
50 Do-it-Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickens by Janet Garman: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/pro...
50 Do-it-Yourself Projects for Keeping Goats by Janet Garman: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/pro...
Natural Dyes on Wool with Timber Creek Farm by Janet Garman: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/pro...
Margarita and the Beautiful Gifts by Janet Garman: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/pro...
Sawdust Publishing: https://sawdustpublishing.com/
The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius: https://thewoollythistle.com/products...
Episode 19 of the HOA Podcast: Getting Started with Sheep + Starting a Farm Business: https://homesteadersofamerica.com/e19...
Natural Dyes on Wool eCourse by Timber Creek Farm: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/nat...
Check out Timber Creek Farm on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/timbercreek...

CONNECT
Janet Garman of Timber Creek Farm
Website: https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/
Instagram:   / timbercreekfarmer  
Facebook:   / timbercreekfarm  
YouTube:    / @timbercreekfarmer  
Homesteaders of America
Website: https://homesteadersofamerica.com
Instagram:   / homesteadersofamerica  
Facebook:   / homesteadersofamerica  
YouTube:    / homesteadersofamerica  
Pinterest:   / homesteadersusa  
Join us at the Homesteaders of America Conference in October 2023: https://homesteadersofamerica.com/hom...

View full show notes and transcript on the blog: https://homesteadersofamerica.com/e20...
Listen to this podcast episode: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...