Pharis Farms Ltd.

Sheep were first introduced onto the farm in 2015 as a small flock of Dorper and Kathadin ewes for the purpose of producing prime lambs for consumption. We soon realized sheep were a very complimentary species to the cattle and a delight to manage. We found they were effective in adding diversity to our pastures in the sense that multispecies grazing helped to improve pasture composition and utilization, making sheep a right fit for our farm. This led to the addition of a few Poll Dorsett Rams to increase our flock numbers and grow bigger lambs. With the introduction of our new rams, a lightbulb went off that we have a natural, renewable fibre at our fingertips that can be put to good use in Leanne’s craft room.

Ultimately, our first introduction to wool has now developed into an ever-growing passion here on the farm. We still maintain a separate flock for the purpose of growing prime lambs, but our purebred Rambouillets have become the forefront of our sheep business.

We raise wool sheep to produce beautiful, soft fleeces with fibre and craft enthusiasts in mind (much like ourselves).  Our sheep are shorn once a year and the wool is delivered to a mill local to Alberta to be processed. It is washed without the use of harsh bleach or chemicals, keeping the product in its most pure natural form. Our fleeces are hand skirted and while we do our best to remove any stained wool, second cuts and vegetable matter (VM) may be present in the fleeces.  Please note that a small amount of VM can still work its way into the yarn. This is a result of being a minimally processed, natural product and in our opinion adds character to finished textile creations.