The Rosefield Livestock

Leicester Longwool

The breed was developed in the 1700s by Robert Bakewell.   Bakewell was the first to utilize modern animal breeding techniques in the selection of livestock.  Using these practices, he developed the Leicester Longwool from the old Leicester sheep.  His selection techniques changed a coarse boned, slow growing Leicester into an animal that put on weight more rapidly and produced less waste when slaughtered.  George Washington was so interested in Bakewell's ideas that he made reference to him in several letters.  In 1793 Washington wrote, "...and the choice of good rams from the English (Leicester) breed which we now and then get over not withstanding your prohibitory laws or customs."  The Leicester Longwool seemed like the perfect breed of sheep for C olonial Williamsburg, especially with its ties to President Washington.  Williamsburg began searching for the Leicester Longwool, however their search came up empty handed until they purchased "Willoughby".   He was a Leicester Longwool ram obtained from an auction at Woods Edge Wools in New Jersey.  Willoughby sired many crossbred lambs to the Williamsburg Dorsets.   Willoughby met an untimely death when he was brutally killed in 1988. The out-pouring of sorrow and dismay at his death brought in many donations from foundations as well as small gifts from young children for the purchase of more Leicester Longwool sheep.  Williamsburg was able to contact Ivan Heazlewood from Tasmania at a time when he had just started researching the Leicester Longwool's contribution to Australian sheep farming.  He personally took on the considerable task of organizing a flock of sheep for importation to Colonial Williamsburg.  In the beginning the Leicester Longwools were at Williamsburg and in satellite flocks so that we would be able to protect the genetics from another tragedy.  Today the Leicester Longwools are currently numbering just over 200 in the United States.  While their numbers are slowly growing, the members of the Leicester Longwool Sheep Breeders Association are striving to maintain the breed's standard as well as looking for ways to improve the breed.   Through the use of AI, Hopping Acres now has the first black Leicester Longwools in the United States.  The Rosefield will be offering select breeding stock in the near future.  Please contact us to be on the waiting list.

The Olde English Baby Doll Southdown is a recent addition to our farm.  It is a very old breed that was used to graze the orchards in England.  The lambs gain weight on grass and require little grain.  The rams are used as a terminal sire for our market lambs.  The ewes are kept for breeding registered stock.  The Baby Doll is a very laid back sheep and socialize easily.  We shear them every 18 months making the fiber longer and the rovings soft, spongy & very easy to spin.   We have colored and white "Baby Dolls".

Please contact us for availability.

A white Baby Doll with her black ram lamb.  We will be using our ewe line to increase the occurrence of black lambs in our flock.

The Rosefield's "Sweet Annie" is an original ewe who came from Susie Waterman. We have added rams from Shadyside Farm Studio and With Faith Farms.  Our little ewes come in wonderful colors and fleece types.

Please contact us for availability.

Border Leicester

The Border Leicester is a breed of sheep that was established in the 1780-1790's.  Robert Bakewell was associated with the origins of this breed.  He used the Leicester Longwool and the Border Cheviot - (who originated on the Border between England and Scotland)  Their fleece is a dream to spin. Crafters seek out their fleeces for the long locks that make a great Santa beard or doll hair and wonderful curly sheep.  We have been registering only white animals in recent years, because we have crossed the Border Leicester, Romney and Leicester Longwool to get the colors and the fiber quality from all the breeds.  We have been able to supply many spinning fleeces and wool for crafts because of our cross-breeding program.  We always have a few ewes and a very select number of rams available for sale.  They are not registered, BUT their potential is a great asset to any spinning flock.  Pictured left is a Border Leicester ewe with her twin ewe lambs.  Our ewes have twins and triplets on a regular basis. 

Please contact us for availability.

Donkeys

Our Guardian Donkeys are fully conditioned for their job. Let us know if you have any special conditions that need to be considered in your guardian.  Our donkeys are guaranteed to work for protection against coyotes and dogs!  E-mail us for availability.   Follow this link to an article written by one of our adopted parents. 

"Bonnie" is one of our Guardian Donkeys.  This is a picture of her trying her best to get a bite of breakfast with her woolly friends. Bonnie is now a Guardian Donkey for the University of Rhode Island.

Angora Rabbits

Finally, for those of you who fall in love with the farm experience, we sometimes have breeding stock available for sale. We also provide assistance in helping to get you started in your new adventure. There are over 70 bunnies in our rabbitry, of all colors, that produce fiber and roving. If you are a handspinner or crafter, we would be happy to help you find the perfect fiber.

For information on the rabbits that we will have at the different festivals for 2010 we will be posting it here. Check out this page for news on our latest litters!!!!

For the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival we will have the following rabbits for sale:

If you are interested in a purcvhase please contact us for a reservation on a particular animal so you won't be disappointed! Unlike other years we only have seven rabbits and as you know we are very picky about who purchase one of our babies.

We have three litter mates available: they are 85% German/English -

A beautiful Black Buck that has fiber density and more.                                                                                                         Price    $100.00

A really nice fiber dense Black Doe that is quiet.                                                                                                                    Price    $100.00

A litter mate that is a White Buck that is pet quality. He is sweet but his fiber is just not up to our standard.                    Price    $ 75.00

Then we have a litter of ENGLISH all BLACK and to die for! They have super fabulous crimp and nice round bodies. There are 2 bucks and 2 does. If you need a NEW ENGLISH LINE here it is!

The Does will be                         $125.00

The Bucks will be                       $100.00

"Charlie" is a German mixed angora bunny.  We harvest the angora produced by him 4 times a year.  The fiber is blended into many of our rovings, and is also available by the ounce.  We have gray, chocolate, red and white angora sold by the ounce.