I found Steve’s historical account of the early sheep industry in New England to be fascinating. I could have listened to him for a long time. Thank you for inviting him.
The history of the sheep industry certainly gives a very real perspective on New England towns economics that I found fascinating. Thx for inviting Steve to the millcast
I love this mini-series of interviews you’ve been doing! It’s amazing that you’re preserving history/vermont culture like this. You two are so important to the Vermont fiber community as well as the online one😁
This interview was such a treat! Of course the subject is interesting, but Steve's demeanor and style of storytelling is so nostalgic for me as a born-and-bred Mainer, reminding me of the many hours I've spent listening to my older family members. Thank you so much. ❤
Hi Peggy and Amanda, Thanks for a very enjoyable episode. Very informative history lesson Steve! Great interview! Thanks for sharing! Happy Knitting ! 🧶
Such a fascinating history! I’m so glad I watched. The quantity of sheep! I could listen for hours, especially since I’m into wool, sheep and all the history. Thank you!
Thank you!!!! As a midwestern I just could not understand all the stone walls in New England and have been amazed at where in today’s forests that appear. I understood that there had been agricultural but did not realize that sheep had shaped the landscape. Wonderful account and appreciate the full story.
Wow! I grew up in Connecticut. I had no idea of this history of the rise and fall of the sheep industry, and the factors causing this. Thank you so much for this interview with Steve. Fantastic!
Loved learning about the history of sheep/wool in this area. Steve Taylor is a local treasure. How many town meetings/ school board meetings/ church auctions have I heard him moderate over the years, so, so many. His dry sense of humor that he injected into these events is legendary. He never forgets a name or a face,. He was one of the first people I met when we moved to Plainfield back in 1999. He stopped by my mail box and flagged me down from the yard as he recognized my former last name and wanted to introduce himself. He went to Hanover High with my ex father in law back in the day. He is a very special man that I have been so lucky to know, his entire family is lovely.
Wonderful history…my parents bought an island , Mosquito Island, in Maine in 1940. We ran a wild herd of sheep for almost fourty years. The wild sheep were there on that 200 acre island 75 + years before we came. We brought on rams in December, took them off in June . We kept about 75 - 100 head. Sheared in June and took our fleeces to the Knox Woolen Mill. ( Have you ever seen their wonderful video? ) That is where my love of wool was born. Nothing like our island sheep! Such clean fleeces! In the 50s we used Romney’s, then 60s the newly imported North Country Cheviots. I have been a handspinner for over 50 years on our family’s antique wheel . Love your posts.
I found Steve very interesting to fill in some of the gaps in my history. It was awesome for him to include social & political events that shaped farming in New England. My great Uncle had a dairy farm in Vermont, that most likely was former sheep land. Also, another of his brothers had farm and dairy in western Massachusetts. Haying is a big deal. One other relative is leasing his land for hay, while teaching a younger generation neighbor the agricultural side of farming in western, mass. These two farms still exist. The stone walls are maintained to now mark land boundries of old. Steve included a brief story of the how and why they were utilized. Country roads taken slow, you'll still see the stone walls. Thanks to Steve and JFM for this podcast!
Thanks for this information, it was fascinating and so informative. Love hearing how it was sheep farming that made such an impact on the landscape and towns of New England.
Thank you - Steve shared so much fascinating information! I live in southern NH in a town sandwiched between two larger former mill "towns" (now cities), and I spent 7 years on our town's conservation commission. We have so many of the stone walls Steve mentioned meandering through the conservation woods, and you can usually find a home from the late 1700's/early 1800's nearby. I learned from another member of the conservation commission that much of these woods were once cleared pastures that had been left to be reclaimed by nature.
“Looks fine guys “ ! 😂 I love Steve’s “tell all “ !, THANK YOU!! I hope he gets plenty of opportunities to talk at the colleges and schools. There is a very very funny cartoon book series about a sheep farmer , his border collie and the sheep called “Footrot flats” that I was turned on to when I visited NZ a few times in the 80s . It’s very very funny !
Thanks for the very interesting and informative history of sheep in New England. The numbers stated were phenomenal and hard to comprehend such a vast number. Wow! The back breaking work our ancestors put in. Thanks Steve, Peg and Amanda.
What an interesting podcast! Steve seemed very knowledgeable and it was fun to listen to him. I just love knowing the history behind things that we kind of take for granted because, well, they seem to have always been there! Thank you!
I enjoyed Steve's history of the Northeast's sheep industry. I often wonder if William T. Jarvis in Weathersfield Bow, VT, is related to my Jarvis relatives in Weathersfield, VT. Someday, I'll research my ancestry.
Wonderful history lesson. I was taken aback though at the fairly cavalier statement that it was imperative to exterminate the native wolves to allow a fairly temporary period of sheep farming to prosper. How sad to lose an essential piece of the environmental balance. It’s common for Americans and Europeans too I think, to see this species as a scourge rather than an important element of keeping other species in check. Otherwise I enjoyed hearing about the history of Vermont from the perspective of sheep farming.
My dad was a dairy farmer in NY .. I was watching a movie about how nasty the cattle farmers were to the sheep farmers when they came out west . My dad said it was because the sheep grazed differently than cattle and horses… they bite the grass closer to the earth . But I never researched to see if this was true. In NZ in the 1980s they tied goats out along the fence lines because the sheep would eat the grass but the brambles grew like crazy.
I love that you're having guest speakers, so informative. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I found Steve’s historical account of the early sheep industry in New England to be fascinating. I could have listened to him for a long time. Thank you for inviting him.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely fascinating! This was so good! Thank you ladies. Steve is a gem.
We agree!
What a wonderful story of the sheep in New Englands history! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The history of the sheep industry certainly gives a very real perspective on New England towns economics that I found fascinating. Thx for inviting Steve to the millcast
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for giving him a platform to share his extensive knowledge!
You bet!
I love this mini-series of interviews you’ve been doing! It’s amazing that you’re preserving history/vermont culture like this. You two are so important to the Vermont fiber community as well as the online one😁
Glad you like them!
This was fascinating, educational and interesting to watch. Thank you to Steve and to you for the amazing episode!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you again Amanda and Peg . proud sheep farmer here in Wethersfield
Glad you liked it!
Wow! Thank you and Mr. Taylor for a fascinating history of Sheep and New England.
Glad you enjoyed it!!
This interview was such a treat! Of course the subject is interesting, but Steve's demeanor and style of storytelling is so nostalgic for me as a born-and-bred Mainer, reminding me of the many hours I've spent listening to my older family members. Thank you so much. ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fascinating to hear!! Thanks to Steve and thanks to you for sharing ❤
Our pleasure!
Hi Peggy and Amanda, Thanks for a very enjoyable episode. Very informative history lesson Steve! Great interview! Thanks for sharing! Happy Knitting ! 🧶
Thanks for watching - Happy Knitting to you too!
Such a fascinating history! I’m so glad I watched. The quantity of sheep! I could listen for hours, especially since I’m into wool, sheep and all the history. Thank you!
Thanks for listening!
What a fabulous show; Steve’s talk was very interesting and informative. Goodness, I could have listened to him all day!
He is a wealth of knowledge!
Thank you!!!! As a midwestern I just could not understand all the stone walls in New England and have been amazed at where in today’s forests that appear. I understood that there had been agricultural but did not realize that sheep had shaped the landscape. Wonderful account and appreciate the full story.
Yay! Glad you liked it!
I loved this episode. I love 🎉learning about our sheepy history. Thank you once again peg and Amanda for a great mill cast
Thank you for watching!
Fabulous History talk Steve. Greetings from Ireland
Greetings! You know all about stone walls and sheep - for sure! Thanks for watching!
oh thank you!!! This was an outstanding tour of NE and wooly history!!!
Yay! Glad you liked it!
I love learning about the history of an area and found Steve's talk fascinating. It would make a good subject for a book. 🇬🇧
We agree!
Wow! I grew up in Connecticut. I had no idea of this history of the rise and fall of the sheep industry, and the factors causing this. Thank you so much for this interview with Steve. Fantastic!
Glad you liked it!
Loved learning about the history of sheep/wool in this area. Steve Taylor is a local treasure. How many town meetings/ school board meetings/ church auctions have I heard him moderate over the years, so, so many. His dry sense of humor that he injected into these events is legendary. He never forgets a name or a face,. He was one of the first people I met when we moved to Plainfield back in 1999. He stopped by my mail box and flagged me down from the yard as he recognized my former last name and wanted to introduce himself. He went to Hanover High with my ex father in law back in the day. He is a very special man that I have been so lucky to know, his entire family is lovely.
Awesome - thank you for sharing!
What a wonderful history session 😊❤❤❤
Glad you enjoyed it
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing this history of Vt and New England sheep farming.
Our pleasure - thank you for tuning in!
Thank you for this fascinating episode, very enjoyable and enlightning.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful history…my parents bought an island , Mosquito Island, in Maine in 1940. We ran a wild herd of sheep for almost fourty years. The wild sheep were there on that 200 acre island 75 + years before we came. We brought on rams in December, took them off in June . We kept about 75 - 100 head. Sheared in June and took our fleeces to the Knox Woolen Mill. ( Have you ever seen their wonderful video? ) That is where my love of wool was born. Nothing like our island sheep! Such clean fleeces! In the 50s we used Romney’s, then 60s the newly imported North Country Cheviots. I have been a handspinner for over 50 years on our family’s antique wheel . Love your posts.
Thank you for sharing!
Really enjoyed listening to the history. Thank you!
Thanks for listening
I found Steve very interesting to fill in some of the gaps in my history. It was awesome for him to include social & political events that shaped farming in New England. My great Uncle had a dairy farm in Vermont, that most likely was former sheep land. Also, another of his brothers had farm and dairy in western Massachusetts. Haying is a big deal. One other relative is leasing his land for hay, while teaching a younger generation neighbor the agricultural side of farming in western, mass. These two farms still exist. The stone walls are maintained to now mark land boundries of old. Steve included a brief story of the how and why they were utilized. Country roads taken slow, you'll still see the stone walls. Thanks to Steve and JFM for this podcast!
Thank you so much for sharing and watching!
Thanks for this information, it was fascinating and so informative. Love hearing how it was sheep farming that made such an impact on the landscape and towns of New England.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this fascinating episode!
Thank you for watching!
Thank you - Steve shared so much fascinating information! I live in southern NH in a town sandwiched between two larger former mill "towns" (now cities), and I spent 7 years on our town's conservation commission. We have so many of the stone walls Steve mentioned meandering through the conservation woods, and you can usually find a home from the late 1700's/early 1800's nearby. I learned from another member of the conservation commission that much of these woods were once cleared pastures that had been left to be reclaimed by nature.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this very interesting talk
Glad you enjoyed it
“Looks fine guys “ ! 😂
I love Steve’s “tell all “ !, THANK YOU!!
I hope he gets plenty of opportunities to talk at the colleges and schools.
There is a very very funny cartoon book series about a sheep farmer , his border collie and the sheep called “Footrot flats” that I was turned on to when I visited NZ a few times in the 80s . It’s very very funny !
Will have to look into Footrot Flats!
Very interesting. Thank you for this local treasure .
Our pleasure!
I love history. Thanks for sharing, that was very informative.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the very interesting and informative history of sheep in New England. The numbers stated were phenomenal and hard to comprehend such a vast number. Wow! The back breaking work our ancestors put in. Thanks Steve, Peg and Amanda.
Glad you enjoyed it
Riveting Indeed! Thanks for sharing 👍
Glad you liked it!
That was great. I would love to listen to more lectures of his
Yes- he is a treasure!
🐏 I’m totally enjoying this episode !
Thank you for listening!
Many thanks to Steve for the great history lesson and to you for airing it.
Thanks for listening!
This was fantastic! 🐑❤️
Yay! Glad you liked it!
What an interesting podcast! Steve seemed very knowledgeable and it was fun to listen to him. I just love knowing the history behind things that we kind of take for granted because, well, they seem to have always been there! Thank you!
Thanks for listening!
very interesting and informative, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fascinating!
Glad you liked it!
HEY GUYS !!
Rebecca Clow of Creabea knitting is wearing your Junctipn fiber mill cap on her latest podcast from NZ!and she pointed it out ! 👍👍👍🙌🙌
Yes! Thank you! It made us smile and we thanked her for repping our small mill!
I enjoyed Steve's history of the Northeast's sheep industry. I often wonder if William T. Jarvis in Weathersfield Bow, VT, is related to my Jarvis relatives in Weathersfield, VT. Someday, I'll research my ancestry.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Facinting history... hubby has Vermont ancestor who went west about the peak of all that... .
Interesting!
The first Merino sheep arrived in Australia from South Africa in 1797 by John McArthur. He was later Governor of Tasmania.
I was wondering this ! Ty ! I guess NZ about same time ?
Interesting!
@@jetv1471 New Zealand was probably later as most settlement occurred 1840's onwards.
So interesting
Glad you liked it!
Wonderful history lesson. I was taken aback though at the fairly cavalier statement that it was imperative to exterminate the native wolves to allow a fairly temporary period of sheep farming to prosper. How sad to lose an essential piece of the environmental balance. It’s common for Americans and Europeans too I think, to see this species as a scourge rather than an important element of keeping other species in check. Otherwise I enjoyed hearing about the history of Vermont from the perspective of sheep farming.
When we moved to the White Mountains in 1960 there were a lot of places that had been for sale for 20-40 years. Quite a depressed economy
Indeed. Thanks for watching!
My dad was a dairy farmer in NY .. I was watching a movie about how nasty the cattle farmers were to the sheep farmers when they came out west .
My dad said it was because the sheep grazed differently than cattle and horses… they bite the grass closer to the earth . But I never researched to see if this was true.
In NZ in the 1980s they tied goats out along the fence lines because the sheep would eat the grass but the brambles grew like crazy.
Thank you for sharing!