The Rural Voice, 2004-08, Page 34and putting together kits. All the
designs have been tested by Marg.
"I don't want to put out a kit that I
haven't knit myself. If someone
needs advice 1 want to be able to
provide them with feedback."
She also does her best to keep the
instructions easy to follow, including
a full -colour chart for the pattern.
Until this year, her venture has
been fairly low-key. "We decided
when we had children that one of us
would stay home with them. It turned
out to be me."
With their youngest now in school,
however, Marg said she's ready to
take a little more aggressive approach
to promoting her work.
With
the help of her mother,
who jokingly refers to her
farm as the eastern
division, Marg dyes her own wool. "I
wanted different colours. It took
awhile to develop, but we've got it
now."
Each dye can have up to five
colours, adding diversity to Marg's
creative designs.
Any concern about hard, itchy
wool she is quick to dispel as well.
Marg believes that today's wool is
softer than the older type due to more
lanolin being left in. "Your hands get
really soft when you're shearing
because of the lanolin. Now they're
not washing as much of that out."
In addition to her kits, the Steeles
also sell lamb's wool blankets.
Lamb's wool is the first shearing of a
ewe. It is during pregnancy that the
coat will lose some of its softness.
"More of the energy goes to the lamb
rather than to the back of the sheep.
So Iamb's wool is just very soft. You
just want to sink your hands in it."
The blankets, which come in twin,
double and queen sizes, are all in
natural colour because, said Marg, it
goes with every colour scheme.
"Also, someone once said to me
that if you take your blankets
somewhere to sell, the colour you
don't have with you is the colour
everyone wants. So we opted to stay
with the natural."
Prices are $75, $100 and $125 plus
taxes.
The couple's love and respect for
agriculture is evident in how they
approach it. They have done a lot of
research into grass-fed livestock and
believe in the benefits. "They say that
Ww.tfittlitt
IW4d gt Wrool
waiting 1k.
fOf you at
, The Old Mill
MACHINE WASHABLE WOOL:
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MACHINE WASHABLE SHEEPSKINS:
Decor, Medicals, Infant -care
WOOL COATS & JACKETS
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EXCEPTIONAL WOOL ACCESSORIES
Highway 4, south of Blyth
(5'9)523-4595
www.theoldmill.ta
Brussels
Agri Services Ltd.
SHEEP
SUPPLIES
• Gallagher Power Fencing
(sales & installation)
• Hay & Grain Feeders
• Grober Milk Replacer
• Eartags, Hoofshears,
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• Feed • Gates
COWBOY 1,0 11
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Located at Brussels Livestock
(519) 887-9391
or Toll Free 1-877-887-9391
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519-656-24611
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Special Fall Sales
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SOOC Calves 8 Yearlings: Nov. 5 8 26 at 10:00 a.m.
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BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK SALES
887-6461 887-6811
We appreciate our customers marketing their sheep and lambs at our
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LAMBS ARE SOLD THURSDAYS AT
APPROX. 11:30 A.M.
Tuesdays 9 a.m.
Thursdays 8 a.m.
Fridays 10 a.m.
Confidence • Trust • Service
WESTERN STOCKERS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE SALE
- Fed Cattle, Cows, Bulls
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Goats & Pigs
- Stockers
AUGUST 2004 31