Chassagne Farm

06/04/2026

Sibling rivalry seems to be a universal law of nature. Whether it's two human kids arguing over the last cookie or baby birds jostling for the best spot in the nest, siblings have a special talent for being both best friends and greatest competitors. One minute they're stealing each other's snacks, invading personal space and the next they are napping together or defending each other from the rest of the world. —proving that love and mild annoyance can coexist in perfect harmony.

05/27/2026

05/25/2026

It is a fact of nature that when you farm animals of any kind you surely learn who are the predators out to get them and what you can do to try to keep them away. Today for the first time we turned out groups of ewes with their lambs into a section with fences electrified top and bottom. We later went for a drive around the back fields only to discover that we were being watched by a not-very-skittish- coyote. Guard donkeys born among the sheep are turned out with the flock each summer day. And there you have it.....everyone living at Chassagne minding their own business and enjoying a good life most of the time. The entire flock is brought up to the barn every night for safety. If not, for sure there would be problems. Soon the deer will be having their fawns in the back fields and bush, and they also will need to behave to avoid the coyotes as best they can.

05/21/2026

See you in Fergus this Saturday! It is one of our favourite days of the year to again see enthusiastic fibre people come outside to fo**le and shop. The streets of Fergus come alive. Our Chassagne Farm tent is located in the middle of all the action . It'll be full of our luscious fleeces, yarns, original knitting kits, blankets , batts and rovings!! Rain or shine, the tough wool shoppers cannot be held back. See you there!

05/17/2026

How do you know if a lamb is getting milk? Look at those little tails go! When lambs are properly latched on and drinking milk their little tails wag back and forth. This hard working mother had twins and both are thriving.

05/14/2026

Although this is a very cold and rainy May the gardens are starting to reveal hardy early bloomers and the lambs are popping out like flies right on cue. We inspect and tag them after they are a couple of days old and are bonded well with their mothers. Sophie can scoop up three lambs at once. What a wrangler! You are welcome to come by appointment to shop for some of our lovely natural Shetland yarns, rovings original knitting kits and cozy blankets.

05/05/2026

Hey! I may not be the best looking guy you have ever seen but in three months I'll be able to fly eighty miles an hour and fly circles around you!
This Lanner falcon hatched at Chassagne on April 19th after a month of his mother sitting on the clutch of eggs during sub zero temperatures with the male falcon called a Lanneret immediately stepping in to incubate when she needed to eat or take a stretch break. The Lanner is a medium sized falcon native to southern Europe, Asia and northern to central Africa. Falcons are among the fastest moving creatures on earth with some species flying easily at over two hundred miles an hour in a vertical stoop.

05/04/2026

Lambs, lambs and more lambs! Its busy here in the spring with all the new littles joining the world. This little guy is taking a comfortable siesta after a good breakfast of momma's milk.

05/04/2026

What a pleasure it was today to work with Rachel Duncan!!! She sheared 10 of our yearling ewes because soon they are going out " to work" for the summer, helping to educate people about the value of keeping Shetland sheep for their wool and meat. Rachel was professional, capable, sensitive and friendly. She was trained in Ontario to become a professional shearer. It is wonderful to see a young woman making her living working with animals. The shearer uses sharp, well oiled clippers to remove the 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 lb fleece, carefully clipping in the same pattern until all of the fleece is removed ideally in a single big "clip".

04/12/2026

Well in Nature there are early birds and late comers. Sheep gestation is five months but this little one squeaked out frisky and fine a couple weeks early. You'll notice that the ram is still in the pen with his harem of ewes and all of them are protective of the new lamb being kept at the back with his mother. Shetland sheep are so hardy and have such strong instincts. These days we are admiring their incredible fleeces that have kept them warm over this extreme and long winter. ...and so the lambing begins! This year the shearing will be held at the end of May after the lambing.