Anna's Got Wool

02/10/2026

Lambing season has officially begun on the ranch, and it’s one of the most exciting (and busiest) times of the year for us. Both our fiber flock and our dairy flock are pregnant right now, and the babies are starting to arrive one by one. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be doing constant checks, offering support to first-time moms, and making sure each lamb gets a strong, healthy start. It’s a long and sometimes exhausting process, but it’s also one of the most rewarding parts of ranch life.
This post features some of our first lambs of the season, most of them rambouillet crosses from the main flock. These little ones are only a few days to a couple weeks old, but they’re already full of personality — bouncing, frolicking, and boldly exploring the world like they’ve been here forever. Their curiosity reminds me so much of a newborn kitten: tiny, bright-eyed, and endlessly fascinated by everything.
As they grow, each lamb will be evaluated. Some will become part of our fall meat harvest, and others — if their fiber quality and lineage are strong, will be kept as replacement ewes and bucks to continue improving our fiber bloodlines for years to come. It’s always fascinating to watch their traits emerge as they mature.❤️

02/01/2026

January on the ranch 🤍✨

It’s the end of January, which means our very first monthly photo dump of 2026!

This month has been full of those small ranch moments that make winter feel softer, even when the days are long.

We started the year with our first (and only) major snowfall so far — about a foot and a half that turned the ranch into a storybook for a day. The sheep were tucked away safe and dry with shearing just around the corner, and the dogs were thrilled to romp around before settling back into their usual evening nap piles.

Shearing brought its own mix of chaos and charm, as it always does. One of my favorite moments this year was catching little Eli fast asleep during the third day of shearing. We propped him up on wool bags and wrapped him in a blanket, and he snoozed through the whole thing like a true ranch kid. We also had a surprise December baby from Mr. Magoo’s little adventure earlier in the year when he managed to get out of his pen and romance one of our ewes — his love child is doing great and already full of personality.

The weather this winter has been unseasonably warm, with frosty mornings turning into afternoons where a light long sleeve tee shirt is perfectly fine. It’s made chore days a lot easier, and the sunsets have been incredible — including one picture of Holly, our herding dog, glowing in the golden light. The guardian dogs were their usual selves this month, all gathered in a group waiting for dinner like the gentle giants they are. Our youngest guardian dog loves to play with the dog bowls after dinner leaving us to track them down the next day. I call it bowl hunting”.

Lambing season is just beginning now, and I’ll be sharing a reel next week with all the excitement from that. For now, here’s a little look back at January on our ranch. ❤️

01/20/2026

After putting the main flock up for the evening, the sun was setting perfectly and everyone was calm, so I went around giving gentle little nose boops to any animal willing to participate.

Melvin—who gifted us the gorgeous yarn we sold last market season—was the first to get booped. Then Raven and Rosey (sweet dairy sisters, with Rosey still very much acting like the bottle baby she is). Apollo and Mr. Magoo also got their boops, and thankfully Magoo did not throw the same tantrum he did at shearing this year!

The guardian dogs all lined up like good kids, and Holly, our herding dog, was so grateful for pets and attention. And of course, our donkeys Louise and her baby Chip Sullivan got their turn. Louise took one sniff of my fingers and was immediately disgusted, and honestly... I’m still a little hurt about it. 😂

It was one of those peaceful ranch evenings that reminds us why these small moments matter so much. Just animals, sunlight, and tiny nose boops.

01/13/2026

This year, Derek and Sara sheared 157 sheep for us. We had just about every type of wool on the ranch represented:

• our round, plump Romneys,
• the brave Meadow bunch full of replacement ewes,
• a mix of Rambouillet, some Rambouillet/Romney crosses,
• a handful of Morrits,
• and even a couple of our Merino bucks.

We also sheared our dairy flock, who we’ll begin milking in the spring.
All of this wool has an exciting journey ahead — some will be turned into blankets, some will be spun into yarn, some will be sold as raw fleece to handspinners, and the leftover skirtings will become wool pellets for gardens. It’s one of our favorite times of year because we get to see the full cycle of the ranch come together.

Thankfully, the weather cooperated: a little cold, but no rain or snow, which makes all the difference. The day even came with some entertainment — Mr. Magoo, one of our bucks, threw a dramatic tantrum during his turn… but fortunately he was the very last sheep Derek sheared. 😅
Shearing is truly an all-hands-on-deck event. This year, Cassidy and Austin handled the flipping and positioning, while Anna and Callie worked the skirting table and trained Kaiya in the process. Shannon helped skirt, bag, and keep things running smoothly — including lunch and wrangling the nephews, Calvert and Eli.

It’s always special when the whole Harvey family comes together for this day. It reminds us of the legacy we’re carrying forward and the deep connection between our land, our animals, and the generations before us.
We’re grateful for a smooth, successful shearing — and we can’t wait to show you what we create with this wool over the coming months. ❤️🐑

10/11/2025

Our first frost finally hit, which meant it was time to bring in the pumpkins! ❄️🎃
We spent the afternoon harvesting what the garden had to offer — a truck bed full of Atlantic Giants, Jack O’ Lanterns, Princess pumpkins, and the sweetest little Sugar pumpkins, perfect for baking up cozy fall pies. 🥧 We also had some butternut squash, too!
All of the larger pumpkins are decorating the ranch now, while the Sugar pumpkins are heading straight for the kitchen! It’s always a little bittersweet when frost ends the garden season, but we’re so grateful for what we grew this year. 💛
Do you decorate with pumpkins or save them all for cooking? 🍂

08/23/2025

Gilbert may not bring wool or lamb to market, but he sure is a handsome boy 💖

Come to Romano’s Farmers Market TODAY to stock up on dryer balls, yarn, and pre-order your bulk lamb for fall!
📍1329 Co Rd A23, Beckwourth, CA 96129
🕙 10 AM to 1:30 PM

08/21/2025

Our newest little ranch helpers are already strutting around like they own the place 🦃✨

08/19/2025

It’s that time of year again — bulk lamb pre-orders are open! 🐑✨
Reserve a half or whole lamb today and stock your freezer with a variety of cuts raised right here on our pastures. From chops and roasts to ground lamb and more, every order is custom-cut to your preferences. Want boneless legs? Extra stew meat? No problem.

Orders will be ready around October 15th, just in time for cozy fall meals. 🍂
👉 Head to our website to learn more and place your deposit before we sell out!
https://www.harveysheepandwool.com/

08/15/2025

Four Guardians, One Mission 🐾🛡️
Sometimes the best moments happen when you least expect them — like finding all four of our livestock guardian dogs peacefully lined up together while Cassidy was out with the sheep today. 🐑❤️

Our youngest pup-in-training is right in the mix, now fully bonded with the sheep and learning the ropes of going out with them each day. These next few weeks are especially important before we head into fall/winter breeding season — it’s the most impressionable time in his life, and the perfect window to teach him to stick with the flock, and what to do when there is a predator around.

You’ll also notice our grey guardian dog (on the red leash). He’s about three years old, and we’re working on retraining him to stay with the flock instead of turning in early. His habit started when he bonded a little too much with a baby cow in his pen as a pup. It’s a great reminder: if you’re raising a new guardian dog, keep them with the livestock you actually want them to protect and bond with long-term.

For now, though, we’re soaking in this rare moment of calm — four guardians, side-by-side, resting together before getting back to work. 🐶💤

08/01/2025

🐑 AUGUST FARMERS MARKETS 🐑
Wondering where to find us this month? Here’s our full August 2025 market schedule so you can shop our natural color wool blankets, pelts, and place your bulk lamb pre-orders in person!

✨ Tuesdays – Truckee Farmers Market
📍10695 Old Brockway Rd, Truckee, CA 96161
🕗 8 AM to 1 PM
🗓️August 5, 12, 19, 26

✨ Thursdays – Tahoe City Farmers Market
📍400 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
🕗 8 AM to 1 PM
🗓️August 7, 14, 21, 28

✨ Fridays & Saturdays – Romano's Farmers Market
📍1329 Co Rd A23, Beckwourth, CA 96129
🕙 10 AM to 1:30 PM
🗓️August 1–2, 8–9, 15–16, 22–23, 29–30

✨ Sundays – Reno Riverside Farmers Market
📍2055 Idlewild Dr, Reno, NV 89509
🕗 8 AM to 1 PM
🗓️August 3, 17, 24, 31
🚫 Note: We will NOT be at the Reno Market on Sunday, August 10th.

Come say hi, check out our cozy wool goods, and get stocked up on the best lamb around! 💕🐑

07/30/2025

Good Morning from Rosie ☀️🌹

Rosie is one of our sweet dairy lambs who is also a bottle baby we’re currently feeding. She acts just like a dog in so many ways. Wags her tail when she’s excited to eat, rubs her face all over my pants, and she loves to follow me around like I’m her mama.

If you turn the sound up, you can hear the baby turkeys chirping because they also want attention 🥰🦃

🐑

06/10/2025

🎉 Our New Website is Live! 🎉
We’re so excited to finally share our newly updated Harvey Sheep & Wool website with you!

You’ll find a refreshed product list that includes all your favorites — from our beautiful, soft wool blankets and hand-felted soaps to our raw walnuts and wool pellets for your garden.

We’d love for you to take a look around and tell us what you think! In the coming weeks, we’ll add more seasonal items, recipes, and other resources to make it a space you’ll want to return to again and again. We'll also be adding shipping for most items in the coming weeks.

Thank you for being here and supporting our family ranch — we’re so grateful. ❤️

Check out the new site!👉

Harvey Sheep & Wool is a heritage family ranch in Calpine, CA, raising open-range, grass-fed lamb and producing premium, chemical-free wool products. Since 1856, they've crafted handspun yarns, felted goods, pelts, and blankets rooted in sustainability, tradition, and care for the land. For more