Our first Jacob Sheep was a ram we purchased to add some color to our handspinning flock. We had no interest in raising purebred sheep, but we did want horns, color, hardiness, and fleeces. We were quickly hooked! We decided to go with a registered Jacob flock and joined JSBA in 1995. Then we got serious about building a flock that we are proud of. I am the Webmaster for the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association and currently serve as the JSBA Director for the Southeast district.

Here at Patchwork, we believe strongly in preserving the diversity of the primitive American Jacob Sheep. I strive for a diverse flock - both genetically and visually, while still staying within the standards for what constitutes a Jacob in both JSBA and JSC. I believe that the primitive Jacob Sheep is a hardy sheep and hardiness, easy lambing, and mothering skills to be of prime importance when selecting sheep. It's my belief that a four horned sheep should have four true horns and I select accordingly. Flock members are chosen and retained with an eye to both their ancestors and their descendants.

The production of soft and silky fiber for our unique handspun yarns sure helps to pay the feed bills :-) and we do place an emphasis on fleece quality, while realizing that Jacob Sheep are more than just fleece.

While my preference is for a good deep black, I decided to work abit with the lilac aspects of some of the older lines. I'm excited about the lilac lambs that were born in 2006 and 2007 and we hope to have more in 2008. Our lilacs represent some of the oldest lines in the history of the breed.

Our Jacobs are registered with the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association. Please check out www.jsba.org for more information on this special breed.