Interview with Namekagon Valley Farm and Studio who recently attended the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival 2025
Who are you and what do you raise? Kelly Nechuta, we have a small flock of Gotland Sheep near Hayward, WI. Originating from Gotland, an island of Sweden in the Baltic Sea, Gotland sheep are medium sized, polled (no horns), short tailed (no docking) sheep with black faces & legs, and curly wool in shades of gray from silver to dark charcoal.
How long have you been raising Gotlands? This year is our 10 year anniversary of bringing the first Gotland sheep to Wisconsin, and raising sheep.
How many other breeders of Gotland sheep are here in the US? There are more than 130 Gotland breeders across the US.
What was the reason you attended WI Sheep and Wool Festival this year? I went to my first Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival this year mainly because it was the very first National Gotland Show and I wanted to meet the other breeders from across the country and put my hands on their sheep and fleeces in person. We had farms from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin present. The fleece show also had a special Gotland class to encourage more Gotland entries, and there were 23 entries from farms as far away as Oregon.
Did you show sheep in the Gotland portion of the show? I did not bring live sheep to the show this year.
Did you enter fleeces in the Fleece Competition this year? Yes, I entered three Gotland fleeces into the fleece show.
How do you evaluate your fleeces to be entered for the competition? When I’m choosing which fleece(s) to show, I am looking for wool that exemplifies the Gotland breed standard, as well as a nice staple length, and a clean fleece. I prepare the fleece for show by skirting any vegetable matter (which there is hardly any in our fall fleeces as they’ve been rotational grazing on pasture all summer), belly wool, and short trimmings from their head/neck out into my “for wool pellets” pile. Then I return the clean wool to a clear bag and label it with name and weight.
Were you able to hear the judge as they were evaluating your fleece? If so, what were some points that were valuable information for you. Yes, I was able to sit through the Gotland class and appreciated how the judge evaluated the fleece not only on quality of the fleece but against the breed standard. Emphasis on luster and curl as well as presentation, strength of fiber, handle and cleanliness was evaluated.
How did your fleeces place in the Gotland competition and overall? My ram lamb Helix’s fleece took 2nd place in the Gotland competition, and my ewe lamb Sonot’s fleece was the first place winner! They moved on to the Best of Show competition, and much to my delight & surprise, Sonot’s gorgeous fleece was chosen as Best of Show! We received several ribbons and the traveling Best of Show trophy. It was a great boost to the first National Gotland Sheep Show and highlighted the breed.
How can our fiber community find your fiber and support your farm? My main website is www.namekagonvalleyfarm.com and the square site for local Farmstand orders is https://namekagon-valley.square.site/ I have whole fleeces from Spring and Fall listed for shipping, but of course local pickup at our roadside Farmstand cart can be arranged. I also have curl sampler bags for those who want to add decorative curls to their projects. Yarn and roving, meditation mats, and more are all available. We are located near Hayward, WI.
Anything else you would like to share about your experience? It was great to go and connect with friends, customers, Gotland breeders who I knew, and other Gotland breeders that I hadn’t met in person yet was definitely the highlight. And with the traveling Best of Show Fleece trophy to have engraved and return, I guess I’ll be going again next year! ;)
