Friday, October 23, 2009

Kemp Photos and a Few More

These are some photos I took years ago, and put on the EverRanch website to help folks evaluate their fleeces. The subject of kemp came up on one of the lists I'm on, so I'm posting a few of those photos here.

Kemp in the lock (Scottish Blackface - they're supposed to have some kemp.)
Closer of the base with some kemp fibers pulled out:

And a few other fleece faults:



Note: the dark fibers in this photo are not kemp. Are they "medulated" fibers, perhaps?

Note on the canary stain - this ewe went on to produce fleeces without canary stain. I've heard that once they have this organism, it never goes away. Not true, at least in this case.

- Franna

3 comments:

Theresa said...

Thanks Franna, for putting these photos up!

Juliann said...

Thanks Franna, that's how I thought it looked but I wasn't sure.

Amy said...

Love those fiber pictures! My understanding is that canary staining results from many different causes, from wet, rotting fleece on the hoof to nutrition issues, external parasites, and others. Some staining is temporary, and may wash out in a good rain. Other staining washes out after shearing. Dreadfully, some staining sticks permenantly, and prevents dyes from taking up nicely. Love the mitts! I'll put a picture on my blog of the half mitts I knit and sell a lot of.
Amy at Wheely Wooly Farm