sheep fleece insulation - borax solution

[Nemesis]

I think that Herdwicks in the main aren't killed young - but are there any sheep kept in battery cages?

 

[Penners]

I think that Herdwicks in the main aren't killed young - but are there any sheep kept in battery cages?

Only the ones that lay eggs.

 

[NT]

We all know wholewheat is healthier, wholegrain cereals, that sort of thing. So would whole sheep also be healthier insulation??

NT on behalf of LL

 

[Lime]

We all know wholewheat is healthier, wholegrain cereals, that sort of thing. So would whole sheep also be healthier insulation??

NT on behalf of LL

No, but whole sheep joints of meat when cooked would stay warmer with a wool coat on.

 

[worms]

Of course our forebears went down the whole sheep route by bringing the flock inside the house in winter where they provided a degree of central heating. (This also gave rise to the phrase "Get the flock out of here")

Can't have been good for the RH though!

 

[middi]

I don,t know the pros and cons of sheep wool insulation or borax treatments but I can substantiate the fact that the wool will last a very, very long time in good condition.

In the process of repairing and replacing some timber studding on a 16thC. building, in some dificult to access cavities between the wattle and daub and the wall plate I found large tufts of sheep wool which, apart from external surface discolouring, looked good enough to knit a few pairs of socks from it.

The reason I know it had been there from when the building was originally constructed was because the wool was partly " meshed" with the wattle and daub.

I dont think they used borax.

 

[Penners]

in some dificult to access cavities between the wattle and daub and the wall plate I found large tufts of sheep wool

If you'd dug a bit deeper, do you think you'd have found lumps of mutton still attached? It should be well hung by now.
(Thank goodness Grimmers isn't here to respond to that!)

 

[Nemesis]

Grimmers - ah yes. I miss Grimmers. And Brunny.

Wonder how they are doing in that retirement home for puninglinguists?

 

[middi]

I dread to guess the hilarious response from Grimmers, Penners.

Moo has gone AWOL as well.

 

[Nemesis]

It maybe was my resurrection of Brunny's last post last week.

She's gone for a quiet sob. Or even possibly set out with a search party?

 

[Penners]

Moo has gone AWOL as well.

No, I suspect that Moo is still with us, popping in from time to time.

 

[Nemesis]

Oh I was so hoping for a search party...

 

[Penners]

You're just a party animal, aren't you?

 

[kim]

you guys are funny!!!

:lol: kim

 

[NT]

Of course our forebears went down the whole sheep route by bringing the flock inside the house in winter where they provided a degree of central heating. (This also gave rise to the phrase "Get the flock out of here")

Can't have been good for the RH though!

ISTR Konrad reckoned that was how a lot of interior plaster got salt contaminated and thus damp, from animal pee.

Anyway I thought sheep in the house was more a case of 'central eating'


NT

 

[Gervase]

I think that Herdwicks in the main aren't killed young - but are there any sheep kept in battery cages?

Not exactly - but not all sheep are kept in conditions that one would regard as 'ethical'. If you are worried about the welfare of sheep, steer clear of what is often promoted as 'new season's' English or Welsh lamb in butchers and supermarkets.

As there's a premium to the supplier in getting it on to the shelves as quickly as possible, the ewes are generally dosed with progesterone sponges in July to stimulate ovulation and then mated as quickly as possible to ensure lambing before Christmas. Thus they will be kept in sheds for a month prior to lambing and for two months afterwards, fed on concentrates and silage, and not allowed to forage naturally. The lambs will be creep fed on high protein concentrate and will be completely weaned in less than eight weeks and taken to slaughter almost immediately.

 

[Nemesis]

I know - which I why I gave up eating meat many years ago! But battery hens... yuk. And pigs... no don't start me!

It's hard isn't it, whatever you try to do to be ethical always has a downside.

Wonder what flax insulation is like?

 

[biffvernon]

[ fed on concentrates and silage, and not allowed to forage naturally.

No use using their dung then

 

[NT]

Never seen flax insulation, how does that work?.

Surely old fashioned boraxed strawboard would be much cheaper than wool, and greener.


NT

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.lewes.gov.uk/Files/plan_greeningyourbuilding.doc