This sheep was the definition of Zen - a state of calm attentiveness, while relaxing against the historic barn at the Rocky Mount Historic Site in Piney Flats, TN.
The Cotswold are a very old breed of sheep that originated about 2,000 years ago on the Cotswold hilltops of the Southern Midlands region of England. They are thought to be descended from long wool sheep introduced in England by the Romans in the first century A.D. ..Christopher Dunn was the first to introduce the Cotswold sheep to America in 1832. Though uncommon today, in 1879 they were the most popular breed in America with over 760,000 registered...Their numbers dwindled after the introduction of the Merino sheep which had superior fleece and quick maturing lambs. By 1993 there were less than 400 registered Cotswold lambs...Thanks to the American Livestock Breeders Conservancy and other groups, Cotswolds have been removed from the "rare breed list" and are enjoying popularity among spinners. The Cotswold can yield 15 pounds of wool per shearing, with fibers up to 12 inches long..