Farm Goes Green With Organic Sheep, Wool

WEST BROOKFIELD, Mass. -- Grown organically and locally is the mantra at Windy Hamlet Farm in West Brookfield. The farm has a very low carbon footprint and produces organic wool.

NewsCenter 5's David Brown reported that the farm has 37 Icelandic sheep that are raised organically, and their wool is used to make art and clothing.

VIDEO: Farm Goes Green With Organic Sheep, Wool

"The wool that results from organic production of sheep has no chemical additives in it -- no residual chemicals in the wool at all," said Dorothy Benedict.

That's because no chemicals were ever placed on the land that the sheep graze on. The fields are rotated so they are not overgrazed, preventing the buildup of parasites. The hay that is produced to feed the sheep is also grown organically.

The sheep produce hundreds of pounds of wool, which Benedict has washed, dried and carded before it is made in into art or clothing through a process called felting.

"Some of the things that I have now were made from a particular sheep. Some of the things I've kept myself. So it's nice to know I'm carrying a little bit of that sheep around wherever I go," Benedict said.

Windy Hamlet Farm maintains a low carbon footprint by raising the sheep organically and keeping some of the wool at the farm.

"I've always had it in my blood that I wanted to do that, that I wanted to sustain that, so that's why the sheep are here and that's why I'm here," Benedict said.