Bramble & Ivy

Bramble and Ivy, two of Farthing Stone’s Founding Five, are our plucky and petite girl twins. Both are compact, doll-like sheep – short, round, and fluffy with wonderfully soft, stubby little ears and bright button eyes. You just want to hug them.

Bramble has a black head and legs with a pale gray body. We think her wool is minky and luxuriant. She is sharp and sweet and crazy – everything she does is cute. Sometimes she rests her chin on the fence boards to watch us clean. Sheep only have front teeth on the bottom so with her chin on the board her perfect white teeth show up strikingly against her black muzzle. Goofy, yes, but also endearing. Truth to be told, Bramble does not suffer fools gladly. She’ll give a solid thump to any sheep who invades her personal patch of grass or hay… unless that sheep is big and tough, in which case she’ll turn tail and disappear. Fun fact: Bramble has a black tongue!

When they first came to the farm, Ivy seemed to live in Bramble’s shadow, having no identity except as Bramble’s sister. Things changed the following spring when four new lambs arrived. Ivy soon took over as their nanny. She showed them the ways of the farm and was a calm but (very) firm authority figure. The role of nanny somehow gave Ivy the confidence she needed. She found her identity – her place in the flock. It’s incredibly gratifying, and also adorable, to see how self assured she is now. Ivy’s wool is soft, fluffy and crimpy, and in contrast to Bramble, she is one of our whitest Shetlands. Ivy loves being petted and stands quietly rapt when we give her attention. Her hobby is photo bombing.