YARNS & WOOL: DASHING STAR FARM

Starting in 1994, Lynn Mordas, owner of Dashing Star Farm, began developing a unique cross breed of sheep (mainly using the English Romney and Border Leicester breeds), creating an absolutely gorgeous palette of natural colors for wool.

Lynn regularly attends the Amenia Farmers Market and the Millerton Farmers Market in Duchess County NY, as well as sheep and wool festivals in the region – including the big one in Rhinebeck. [Photo above is taken by Bob Carey.]

The Romney x Border Leicester or Coopworth fleece sometimes has a crimp to it, and Lynn sells one-ply, two-ply and three-ply yarns. She sells the yarn in skeins by the ounce and is emphatic that the yarn has no knots. The sheep are sheared at the farm by Mike Gates, and then she does the skirting and pre-processing, to clean vegetative matter and larger bits of dirt from the wool. Scouring, picking, carding and spinning of the wool are all done in Michigan.

Lynn also sells roving wool for hand spinning or felting, and she makes pillows stuffed with wool. The wool is naturally processed, just like the yarn, and the roving and wool batting for felting, quilts and pillows are sold by the pound. Color variations for the wool range from brown to natural, through a full grey scale.

Dashing Star Farms’ sheepskins are beautiful, with extraordinary natural shades of white/cream and brown.

Dashing Star has recently introduced a line or pure-bred Coopworth sheep, developed originally in New Zealand, and Finnsheep, known for the tenderest meat (Dashing Star Farm also sells lamb.) The livestock is raised organically, free-ranged on rotated pastures, withIn addition to her work as a fiber farmer, Lynn is also heavily involved in historic preservation in the region and serves as Executive Director of the Friends of Coleman Station.Dashing Star Farm is located in the Coleman Station Historic District in the town of North East, which is an agriculturally-based historic district. The barn is on the historic register – built in 1840, it had restoration work done in 1925, then again in 1994. a diet supplemented with locally grown whole grains.

In addition to her work as a fiber farmer, Lynn is also heavily involved in historic preservation in the region and serves as Executive Director of the Friends of Coleman Station. Dashing Star Farm is located in the Coleman Station Historic District in the town of North East, which is an agriculturally-based historic district. The barn is on the historic register – built in 1840, it had restoration work done in 1925, then again in 1994.

Lynn also participated in the Cornell University LEAD NY program – a 2 year certificate program for agricultural professionals. 

Dashing Star Farm contact information: (www.dashingstarfarm.com); dashingstarfarmer@gmail.com. Where you can find Dashing Star Farm products: New York State Sheep and Wool Festival (www.sheepandwool.com); Rhinebeck Chancellor’s Sheep and Wool Showcase, Germantown, NY; Amenia Farmers Market; Millerton Farmers Market; Silamar Farm, Millerton, NY; DeCicco’s Family Markets, Brewster and Ardsley, NY. Various events in the Hudson Valley and NYC metro area throughout the year. Wool resources in the region:Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers Association (www.sheepandwool.com)