Unusual Uses For Wool

Just wearing your sweater, you know that wool keeps you warm. Sheepskin and wool have been used for warmth as long as sheep and people have been around. Wikipedia says “Sheep wool is a natural, sustainable, renewable, recyclable and totally biodegradable material that does not endanger the health of people or the environment.” Sheepskins add beauty and comfort and can be healing for poorly sleeping infants or bedridden sufferers. These uses for wool are familiar.

Wool is an ideal natural mulch. At Topsy Farms we have an excess of ‘belly wool’ which contains too much dirt, chaff and fecal matter to process for yarn. However, it is ideal to use as mulch around the base of trees and shrubs. It is porous and cooling for plant roots yet impervious to weeds. As a side benefit, the birds in our area often use bits of this mulch to line their nests. They know a good thing when they see/feel it.