In June Bruce and I made a visit to the Öströö sheep farm to speak to Jeanette Carlsson about how the once small farm run by her and her husband, has become a thriving multi-faceted enterprise that not only provides meat and wool to the community, but also serves as a conference center and tourist destination.
The first thing that you notice on the way to the farm (located about 1 hour south of Göteborg) is that the countryside is breathtaking. You travel up and down country lanes with pristine fields on both sides of the road, bordered by expansive groves of beech trees. Before you even reach the entrance to the farm, you see the sheep, raising their heads briefly from munching at the grass to watch you go by. Nearly all have the characteristic dark grey/black face of Gotland breed, with curly grey coats. They keep a few Leicester for white wool, but the 500+ Gotland ewes (and their some 900 lambs/year) are the stars of the show.
It was always the Carlsson’s intention to produce an excess from their flock for sale, but after the nearby slaughterhouse closed, they took on that side of the business as well. Now they market everything the sheep produce from meat, to other delicatessen products like sausage, as well as soap, fleece, souvenirs made from or about sheep (mostly designed by Jeanette), roving and yarn. In their web boutique and craft shop you can find many well-made items to take home, along with lamb and other goodies.
While at the farm, you should take advantage of lunch or fika (the well-known Swedish coffee break with wonderful sweets and pastries) at their café. Bruce and I spent the rest of our trip trying to duplicate the incredible chocolate balls, and failed. They are an absolute indulgence, and not to be missed.
During lambing season, guests are able to watch the mothers and their lambs, and as they get a little older, you can even help to bottle feed those who don’t have mothers. In the later spring and summer, you can take a “lamb safari” through the farm to see the flocks up close and enjoy the countryside. There also are opportunities for hiking and fishing in the surrounding neighborhood.
Öströö is only able to market a small amount of yarn, which now is available both onsite and through their online boutique. The Öströö wool is all natural; light and dark grey and white (all undyed), in both 2- and 3-ply. Öströö yarns are processed by nearby Karlsbergsgården Spinneri. The shop also stocks Kampes yarns in a full range of colors, as well as Ullcentrum roving.
Knitting with Öströö yarns: I knit a swatch from the darker grey 3-ply Gotland yarn and loved the fabric it produces. It is a rustic yarn and the dense, long fibers in the mix give it a nice halo. Most people wouldn’t want to wear this yarn next to the skin, but its springy texture and strength would make it an excellent choice for jackets or sweaters worn over another garment. The yarn has a lovely sheen, and the tight spin is the basis for excellent stitch definition. It also is recommended for felting, and felts quite easily.
Something other than yarn:
Having failed to find the perfect Chokladbollar while still in Sweden, I have now started on my own quest to make them at home (with mixed results). Here is one that is almost as good as Jeanette’s version. I love the fact that this recipe doesn’t require baking!
Chokladbollar
Ingredients
- 4 c rolled oats
- 1 1/4 c sugar
- 1 c softened butter
- 2 T strong coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate (melted)
- 1/3 c coconut flakes
Instructions
- Mix together oats, sugar and cocoa.
- Add butter. Mix with your hands to blend ingredients and form a thick dough.
- Add in coffee, vanilla and melted chocolate, and mix until well blended.
- Form balls from the dough about 1″ in diameter, and roll in the coconut flakes.
- Eat at room temperature, or chill for an hour or two to make the balls firmer.