Marushka Farms

Prior to our acquisition, this central Pennsylvania farm had remained in the Emmitt family for more than 100 years.  We are pleased to maintain the farming tradition although sheep are a new additon to the farm.

The sheep rapidly grew accustomed to the rolling hills of the farm and contentedly graze.  Despite the rural nature of the area, the farm in within easy access of major thoroughfares.

Marie has a long standing interest in fiberarts and our farming practices are designed to produce high quality breeding stock with beautiful fleece for others who enjoy the pursuit of  pleasurable fiber work.

For more information about the activities with the flock and fiber pursuits, please visit and register with the Marushka Farms blog.

What We raise

CVM/Romeldale sheep are the most critically rare breed of sheep in the US today according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy--around 500 purebred registrations per year.  We now own one of the largest CVM flocks in the US after the acquisition of the Yellow Creek Cottage flock from Chris Spitzer in Ohio.  Due to Chris's many years of work with breeding and selective acquisition, this flock represents a broad genetic and color/pattern background.  We, therefore, can provide breeding stock for interested breeders of this rare breed whether it is providing starter flocks for those new to the breed or adding variety to existing flocks of CVM/Romeldales.

CVM/Romeldales are a fiber artists dream come true. Wonderful fiber with next-to-the-skin softness that comes in nature’s bounty of colors. They will never bore you with their colors and patterns.  Fleece and processed wool top are available for those interested in working with this pleasurable fiber.  For those fiber artisits preferring yarn, we also have a range of natural color yarns processed locally in a variety of weights from sock to worsted weights.

For additional information on this remarkable breed, please visit the National CVM Conservancy website.

Icelandic sheep provide an entirely different and unique type of wool.  The most eye-catching aspect of the breed is the variation of colors and patterns. Genetically, Icelandics have one of two base colors, either black or moorit (brown). They exhibit 5 pattern combinations: white, gray, badgerface, mouflon and solid. Individual sheep may also display various shades of these colors/patterns, ranging from white, cream, light gray, tan, caramel, milk chocolate, silver, dark chocolate, dark gray, to jet black. A spotting gene adds even more combinations with many recognized and named patterns of white markings.

The fleece is dual coated, with a fine, soft undercoat called thel and a longer, coarser outer coat called tog. The tog fiber with a spinning count of 56-60 and a micron count of 27-30, grows to a length of 6-8" in six months. It is lustrous, strong, water- and wear-resistant, and sheds off the rain and weather. Thel is the soft downy undercoat, with a spinning count of 64-70 and a micron count of 19-22, growing to a length of 2-4". The thel provides the loft for the outer coat and insulation for the sheep. Tog grows from the primary hair follicles and the thel from the secondary follicles. Tog is a true wool, and is not a kemp or guard hair. The combination of the two fibers on the sheep gives superb protection from the cold and wet.

For additional information, please see the Icelandic Sheep Breeders of North America website.