There's not many traditional sheep flocks left in Germany, wandering around to graze here and there. Rules, regulations (sometimes really stupid ones, especially concerning herd protection dogs), the intensive agriculture in Germany, the many streets and roadways, and last but not at all least the very low price for wool are all making it hard for this way of keeping sheep to be economically viable. Yet sheep grazing is the thing that keeps some of the iconic landscapes of Germany what they are, and wandering flocks like that are the only way to preserve them.

One of the last flocks that remain is now trying to change the "no money for the wool" dilemma, to make things better. The shepherd (who is also active on twitter) started a Startnext campaign to sell their wool directly. It has been funded already, then met its second funding goal, but there are a few more days left to support it, and there's also (most importantly) some knitting yarn, carded wool, and other wooly product stuff left to get.

I think it's a wonderful project. Supporting the project means a reasonable price for wool, making sure traditionally-kept wandering flocks like Sven's flock can keep going, and helps to protect the very special environment in German regions that have been grazed on, and formed by this, for many years. Plus you get knitting or spinning fodder!

You can check out the project under "Paulas Wolle" at startnext, and support it there. Text is German only, but they do send their wool outside of Germany within the EU (sorry Great-Britain, you're out).