While a great deal of the wool we use as fiber artists comes from sheep raised for wool, there are a number of breeds we also use that are raised for both meat and wool, called dual breeds. However, a handful of sheep breeds provide even more versatility - triple breeds. These are sheep breeds, such as the East Friesian, or Fries Melkschaap, that can yield wool, meat, and milk.

Although cow milking dates to at least 8000 BCE, most archaeologists agree that sheep had been milked for several thousand years before cattle by the Neolithic farmers of the Middle East. By 7500 BCE milk drinking was well established in Central Europe, and it is reasonable to assume that it spread to the rest of Europe over the course of the next few centuries. For quite some time, all sheep did triple duty, providing wool, meat, and milk. It wasn’t until the 1700s that agriculturalists and farmers began breeding specifically for wool, for meat and wool (dual-breeds), and high-producing milk sheep.

The East Friesian, or Fries Melkschaap, sheep's history begins in marshes and heathlands of Friesland, a region on the coast of the Netherlands and Germany. It is likely that the ancient marsh and heath sheep of Friesland descended from northern European short-tailed breeds, known for their hardiness and disease resistance, which were valuable traits for Paleolithic cultures. By the 1^st century CE, though, Romans began to colonize other parts of Europe including Friesland. They brough their woolly, long-tailed sheep along with them – sheep that were already being milked in Roman society to produce cheese. These sheep bred with the native Friesland sheep, creating a landrace breed that remained unimproved for more than a thousand years.

As farming practices developed in northern Europe during the Middle Ages, sheep played a vital role in European economies. Their wool provided material for clothing and textiles, protecting people against severe northern European winters. While wool was imported and exported throughout Europe, sheep were also kept locally for their meat and their milk. Dutch farmers and shepherds made cheese to preserve the sheep milk, just as their prehistoric ancestors had already done for centuries. Several traditional Dutch sheep milk cheeses, such as sheep milk Gouda and Schapenkaas, continue to be produced to this day.

The late 1700s marked the advent of more scientific breeding methods, prompting agriculturalists and farmers to breed animals for specific purposes. Different sheep were selectively bred to yield ample soft wool, have larger bodies for meat production, serve as dual breeds (providing both meat and wool), or to produce larger quantities of milk as dairy sheep. The East Friesian was one of the breeds that eventually became the best-known milk sheep in existence today.

It was not until the 1700s that a landrace breed of Frisian milk sheep was mentioned in writing. Well thought of in the region for their milk production, they nevertheless almost became extinct by the mid-1800s, displaced by the imports of improved English sheep breeds. Recognizing that their native milk sheep was about to disappear, the Dutch began their own selective breeding on the remaining Frisian milk sheep, creating the East Friesian, or Fries Melkschaap. The Frysk Melkskiepe Studbook was founded in 1908 to promote and track the East Friesian breed. Little did they know at that time just how popular the breed was to become.

By the 1960s, some of the first East Frisians were imported to the U.K. Although they were first imported to improve some of the English meat breeds, some of the farmers who received them also began setting aside some for breeding and for dairying. East Friesian sheep are the highest producing dairy sheep in the world, and it was not long until the rest of the work noticed. By the 1990s, Canadian farmers imported East Friesian sheep, and then introduced them to farmers in the USA. Other countries with significant sheep populations and similar climates took note and began importing East Friesians for dairy farming. Today, the East Friesian is regarded as the leading dairy sheep worldwide and produces much of the milk for sheep milk cheeses throughout the world.

In the late 20th century, East Friesian sheep were introduced to other parts of the world, including the United States. Their superior milk yield and wool quality made them a valuable addition to these new regions, and they were frequently used in crossbreeding programs to create other, hardier milk sheep breeds. East Friesian and Lacaune crosses are popular in North America, and the Assaf – a cross between the East Friesian and the Middle Eastern Awassi is popular in the Middle East.

As with all sheep hailing from Northern Europe, East Friesian sheep also produce a good amount of wool. As crafters and fiber artists, it can really be a delight to use East Friesian wool either alone or blended with other fibers. A medium textured wool suitable for cardigans, outwear, and house goods, it has micron width of around 29-33, and a good staple length between 4-6 inches. If you are a spinner, you will be interested to know that it has a fine crimp. The resulting yarn has a fair bit of bounce to it, making it great to use as a DK weight or heavier yarn weight.

Interested in using some East Friesian wool on your next project? We have some lovely hand-dyed East Friesian wool top wreaths by a local fiber mill, Skagit Wool Works, just waiting to be spun up or felted. Or just hang them on your wall – they are that pretty! Looking for undyed East Friesian top for your next project? Email, call, or just stop by and we will happily get a special order in for you. Keep on making, Northwest Yarns & Mercantile Nation!