The Romeldale/CVM (California Variegated Mutant) sheep is a distinctive breed that originated in California in the early 1900s. Developed to thrive in the Sacramento Valley, these sheep were originally bred for both wool and meat. Today, the Romeldale/CVM breed holds a Critical status on the Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List, highlighting the urgent need for preservation efforts. And what better way to do that than to use their wool!

There are differing accounts of when the first sheep arrived in what is now California. Some historians say that sheep were brought by Spanish missionaries during the mission period, before the U.S. took possession of California after the Mexican-American War. Others believe that sheep first arrived with gold rush miners and settlers after the war. Sheep were a popular livestock choice for the long journey to the West; as food on the hoof they were easier to manage than cattle, and hardier sheep breeds could thrive on poor forage, making them a practical option for settlers traveling by wagon train.

As ranchers settled in the Sacramento Valley, some chose to raise cattle, others sheep, and a few both. However, cattle ranching soon took a backseat to sheep farming. Droughts in the late 1850s followed by floods in the 1860s were disastrous for cattle ranchers, but sheep proved much more resilient to events. Increased demand for wool during the Civil War made sheep farming especially lucrative, and sheep farms in the valley increased in number during this time. By 1876, there were over 1,250,000 sheep in the Sacramento Valley. The boom in wool sales continued through the Civil War, but by 1880, a few years after the end of the Civil War, the number of sheep ranchers began to decline as wartime demand for wool decreased and land values rose.

The number of sheep and sheep ranchers in the Sacramento Valley declined after the Civil War. However, the remaining sheep farms continued to play a vital role in the regional economy, supplying meat and wool to California and neighboring states. Farms focusing on fine wool production favored breeds like Rambouillet and Spanish Merinos, while others focused on dual-purpose breeds such as Southdowns, Leicesters, and Cotswolds.

Enter A. T. Spencer, a Rambouillet rancher from the early 1900s. In 1915, he attended the World’s Fair in San Francisco and purchased Romney rams from New Zealand. Spencer bred these with his Rambouillets, aiming for improved meat quality and longer, white wool. The new breed was named  Romeldale, and it began to see increased popularity in the valley over the next few decades. In the 1940s, J. K. Sexton and his family continued Spencer’s work, raising large flocks of Romeldales for their fine, white wool, meat quality, and ability to thrive in the Sacramento Valley’s dry, hot summers and cold, wet winters. The wool harvested annually was typically sent to Pendleton Mills in Oregon.

In 1970, one of the Sexton family’s Romeldale ewes gave birth to a lamb with colored markings. Over the next few years, more appeared. The Sexton family removed these sheep from the breeding stock to avoid contaminating their line. However, farmer Glen Eidman had other ideas. With hand-spinning becoming increasingly popular during the handicraft revival of the late 1960s and 1970s, Eidman saw an opportunity. He believed he could breed these colored Romeldales for the fine wool and natural shades desired by handspinners. The Sextons began saving their colored Romeldales for Eidman, who carefully selected his breeding stock. Thus, the CVM (California Variegated Mutant) sheep were born.

Romeldale and CVM sheep are essentially the same breed, with the main distinction being that Romeldales are bred for white wool, while CVMs are bred for colored wool. There are a few other minor differences. CVMs often have dark spots on their faces, commonly referred to as badger-faced. They also tend to have less lanolin in their wool and a mix of wool and hair on their hind legs. Otherwise, they are quite similar. Today, Romeldale and CVM herds have declined to the point where few flocks number more than 30 sheep, both in and outside of California. Fewer than 500 new sheep are registered with the American Romeldale/CVM Association each year.

Romeldale/CVM wool produces beautiful, soft yarn that is very comfortable to wear directly against the skin. The fibers that can be fairly fine, measuring 20-25 microns in diameter. The staple length ranges from 3 to 6 inches, featuring a fine and even crimp. While Romeldale wool is traditionally white, Glen Eidman’s efforts have resulted in a stunning variety of naturally colored CVM fleeces, offering a broad spectrum of grays and browns.

Are you ready to support the continued breeding and farming of Romeldale/CVM sheep? Explore our shop and online store! Romeldale/CVM wool can be hard to find, but we stock it seasonally as it becomes available.