A Farm to Yarn Story with a Great Finnish

Suzie Horne shares her farm to yarn story with Pru Raymond on her Adelaide Hills farm. Photo credit: Jacie Davis

Farm to yarn stories fascinate me. I love understanding the process and marvel at the passion and the dedication which drives someone to author that story the whole way along, start to finish. 95% of Australian wool is processed offshore. The majority of stories that begin on Australian sheep farms are completed elsewhere, by other hands. But there are still artisans who are composing unique stories, choosing their own adventure.

I wanted to share one of these stories I encountered within my own wool ecosystem. A story about a flock of Finnish Landrace sheep raised by an amazing woman on her property in the Adelaide Hills. And it seemed poetic to pitch this story to a publication based in Finland: Laine. Known for their gorgeous knitting pattern books and magazines, I was also familiar with their storytelling. I knew that I could entrust them with Suzie Horne’s story.

I met Suzie at Fibre Feast in June 2022, when I featured one of her yarns on my Yarn Tasting flight. I loved her super soft Finn yarn and was curious to learn more about the rare breed she was raising on her Adelaide Hills property. When she told me that I could come up during lambing that September, I leapt at the chance! I promptly invited my friend and photographer, Jacie Davis to come too… and to bring her two girls so they could cuddle the newborn lambs!

Of course these are all the behind the scenes shots. You’ll need to get a copy of Laine Magazine Vol. 17 which comes out the fifth of May 2023 in order to read the 1500 word photo essay about how Suzie came to raise Finnsheep in the Adelaide Hills, thousands of kilometres away from their homeland. You can pre-order your copy here or through your local yarn store.

Do you have a farm to yarn story you want Pru Raymond to help share? Or want Pru to write for your blog/ magazine/ publication? Contact Pru to start the conversation.