Entrepreneurial farmers use own wool to make blankets and yarns

Angus cattle and merino sheep graze happily at The Grampians, a scenic 3100 hectare station near Culverden that goes from 300 to 1500 metres above sea level.

Third generation farmer Jono Reed has always had a fascination with bulls and cattle. He was only 14 when he started an Angus stud on the property.

"They're an efficient animal that's gutsy and can handle the hard times," he says.

Now known as Grampians Angus, the stud now sells 40 to 50 bulls a year.  In the last on-farm sale the bulls averaged $11,000 each.

Jono also has a 600 cow commercial herd.

Originally, Jono's parents ran a half breed type of sheep at the farm but switched to merinos.

"They figured they weren't getting a lot of wool or production out of a half breed so they thought they might as well have a valuable fleece."

Jono and his wife, Sarah, now farm about 5500 merinos.

Sarah uses the fleece from their hoggets to produce a range of blankets, throws and knitting yarn.

The fleece measures in at a fine 17.5 micron.

"A lot of people have said it's a soft as silk...so there's no irritation against the skin," she says.

Her brand is called The Grumpy Merino and Sarah didn't have to look far to find the name.

"So that's just (a combination of) the Grampians, the farm name and Stumpy's merinos. Jono's dad's nickname's Stumpy."

The blankets and throws are made in New Zealand. The wool is tested, scoured and washed in Timaru, spun in Wellington and then manufactured in Auckland.

"One hundred percent merino from our farm and we're really proud of that," Sarah says with smile.