Brown Sheep Company has a long history in Nebraska. We can now count five generations of Wells on our farm and three generations at our mill. Brown Sheep Company began in the 1980s, when Harlan Brown hand delivered truckloads of yarn spun on used, secondhand equipment to Navajo weavers at a local trading post. Then in the 90s, Harlan’s daughter Peggy Jo and her husband Robert Wells joined the company, updated the equipment, and implemented an environmentally-friendly method for recycling dye water. Today, Robert and Peggy Jo’s son Andrew and daughter-in-law Brittany steward the company’s marketing and production efforts. As you can imagine, Brown Sheep has always prided itself on its enduring legacy. There are very few companies left in America that can boast such deep roots.

We’re proud to be a U.S. company that does almost everything in the process here at home. However, we’re consistently surprised by how little Nebraska locals know about or have heard of Brown Sheep Company! The crafting world at large is very familiar with and loyal to our brand. But many Nebraska locals are still unfamiliar with our work and what we do in the community. So we were very excited recently to have enjoyed some time in the spotlight with features on Building Nebraska and Curious Nebraska. We’ve included both below so you can read and enjoy them at your leisure.

Building Nebraska

Andrew Wells sat down with Rebel Sjeklocha of Building Nebraska, a podcast that highlights stories of successful entrepreneurship. In this interview, Andrew shared Brown Sheep Company’s humble beginnings, as well as some interesting factoids about manufacturing yarn in Nebraska. For example, did you know Nebraska isn’t the most ideal place to manufacture yarn… and do you know why? Watch the interview above to learn the answer! Andrew also talks about how Brown Sheep Company keep consistent dye lots, what it’s like to work in a family business, and how we’re planning for the future.

Curious Nebraska

Nebraska Public Media producer Andy Hermann visited Brown Sheep Company in late December for a piece on wool workers in Nebraska. Donning his Icelandic sweater, Hermann toured the mill (listen closely for mill noise ASMR in the background!) and learned more about our process. Hermann also visited The Fiber Mill in Stromsburg and Kestrel Ridge Pellet Company in Lawrence. The episode is a quick minutes and worth the listen to learn more about local family wool businesses in Nebraska. 

Nebraska Stories

 While Brown Sheep Company’s appearance on Nebraska Public Media’s Nebraska Stories is not new, it’s still a great watch. There are so many wonderful behind-the-scenes glimpses of Brown Sheep’s beginnings, including old snapshots! The interview features both Peggy Jo and Robert. Robert offers insight into the eco-friendly system he personally developed for recycling dye water. Also, did you know Brown Sheep Company provided yarns to Ralph Lauren for his designs in the 2014 Winter Olympics? Watch the video to learn more!  

Did you learn anything new today about Brown Sheep Company? What was your favorite factoid? Join us at Brown Sheep Company Crafters and let us know!